The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
40°F
Current Conditions
Scattered clouds
View complete weather report

Color Scheme

Subscribe now
Jacob Thorpe

Jacob Thorpe

Current Position: Sports columnist

Jacob Thorpe is a freelance sports columnist covering Washington State football.

All Stories

Sports

Pac-12 football notes: Teams rival SEC’s

PULLMAN – After another week of heavy churn in the Pac-12 it’s apparent that the conference has achieved a level of parity that may be unmatched in college football. While this has made it more difficult for teams to rack up double-digit wins, the conference has earned enough national respect that perhaps they don’t need to. Stanford couldn’t take care of business against the Utes, who were unable to get past Arizona, which was thrashed by the Huskies. In other years, this sort of chaos might be indicative of a dearth of credible teams in the conference. But this season it is due to a surfeit of talent and good coaching.
Sports

Pac-12 power rankings

Chaos and disarray reign supreme in the “Conference of Champions.” Utah beats Stanford, Arizona beats Utah. Cats and birds living together in perfect harmony. Is nothing sacred? For those of us who bristle at the idea of change and want our porridge to taste exactly the same every morning there is always old reliable Oregon to take solace in. Actually, Cal is pretty reliable as well. Everything in between, however, is a lawless anarchy. Bring order to your universe with our power rankings for week 9. 1 Oregon (7-0, 4-0 in Pac-12; last week: 1) The biggest problem facing the Ducks is how to incorporate superstar De’Anthony Thomas into an offense that can’t find enough touches for its playmakers no matter how many plays it runs. It’s not a bad problem to have.
Sports

Cougars get a bye before a final run

 PULLMAN – The Washington State football team is two-thirds of the way through its season and ready for a break. In the words of quarterback Connor Halliday, “It’s kind of a perfect time for the bye week.”  The Cougars (4-4) are a coin-flip team through their first eight games, and will need to remain so in the final four to qualify for a bowl game. While the team has lost its last two games by a combined score of 114-62, the team showed enough in its loss to Oregon on Saturday to think it can still challenge for a postseason berth.
Sports

“Perfect time” for a bye for Cougars

The Washington State football team is two-thirds of the way through its season and ready for a break. In the words of quarterback Connor Halliday, “It’s kind of a perfect time for the bye week.”
Sports

Oregon outclasses Cougars in second-half

EUGENE – The Washington State football team piled up the positives on Saturday against second-ranked Oregon. Connor Halliday contributed a record-setting performance, the Cougars kept their composure when faced with adversity and the defense smacked Heisman-hopeful quarterback Marcus Mariota silly. Why, you’d hardly know the Ducks had railroaded the Cougars 62-38.
Sports

Turnovers abound

In the Oregon Ducks’ first six games they fumbled the ball just three times. They matched that in a half against Washington State. Oregon’s façade of perfection cracked early in the face of a fearsome Cougars pass rush. Quarterback Marcus Mariota was sacked four times and fumbled twice before halftime. They were his first two giveaways of any sort this season. Defensive tackle Xavier Cooper picked up the second and ran it 29 yards for a touchdown. It was the first scoop and score for the Cougars since Will Derting in the 2004 Apple Cup.
Sports

Ducks break loose in second half against WSU

Marcus Mariota threw for 327 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another as No. 2 Oregon overcame the 557 yards and FBS-record 89 pass attempts of Connor Halliday for a 62-38 victory over Washington State on Saturday night.
Sports

Cougars will need to avoid panic if they want to compete with Ducks

EUGENE – Though the task ahead of the Washington State football team may be mountainous, it isn’t complicated. To stay with the second-ranked and league-leading Oregon Ducks won’t require gimmicks or surprises. Nor will it necessitate superhuman effort, or a colossal collapse by America’s flashiest team.
Sports

Pac-12: WSU basketball gets no respect

SAN FRANCISCO – The Washington State basketball team won’t be burdened by expectations in the 2013-14 season. The Cougars – picked by the Pac-12 media to finish last in the conference – will still have a yoke to bear, however: the weight of proving everyone wrong. “We can run with it and use that as a stepping stone, as like a chip on our shoulder,” junior guard DaVonte Lacy said. “But I don't really pay attention to it. It doesn't really affect me at all.”
Sports

WSU has work cut out at Oregon

Many schools have tried to stop the Oregon football team, just about none have succeeded. But a year ago, Washington State took some air out of the Ducks’ tires, for two quarters at least. The Cougars went into the halftime trailing UO by a scant 23-19 margin.
Sports

Pac-12: WSU basketball gets no respect

The Washington State basketball team won’t be burdened by expectations in the 2013-14 season. The Cougars – picked by the Pac-12 media to finish last in the conference – will still have a yoke to bear, however: the weight of proving everyone wrong.