A Grip on Sports: Winter’s comings and goings are about to begin as the weekend highlights the good and not-so-good of college sports

A GRIP ON SPORTS • There is a winter weather advisory in place for the Inland Northwest this morning. Seems accurate. Even if it’s not actually winter yet. The season, calendar-wise, arrives in a couple weeks. But it’s already here for college football coaches and basketball fans.

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• Winter is cold, dark and dismal in a lot of ways. For all but a few college football programs, including the one in Pullman, how well they can limit the dismal part of that is key to next fall’s success.

Jake Dickert addressed the transfer portal yesterday, speaking from the point of view of a program that expects to lose up to a couple dozen players off its roster. That number seems low to us, considering the trend for more and more portal entries, but is bad enough to anyone who has ever donned a sweatshirt with Cougars across the front. In actuality, though, the total is probably immaterial.

What matters is not how many leave – replacements are available in most instances – but who leaves. And, in the Cougs’ case as 2024 melts into 2025, whether one player leaves.

Quarterback John Mateer.

Mateer’s impact on the field is not debatable. Few, if any, college football players meant more to their team this season than Mateer. Boise State’s wonderkid, Ashton Jeanty? Maybe. Maybe not. Travis Hunter and Colorado? No way, despite his two-way credentials. Oregon’s … ah, forget it. The Ducks and just about everyone in that stratosphere has too much depth of talent to compare.

Mateer was the guy for Washington State. Not just for the offense, but for the defense as well. When he was hitting, and the Cougars’ offense was humming, there was less pressure on the defense. And, if the defense could keep WSU close, Mateer seemed to have the knack of finding a way to put it ahead at the end. The result was an 8-4 regular season record.

But Mateer’s a free agent. Just like everyone else.

Wayshawn Parker, the breakout freshman running back, announced this week he’s exercising that freedom. Others will follow. All will be missed. And replaced. But Mateer?

If he leaves, the blow will be felt throughout the program, from the locker room to the boardrooms, where the Cougars’ NIL collective is trying to figure out a way to stay competitive in these Wild West times.

If Mateer stays, it is a win for those behind the financial efforts, despite whatever non-money-driven circumstances – friendship, surroundings, faith in the coaching staff, feelings of loyalty – are included in his decision. Keeping Mateer at this point won’t stave off those who would try to entice future WSU standouts, but it can’t hurt.

It’s winter’s biggest question for Dickert. His biggest challenge. And, possibly, his best Christmas present.

• Winter also brings with it the promise of gyms sweaty with the heat of intense basketball games. We’re pretty sure the indoor climate of Climate Pledge Arena will be turned up to 11 tonight, when seventh-ranked Gonzaga (7-1) hosts No. 4 Kentucky (7-1) in the latest Battle in Seattle. Even if the shiny new place has the HVAC system to handle it.

In (our) perfect world, this game would be in McCarthey, where the heat (and noise) generated by the GU students would blow the roof off. Figuratively, of course. But it’s that sort of fervor coaches of big-time programs want to avoid this time of year. They want tests, sure. But not that much of one. Besides, and probably most important, there is more money to be made playing such matchups in larger arenas in front of twice as many folks.

If you aren’t one of those people, you do what you always do. Turn on the TV. Find the channel, in this case ESPN2, at the right time, 7 p.m., and enjoy winter’s best type of heat.

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WSU: As we said above, one of the keys to Washington State’s offseason is the retention of Mateer. Greg Woods has more on Dickert’s thoughts concerning the matter. … Elsewhere in the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, all the questions the Cougars face can be answered with a “Moneyball” approach. At least that’s John Canzano’s point. … He also took us behind the scenes as he described Dan Lanning’s helmet destruction at halftime against Washington. … Speaking of Lanning, he and his undefeated Ducks have a big game today in Indianapolis. Big Ten title on the line. The No. 1 CFP seed. Penn State stands in the way. Yes, Mr. Knight. Your Ducks are rolling. … The rest of the championship title games? One is for seeding for both. That would be the SEC’s game, of course. For the Big 12 and ACC, it’s winner in, loser out. Probably. … Jon Wilner has his Friday mailbag in the Mercury News. … One has to wonder. Is it better to be the top seed, and play a power conference 8 or 9 seed in the quarterfinals? Or to be the 5 seed, and face Boise State or SMU in that round? … Arizona State, picked to finish 16th in the Big 12 (made ups of 16 teams), can write a fairy-tale today with a win over Iowa State. It’s part of the former Pac-12 schools doing darn well this season. … Life would be easier for Kalen DeBoer if he was still at Washington. After all, a 9-3 record wouldn’t be considered the end of the world as it is at Alabama. … Just what do fans think of Oregon State’s season? There are complaints and hope. There were also misses about how successful it would be. … The USC fans don’t think much of Lincoln Riley right now, that’s for sure. … Among the future Pac-12 members in the Mountain West, Boise State is in the CFP. Guaranteed. Its 21-7 home win over UNLV ensured that last night. Now the Broncos wait to see if they will get a first-round bye. It’s appropriate Ashton Jeanty’s school is the first Group of 5 one to cement a playoff berth in the 12-team era. … UNLV just couldn’t get its offense going. Now where are the Rebels headed for bowl season? … And where will Colorado State play? … Utah State made the best move it could by hiring Bronco Mendenhall. And the best move for everyone in Utah. … Fresno State’s new coach outlined his priorities. They align with the area Fresno represents. … In basketball news, Kyle Smith’s Stanford team opens ACC play today by facing its Pac-12 (and current) rival, California.

Gonzaga: Another big showdown for the Zags looms tonight. It’s a nonconference slate full of them, isn’t it? Jim Meehan has this preview of tonight’s matchup with Kentucky as well as the key to a GU win. … Lisa Fortier’s team will be at Colorado State tomorrow. The Rams expect a sellout in what is a preview of a Pac-12 game in a couple years. … Elsewhere in the WCC, the USD men face down-the-freeway neighbor San Diego State tonight.

Idaho: The Vandals’ playoff journey begins in Moscow, which could well be the difference in tonight’s game against Lehigh. Peter Harriman has this three-things-to-watch preview. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Montana State hosts UT Martin today in the FCS playoffs. There are at least five things to watch. … And if you are planning to witness Montana face South Dakota State, here are five more things to watch. … No football game for Idaho State. Just the winter game of transfer portal mania. … Weber State designated its next defensive coordinator.

Preps: Yep, basketball is in full swing. Dave Nichols spent the evening at opening night of the last Fitz tournament at Lewis and Clark High. He has this story covering the four games. And Colin Mulvany has eight photographs with it. … Dave also put together a roundup of Friday’s other basketball action.

Chiefs: Dave finished up his evening writing this story on Spokane’s 6-2 win at Wenatchee. The Chiefs continue to roll.

Seahawks: If this game is so important, just how will the Hawks’ attack it? Like an old-fashioned Western movie star, guns blazing. At least one would hope. … The Hawks have two notable injuries headed into Arizona. … The NFL needs to figure out how to handle quarterback slides. … Should Ryan Grubb be back? Discuss among yourselves.

Kraken: The second night of back-to-back road games is always hard. It also proved to be too much to ask of Seattle, as it fell at New Jersey.

Mariners: As we said yesterday, the M’s have a lot of questions to answer at the winter meetings.

Storm: What’s next? Jewell Loyd is traded, that’s what’s next.

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• By the time my father was my age, he had been mostly bald for some 40 years. He was comfortable in his own skin, especially on his dome. Me? I’ve grown tired of dealing with my wild hair. Tired of having to hit the salon. I’m contemplating a dome shave. Only one problem. I have no idea what it will look like. And that worries me. Immensely. So much so, I’ve been frozen by inaction. Fight or flight? This is worse. Until later …