A Grip on Sports: Enjoy the pageantry and fury of college football today as the season winds down to its inevitable conclusion

A GRIP ON SPORTS • I will be quick about it today, OK? And by “it,” I mean everything. My thoughts. Your links. The denouement at the end. All of it.

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• It’s Saturday. Rece (Davis) and the gang are on your TV set. So is the decidedly lower-rent group over on Fox. More importantly, the Cougar flag is flying in Georgia for the world to see. It’s Joe DiMaggio-on-steroids-streak has reached into numbers (315 today) normally associated with an afternoon coffee break, not college football.

Who wants to miss a moment of such pageantry? Or miss the Before-Big-Noon kick in Boulder, Colo.? Yep, Utah’s visit to the up-and-coming-for-your-playoff-berth Buffaloes, starts at 10 a.m. local time. Which brings up a weird double-standard.

If Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff had asked Colorado for an early morning kickoff a couple seasons ago to, you know, help with the ongoing media negotiations, he would have heard a lot of different ways to say no. Now, after migrating to a conference on their side of the Rockies, the Buffs seem amiable to just about anything. Money talks and the poor Pac-12 ended up walking.

OK, enough of that. On to today.

Can the Cougars keep their winning streak alive in the altitude of Albuquerque? Will Oregon be beer-barrel-rolled in Wisconsin? How about Tennessee in Athens? For that matter, does any of it matter?

I’m off the mind it really doesn’t. If the SEC ends up in an eight-way tie at the top of its football standings, that will never be seen as an outgrowth of mediocrity. Nope. It will be considered a sign from the heavens the Big Guy wants all eight in the CFP. And by “Big Guy” I mean SEC commissioner Greg Sankey. Of course.

I’ve read all the evidence presented for Washington State earning an at-large berth in the playoffs after finishing 11-1. Don’t buy any of it.

Notre Dame could lose today to Virginia. The Big Ten’s surprise team, Indiana, could lose twice and have instant buyer’s remorse concerning coach Curt Cignetti’s contract extension. The SEC could devolve into “The Last of Us” chaos. BYU, Miami, Boise State, Washington et al could roll down the stretch. All the pieces could fall into place. And the Cougars will still be told “Hey, thanks for playing. Enjoy your trip to San Antonio. And your game with Colorado.” Or Kansas State. Maybe Arizona State.

The game is rigged. Always has been. Always will be.

The SEC and Big Ten have pounded the drum about how the playoffs this season and next have “to go incredibly well.” That’s what Sankey said last month, implying if the two top dogs aren’t thrown enough bones, 2026 and beyond will be reworked the way those two conferences want it. And they don’t want anyone from the wilds of Washington to take a spot one of the SEC’s “it-just-means-more” schools have earned. How did they earn it? By beating four nonconference patsies and losing three of eight conference games.

I’m pretty sure I heard someone say earlier today money talks. Or the SEC (and Big Ten) will walk.

You know, I’m rooting for all the Coug-centric scenarios to come to pass. Not because I wish any ill on anyone, including Cougar fans who have to know what’s coming. But that the hypocrisy of the college football money machine will once again be exposed. Of course, it will not change anything.

There isn’t going to be an epiphany in the Birmingham, Ala., SEC offices. Or in the Rosemont, Ill., home of the Big Ten. The powers that be residing there aren’t going to fall on their knees and repent. This ain’t the road to Damascus folks.

College football is pro football. Always has been. And the road ahead needs to be repaved every year. In gold.

But, hey, pull out your old college T-shirt, put it on and enjoy the games today. Just like great-grandad, grandma and your Uncle John did. Nothing has really changed. And it never will.

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WSU: Well, if Greg Woods is right, everything I just wrote above will be moot by tomorrow morning. The 19th-ranked Cougars will have lost to New Mexico (6:30, FS1) and the chance of best-ever 11-1 regular season will be gone. … Greg has a preview of tonight’s game as well, along with the keys for Washington State. … It is the last home game of the season for New Mexico. … The men’s basketball team suffered its first loss, falling to Iowa 76-66 in Moline, Illinois. Tied at 60 late, the Cougs couldn’t get stops down the stretch as the Hawkeyes earned their fourth win. Greg has a story on that game as well. … The NCAA cross country West regional race was held in Colfax on Friday, with WSU freshman Evans Kurui winning the men’s race and Gonzaga’s Rosina Machu finishing fourth among the women to also earn a spot at nationals. … Elsewhere in the (new and old) Pac-12, the Mountain West and the nation, Jon Wilner has his Friday mailbag in the S-R. … John Canzano has a shouldn’t-be-missed conversational column with Oregon’s athletic director Rob Mullens. … Washington earned a bowl berth with its 31-19 home win over UCLA on Friday night. The Huskies (6-5) once again turned to freshman quarterback Demond Williams Jr. in the second half and he delivered. Will he start to do more, like start, with a game at Oregon still on the schedule? … The Bruins’ problems Friday were nothing new. … There was one other game last night, with Arizona hosting Houston. The Wildcats snapped a five-game losing streak with a dominating 27-3 performance. … The Ducks head to Madison, where Wisconsin and its jumping-around fans await. Oregon is the better team but weird things happen on the road – in every conference. … Oregon State has to top Air Force on the Falcons’ Senior Day or the Beavers will be forced to win out to make a bowl game. And their final two opponents are ranked, WSU and No. 13 Boise State. … California could also become bowl eligible today if the Bears can get past visiting Syracuse. … There is no way Stanford is going bowling. But the Cardinal has a chance to post a huge upset today when they host Louisville. … The game time isn’t the only challenge Utah faces in Boulder today. The 17th-ranked Buffs are playing well and the Utes have no offense. Again. … Funny but USC has had its offensive issues too. The Trojans try a new quarterback against Nebraska. … Cam Skattebo’s return should help Arizona State as it faces Kansas State. … In the Mountain West, Colorado State continue its march to the conference championship game and took home a trophy while doing it. The Rams topped host Wyoming 24-10 to win the Bronze Boot. … The best game of the day? Probably Boise State at San Jose State. At least it features two of the best offensive players in college football. … Hawaii hopes to have a great stretch run. … The UNLV game with San Diego State was once Aztec dominated. Not today.  … The Mountain West doesn’t have a problem with the way San Jose State has handled its volleyball team roster.  … In basketball news, the Oregon State men improved to 4-0 with a home win over Cal State Fullerton.

Gonzaga: I guess we could have written about the Zags’ dominating 113-54 win over visiting UMass Lowell last night. But it wasn’t close and it wasn’t all that entertaining. Routs seldom are. I’m looking forward to seeing the score from the River Hawks’ game Sunday at UW. It will be closer. How much closer intrigues me. Jim Meehan didn’t have much intrigue after about 10 minutes of game play last night. He probably already had his game analysis sketched out. … Jim helped the folks in the office with the recap and highlights. … Theo Lawson sat and talked with Virginia transfer Jalen Warley, in the Kennel checking out a possible landing spot. … Earlier in the day, Theo had a story on David Fogle signing his scholarship papers. Fogle, from Anacortes, is the only 2025 high school recruit thus far. … Theo also put together the buzzer breakdown. … Colin Mulvany was in McCarthey for the second consecutive night and has this photo gallery.

EWU: It’s the final home game for the Eagles’ seniors. Dan Thompson tells us what to watch as they play Idaho State. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, in a day of interesting games, the most is No. 2 Montana State visiting No. 4 UC Davis. The winner probably assures itself a first-round FCS bye and the conference title. It may be the biggest game in Davis history. … Portland State visits No. 10 Montana today with nothing to lose. Other than a game, of course.

Idaho: The Vandal seniors are in the Kibbie Dome for the final time. Maybe. If 8th-ranked UI win out, it could host an FCS playoff game. Still, it is Senior Day and Peter Harriman tells us what to watch. … Weber State sees today as an opportunity.

Preps: Dave Nichols has a roundup of Friday’s playoff action, covering three sports.

Chiefs: Dave was not in the Arena for Spokane’s return home. The Chiefs? They certainly didn’t bring their “A” game. Or any other letter except maybe “F.” They lost 7-2 to visiting Calgary.

Seahawks: Connor Williams was supposed to solve Seattle’s issues at center. Instead the deal that brought him to the Northwest just caused more. He retired this week, leaving the Hawks grasping for straws inside as they prepare to face the 49ers’ aggressive defensive front. … Could Earl Thomas really still play?

Kraken: Seattle captain Jordan Eberle will miss a couple games.

Sounders: At least Seattle should be healthy when it faces LAFC in the Western semifinals.

Storm: Does the Seattle WNBA franchise have a culture issue?

Boxing: In a made-for-taking-money-from-your-bank-account TV spectacle, Jake Paul handled Mike Tyson easily. What a joke.

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• We will be back on the S-R website tonight with a TV Take from the Cougars’ game at New Mexico. One thing we are sure of? The turf will be better in Albuquerque than it was the last time WSU was on the road. Until later …