Cougars, Aztecs battle in Seattle

SEATTLE – It’s the football version of the chicken or the egg. Which has the advantage, the team that has played a game, or the team opening its season?

On the “it’s-better-to-have-a-game” side is the kinks factor, and no one is talking about a ‘60s British band.

“There may be a slight advantage in having been able to work the kinks out,” said WSU coach Bill Doba earlier this week. “But there is the disadvantage in not knowing what they are going to do.”

The flip side. The argument revolves around a lack of a track record, the inability to pin down your opponent’s game plan.

Today when the San Diego State Aztecs run onto Qwest Field, it will be the first time in 2007. They’ll have at least 12 new starters, including three in the secondary, where the only returnee is playing a new position. Eighteen Aztecs have had surgery since the beginning of last season, a season which saw SDSU missing an average of seven starters a game because of injury.

One of the returning starters, right guard Brandyn Dombrowski, who has made 28 consecutive starts, will be a game-time decision because of academic issues.

His status was supposed to be resolved Friday, but no decision was announced.

“With all those guys back from injuries, and their new starters, we don’t know what they can do,” Doba said. “We’re not positive what they are going to do defensively and, offensively, we think we know that they are going to do, but there is always that shadow of doubt.”

Across the field will be Washington State, coming off a 42-21 season-opening defeat at then-No. 7 Wisconsin. A loss is a loss, but there is one win in the Cougars’ eyes.

“It gives us an advantage having that game experience, having been out there,” quarterback Alex Brink said. “We feel good having a game under our belt.”

Then, of course, Brink sees the other side of the conundrum.

“It helps them in a way because we don’t have any film on what they are going to do for sure this year,” Brink said. “You hope they stay pretty similar to last year, but you never know. There are definitely some pros and cons to it.”

So if Adam had a belly button and the egg hatched into a rooster, then the Cougars have the advantage. If not, then San Diego State will be crowing. In one case, at least, the debate should be answered by 8 tonight.