Steve Bergum

Mike Price can't explain the feeling. It defies all logic, he knows. But he likes the chances of his 14-point underdog Washington State Cougars in today's 12:30 p.m. Pacific-10 Conference football matchup against fifth-ranked and unbeaten Southern California.

Stewart

The Spokane Arena will be the site of two Washington State men's basketball games this winter, including one against defending national champion UCLA. Athletic director Rick Dickson announced Tuesday that the Cougars will face Gonzaga University Friday, Nov. 24, in the first collegiate basketball game played in the new facility and then play host to the Bruins on Thursday, Jan. 4, in a game that could go a long way toward deciding the Pacific-10 Conference title.

1. Frank Madu leaves an Oregon State defender grabbing air as he breezes to a 51-yard touchdown. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review 2. Shawn Tims wins a race to the end zone in scoring third-quarter touchdown. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

Oregon State will bring a new-look option attack and a remarkably resilient attitude into Martin Stadium this afternoon, hoping to rain an upset on Washington State's homecoming parade. Kickoff for the Pacific-10 Conference football matchup is 2:05 and a crowd of more than 30,000 is expected.

The numbers put up by quarterback Tim Alexander has OSU fans smiling. Photo by Associated Press

Twenty-four hours, an overnight stay at his cabin on Coeur d'Alene Lake and a relaxing morning boat ride did nothing to change Washington State coach Mike Price's opinion about the way his team played in Saturday's bruising 35-21 loss to No. 2-ranked Nebraska. "I was proud of our football team and football players for their effort," Price said Sunday afternoon, just before he started breaking down video of Oregon State, next Saturday's homecoming opponent. The Cougars, after stunning the defending national champions with an early 87-yard touchdown run by Frank Madu, were on the verge of getting blown out late in the third quarter when a 3-yard scoring run by freshman I-back Ahman Green and a two-point conversion pass put Nebraska up 28-7.

1. Mead grad bulked up for college. Photo by J. Bart Rayniak/The Spokesman-Review 2. "(George) Yarno really came to bat for me." Cory Solomon WSU offensive lineman

Osborne

WSU's Brian Walker won't let Karim Abdul-Jabbar cut loose. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

1. Washington State 24, UCLA 15. Jay Dumas gets Cougars off and running with a 72-yard punt return for a touchdown, leaving UCLA kicker Chris Sailer eating turf. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review 2. Kicker Tony Truant, left, and holder Jay Dumas celebrate a field goal. Photo by J. Bart Rayniak/The Spokesman-Review

Everyone involved agrees. It's time for Washington State's offense to step up and perform like the confident, improved unit it has proclaimed to be all fall. The Cougars took steps in that direction two weeks ago, rolling up 504 yards and 26 first downs in a 38-21 win over Division I-AA Montana.

Terry Donahue has his UCLA defense following Washington State's lead. File/Associated Press

Chad Davis, in his second year at WSU, originally signed with Oklahoma. File/The Spokesman-Review

Gilbertson

1. Derek Sparks steps out of the grasp of Josh Remington and into the end zone for the second of his two touchdowns in Washington State's 38-21 win Saturday in Pullman. Photo by Christopher Anderson/The Spokesman-Review 2. WSU quarterback Chad Davis eludes Montana rush to pick out a receiver. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

Washington State defensive tackle Leon Bender had been ruled ineligible for the 1995-96 school year and will redshirt this season, according to Cougars coach Mike Price. Price announced late Thursday afternoon that the 6-foot-6, 257-pound junior, who was expected to start this fall, has been re-instated at WSU but has failed to meet the NCAA's new eligibility criteria.

Montana quarterback Dave Dickenson leads the Division I-AA Grizzlies into Pullman on Saturday. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

Mike Price isn't guaranteeing a victory in Saturday's 2 p.m. home football opener against Montana. But the seventh-year Washington State coach has promised that if his Cougars don't win, it won't be because they've overlooked the Division I-AA Grizzlies.

There was a rare sighting of a 1994 national championship ring on the sideline of Washington State's football practice field Tuesday afternoon. The face of the massive gold ring featured the words "NEBRASKA 1994 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS" inscribed around a diamond inlay of the number "1," all in honor of the Cornhuskers' unbeaten march to last year's national title.

Not that a whole bunch of worrying would help matters, anyway. But Washington State's coaching staff seemed remarkably calm and confident Friday on the eve of the Cougars' 1995 football season opener against Pittsburgh.

After backing up Mark Fields the past two seasons at Washington State, middle linebacker James Darling finally gets his chance to anchor Cougars defense. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

Pitt coach Johnny Majors still resentful. Photo by Associated Press

Stanford's defensive coordinator wants his players to become party animals - preferably Wolverines. Not that there has been much for Cardinal defenders to party about in recent years, but doggone it, when they do make that key play or big hit this fall, Bill Harris wants them to let people know about it. The former Michigan assistant is not only insisting that his players celebrate after every big play they make, he's making them practice the art form. And he's hinting that he will bench anyone not willing to join in the festivities.