Did someone say 7:00am Fireball shots?
If you were anywhere near Pullman, Washington, last Saturday, chances are you either melted in the sun or heard about the Cougs’ scorching performance against Portland State. Wazzu showed out offensively to turn a sizzling late summer day into an absolute inferno on the field. With a 70-30 blowout win, plenty of touchdowns, and more celebrations than most could count, this was a meme-worthy home opener to remember. Here’s a rapid-fire look back at a game day that had everything from early morning Fireball shots to 10 touchdowns and the birth of “Throw Mater”.
Personally, my gameday started before the sun even thought about rising. At 4:30 a.m., my eyes snapped open. Have I ever been this alert and ready to go before dawn? Absolutely not, but this day was not any ordinary day. I had literally dreamt about cases of Ol’ Crimson the night before, like visions of sugar plums dancing in my head. But it’s not Christmas morning, it’s so much better— The first Cougar Football Saturday of the season.
We loaded into the car, blasting “Back Home” as we traveled through the rolling hills of the Palouse towards the promised land, filled with pure jitters and excitement about the day ahead. Cougar Football Saturday is BACK!!! By 7:00 a.m. sharp, the doors to The Coug were open, offering us early risers liquid courage to brave the heat and cheer on our Cougs with that sweet beginning-of-the-season enthusiasm. As I clutched my mimosa, I tipped my hat to the early morning Trash Can drinkers and Fireball shot takers— Well done, my friends.
With temperatures climbing toward triple digits, it felt like the game could’ve been played on the surface of the sun! And yet, the Cougs seemed unfazed. The heat seemed to only fuel their fire offensively as they laid down 10 touchdowns against Portland State. Fans may have roasted under the sun, but it was the Vikings who got burned (No shade intended, the pun was just right there).
Around the country, as certain former Pac-12 teams struggled in their Week 1 matchups, us Cougs and Beavs reveled in our new title: the only undefeated FBS conference. That’s right—Pac-2 football, baby! Look at us Cougs and our besties holding down the fort. So proud.
Speaking of Pac-2 content— If you want more of it in your life (and of course you do because really, who wouldn’t), be sure to check out Pac in Action, a brand new “Manning brothers-style” show about all things Pac-2, co-hosted by our very own Emma Weightman! Streaming on Pac-12 Insider and on YouTube with special guests, top-tier commentary and more— You won’t want to miss it. Be on the lookout for it on Thursday evenings!
Around other conferences, with the likes of Mountain West teams looking pretty strong in their Week 1 showings, it was hard not to glance nervously at the upcoming schedule— There’s no denying that the Cougs will need to bring their A-game in the coming weeks. Many of our upcoming matchups are looking more competitive than ever, and while the heat may have been a big challenge this past weekend, it’s clear some real tests are still ahead.
Overall, however, as the sun finally set over Pullman, Cougar faithful left Martin Stadium with sunburns, smiles, and an optimistic attitude heading into Week 2. With a massive 70-30 victory in the bag and John Mateer majorly showing out for his debut as the Cougs’ starting quarterback, Cougar Nation is hopeful heading into arguably their biggest home matchup of the year this weekend against Texas Tech. I can’t wait to experience the atmosphere at this weekend’s game— Let’s show up, be loud, and stripe the stadium! Go Cougs!