Washington State Cougars On SI

Washington State Cougars Rise 14 Spots in Week 9 SP+ Rankings After Hawaii Win

Joe Londergan

Oct 19, 2024; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars running back Leo Pulalasi (20) and offensive lineman Fa'alili Fa'amoe (79) celebrate after a touchdown against the Hawaii Warriors in the second half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Washington State won 42-10. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images
Oct 19, 2024; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars running back Leo Pulalasi (20) and offensive lineman Fa'alili Fa'amoe (79) celebrate after a touchdown against the Hawaii Warriors in the second half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Washington State won 42-10. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images / James Snook-Imagn Images
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Washington State achieved bowl eligibility with an exclamation point this past Saturday with a 42-10 victory over the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors.

In ESPN's latest college football SP+ rankings, the Cougars were rewarded for their emphatic win with a significant jump from #57 to #44 of 134 FBS teams. Their overall rating also increased from 5.4 last week to 7.1 in Week Nine.

"What is SP+? In a single sentence, it's a tempo- and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency."

- Bill Connelly, ESPN

Washington State's offensive rating continues to rise from 35.0 to 35.5. The 32-point margin of victory over Hawaii is WSU's second-largest of the season and their largest against an FBS opponent this year.

At 6-1, Washington State are bowl eligibile for the first time since 2022. Their only loss so far in 2024 came against a Boise State team ranked #25 in the AP Pol at the time.

The Cougars return to action this Saturday, October 26 at San Diego State. The 3-3 Aztecs enter the weekend at #105 in the nation with an SP+ rating of -12.3.

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RECAP: Washington State Beat Hawaii 42-10 in Homecoming Game, Cougs Are Bowl Eligible

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Joe Londergan
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.

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