Week 1 - Portland State @ Washington State: How To Watch, Preview, Time, Date, Storylines

Joe Londergan | Aug 28, 2024

Nov 4, 2023; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars head coach Jake Dickert looks on against the Stanford Cardinal in the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports / James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington State Cougars begin a pivotal season as one of the two teams remaining in the Pac-12 conference. Before jumping into a full schedule that mostly features Mountain West clubs, the Cougars will play a Big Sky foe the program is very familiar with in Bruce Barnum's Portland State Vikings.

Here's everything you need to know about the matchup, plus some further reading material about the highly anticipated season opener.

Portland State Vikings (0-0, 0-0 Big Sky) @ Washington State Cougars (0-0, Pac-12/Independent)

Date: Saturday, August 31st

Time: Noon PT

Location: Gesa Field at Martin Stadium - Pullman, Washington

TV: The CW

Radio: WSU Radio Networks

Betting Line: WSU -30.5 on FanDuel

Storylines

-It's been a long offseason for the Cougars, that's included key transfer portal losses, uncertainty on the future of the Pac-12, a battle for the starting quarterback, and even more. Head coach Jake Dickert has worked tirelessly to prepare his team despite those challenges and the group is just excited to play someone in a different jersey, at this point. Habits that come to light on Saturday will influence how the Cougars tweak their approach for the rest of their schedule. "I'm excited to find out who this team really is," Dickert noted on Monday.

-A pair of Senior Bowl Watch List names stick out for the visiting Portland State Vikings. First, there's quarterback Dante Chachere. Chachere is a dual-threat quarterback who ran for ten touchdowns and threw 16 last season. On defense, WSU will have to mind strong safety Tyreese Shakir, a hard hitter who made 53 tackles last season with four for a loss and a forced fumble in addition to an interception.

-Quarterback John Mateer steps into the starting role in the national spotlight. Mateer's ability to make plays on the move are arguably his strongest ability, but he can also launch the ball when he needs to. In Ben Arbuckle's offense, expect the Cougars to test that deep ball given Mateer's arm strength and the wealth of great receivers that WSU has, including Blietnikoff Watch List nominee Kyle Williams and Oregon transfer Kris Hutson.

Other Reading Material from On SI

Washington State 2024 Opponent Scouting Report: Portland State

Washington State Football 2024 Position Preview: Linebackers/Defensive Line

Washington State Cougars Land 5 Names On Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List

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Published Aug 28, 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.