Washington State Lands At #57 in Final SP+ Preseason Rankings for 2024

Joe Londergan | Aug 13, 2024

Sep 16, 2023; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback John Mateer (10) is tackled for a loss by Northern Colorado Bears defensive lineman Michael Jordan (99) in the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports / James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

The final preseason SP+ rankings for the 2024 season were released Tuesday by ESPN college football expert Bill Connelly.

Connelly describes SP+ as "a tempo- and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency. It is a predictive measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football, not a résumé ranking."

The Washington State Cougars come in at #57 on that list with just a under three weeks until the official beginning of the season.

Total SP+: 0.6 Offensive SP+: 30.5 (50) Defensive SP+: 29.9 (81) Special Teams SP+: 0.5 (25)

The Cougars return 56% of their production from last season, which likely plays a role in the Cougars not being able to crack the top-50. Washington State finished at #50 in the final SP+ rankings of the 2023 season. While Washington State's transfer portal losses were, comparatively, fairly small, the loss of starting quarterback Cam Ward was significant.

The team's special teams ranking is noticeably higher than the other categories, thanks largely to experienced placekicker Dean Janikowski and Ray Guy Award watchlist name Nick Haberer at punter.

A new starting quarterback for the Cougars is expected to named later this week.

The 2024 campaign officially begins for Jake DIckert's program on August 31 when they host FCS foe Portland State at Martin Stadium

Published Aug 13, 2024

JOE LONDERGAN

Joe Londergan joined the SI brand in 2023 with G5 Football Daily. With over 15 years of experience in covering and working directly in college and pro sports, Joe's expertise has been featured in Front Office Sports, SB Nation, and XRAY.FM. He is a member of both the Football Writers' Association of America and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association. Joe holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville and a master's degree in sports administration from Seattle University. Outside of his writing career, Joe enjoys golfing, although he admits that while he hits driver decently, his short game is a liability.