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A few years ago, Washington State was a Top 10 team nationally under former football coach Mike Leach, but the program has largely been irrelevant since Leach left and the best-case scenario in 2023 is likely a minor bowl game again. Here’s the preview for your college football betting odds to win the NCAA National Championship.

Washington State Cougars 2023 College Football Season Betting Guide | MyBookie College Betting Preview

Washington State Cougars | Pac-12 Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season
School: Washington State University
Head coach: Jake Dickert | 2nd season
Home field: Martin Stadium | 33,522

Washington State Odds to Win Championship:: +30000
Odds to win Pac-12: +3300
Regular-season win total: 6.5

Former defensive coordinator Jake Dickert took over at Washington State during the 2021 season when the school fired coach Nick Rolovich for failing to comply with the state’s Covid vaccine mandate for state employees. Dickert led Wazzu to a 3-3 record and Sun Bowl spot that year.

Last season, the Cougars finished 7-6 under Dickert following a 29-6 loss to Fresno State in the LA Bowl. The Cougars were short-handed after both coordinators left for other positions. Washington State also was impacted at wide receiver and linebacker with players opting out of the game or putting their name in the transfer portal.

The defense was terrific last year. Led by senior linebacker Daiyan Henley, the first Butkus Award finalist in school history, WSU allowed just 22.9 points per game in 2022, the fewest points surrendered by a Cougar defense since the 2003 season. The Cougar defense was strong throughout the year, finishing near the top of the Pac-12 in several categories, including tackles-for-loss (2nd), red zone defense (2nd), scoring defense (3rd), interceptions (3rd) and sacks (4th).

Schmedding spent the previous two seasons at Boise State as the defensive coordinator for the Broncos. After coaching Boise State’s outside linebackers in 2019, he took over inside linebackers for the 2020 campaign. Schmedding’s first season leading the defense saw the Broncos claim the Mountain West championship with a 12-2 record and 8-0 mark in conference play. The Boise defense put together an impressive year, finishing in the top 15 nationally in team sacks (37) and in the top 25 nationally in scoring defense (20.6 ppg).

Coordinator Brian Ward left the program in early December to take the DC job at Arizona State. He has been replaced by Jeff Schmedding. He served as Auburn’s DC and assistant head coach in 2022 and oversaw the development of All-SEC First Team edge rusher Derick Hall, who totaled 60 tackles, 12 TFL’s and seven sacks. Schmedding runs a 4-2-5 with a nickel; he likes to use five defensive backs but will also run a package with a third linebacker as a buck end.

The Cougars have a new offensive coordinator as well in 27-year-old Ben Arbuckle, a former quarterback at West Texas A&M who served as Western Kentucky‘s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach last year when the Hilltoppers were No. 2 nationally in passing offense. Washington State ranked 80th nationally last in scoring and 44th in passing under former OC Eric Morris, who left to become head coach at North Texas.

Quarterback Cameron Ward returns. He was honorable mention All-Pac-12 last year as he went 320-of-497 (64.4%) for 3,231 yards and 23 touchdowns. The 497 pass attempts were ninth-most in WSU single-season history and the 320 completions were eighth-most. He also rushed 107 times for 58 yards and five touchdowns and had five games with one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown. The Cougars lost their top four wideouts, who accounted for 1,985 yards in 2022.

The defense should be very solid again with edge rushers Ron Stone Jr. and Brennan Jackson both back. The second-team All-Pac-12 performers have amassed 22.5 career sacks between them. WSU added Maryland linebacker Ahmad McCullough in the transfer portal. The 6’2, 225-pounder posted career high numbers across the board last season with 45 tackles (three tackles-for-loss), one sack, and two fumble recoveries in 12 games.

Dean Jankowski is one of the best kickers in the Pac-12 and returns. He went 11-of-14 on field goal attempts with a long of 50 and 40-for-41 on PAT tries.

Washington State, Cal and Oregon State are the only programs to have yet to make an appearance in the Pac-12 Championship Game. That won’t change this year for Wazzu. The Cougars open on Sept. 2 at Colorado State. They should win that game and home vs. Northern Colorado on Sept. 16 but likely lose at home to Wisconsin on Sept. 9.

In the Pac-12, Washington State avoids league favorite USC in the regular season but has to visit both Oregon and rival Washington. Looks like a 6-6 record to me.

Washington State Cougars 2023 Season Prediction

Under 6.5 wins, no Pac-12 title

Bet Washington State to Win Championship
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Championship

2023 Washington State Football Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Venue	Time
All times ET
1	Sep. 2	at Colorado State Rams	Canvas Stadium, Fort Collins, CO	7:00pm ET
2	Sep. 9	Wisconsin Badgers	Martin Stadium, Pullman, WA	7:30pm ET
3	Sep. 16	Northern Colorado Bears	Martin Stadium, Pullman, WA	Time TBA
4	Sep. 23	Oregon State Beavers	Martin Stadium, Pullman, WA	Time TBA
5	Sep. 30	OFF
6	Oct. 7	at UCLA Bruins	Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA	Time TBA
7	Oct. 14	Arizona Wildcats	Martin Stadium, Pullman, WA	Time TBA
8	Oct. 21	at Oregon Ducks	Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR	Time TBA
9	Oct. 28	at Arizona State Sun Devils	Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, AZ	Time TBA
10	Nov. 4	Stanford Cardinal	Martin Stadium, Pullman, WA	Time TBA
11	Nov. 11	at California Golden Bears	Cal Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, CA	Time TBA
12	Nov. 17	Colorado Buffaloes	Martin Stadium, Pullman, WA	10:30pm ET
13	Nov. 25	at Washington Huskies	Husky Stadium, Seattle, WA	Time TBA
14	Dec. 1	Pac-12 Championship	Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV	8:00pm ET

Bet Washington State Cougars to Win Championship