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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

WSU can become bowl eligible with win vs. Utah

WSU football coach Mike Leach has the Cougars within one win of becoming bowl-eligible. (Associated Press)
PULLMAN – When Mike Leach was the head coach at Texas Tech the Red Raiders went to 10 straight bowl games. One of the perks of postseason play was the extra practice time allotted to bowl teams. While all teams are limited to 15 practices in the spring, the NCAA places no cap on the number of practices a team can squeeze in prior to a bowl game. “I think it’s incredibly helpful. We went to 10 straight bowls and I thought in the middle of 10 straight bowls that everybody should have the practice opportunities because it’s a definite advantage,” Leach said. “And then your young guys, you know, you can work them and the young guys will have improved a lot since camp.” The Cougars (5-5, 3-4 Pac-12) would become bowl eligible with a victory against Utah today. The last time they played in a bowl game was 2003, and the last time they were eligible was 2006. After defeating Arizona last weekend, WSU is hoping to put together its first winning streak since September. With a win under their belts, the Cougars believe their positive momentum can give them an advantage. “I think so just because you have that confidence coming in,” senior Elliott Bosch said. “Guys believe in what we’re doing, it just carries you and gives you momentum into next week.” Under NCAA guidelines, any team that finishes with a .500 or better record and only one or fewer games against non-FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) teams is eligible to play in a bowl game. However, there are a finite number of bowls and it is mathematically possible to qualify and not receive a bowl invite, as occurred in 2006 when both WSU and Arizona were left out with 6-6 records. “It’s never happened to me. And it shouldn’t happen at all, especially in this conference,” Leach said. It could happen to a Pac-12 team this season. The conference has contracted with seven bowls, and is unlikely to send a team to the BCS championship game. With eight teams already bowl eligible and WSU, Utah and Colorado still mathematically in the mix, the Pac-12 could have as many as 10 teams qualified to play in the postseason. If other conferences do not have enough teams reach a .500 record then the bowls they have tie-ins with will look elsewhere. The American Athletic Conference and Big 12 are potential sources. The Atlantic Coast Conference has already filled its bowl allotment, as have the Big Ten, the Mountain West and Sun Belt conferences. If Texas-San Antonio wins one of its final two games then Conference USA will have as well. The Mid-American Conference only has tie-ins with three bowl games, yet has six teams qualified. But all of those scenarios and possibilities will only matter for the Cougars if they win one of their final two games. With that in mind, WSU players say they’re doing their best to block out any thoughts of playing in a bowl. “It gives you a little extra energy,” Bosch said. “But around the program we’re trying not to talk about that. Our main goal this year has been to focus on the task at hand one week at a time and win one game that Saturday. It gives you a little extra but we’re trying not to talk about it.”