In 2017, the Cougar football team beat No. 5 USC 30-27. After a tight victory sealed by a miraculous fumble recovery, the Cougs were widely seen as having jumped onto the national scene. It was described by the late Mike Leach as being “like Woodstock except everybody’s got their clothes on.”

That was a 3-point victory, and the Cougs only took the winning lead in the fourth quarter. A magical win, but a hard-fought one where nothing was certain until the final whistle.

Last week, the Cougs beat No. 5 (now No. 9) Arizona. Having watched the Cougs earlier in the season, one probably would think this was a miracle as well. Maybe they hit a game-winner or made a crazy comeback. That is not the case. 

This victory was by double digits, 13 points. The Cougs took the lead with 4:36 left in the first on a Justin Powell three. They did not stop leading again for the entire rest of the game.

That is dominance. Dominance over a highly ranked team in a way not seen for the Cougs in the lifetime of every active WSU student-athlete.

Admittedly this season had a tough start, and injuries have halted the most exciting runs the team has started to go on. However, this should be a wake-up call to all of those who either gave up or never bought it. 

This is a good team, in possession of one of the single best-ranked wins in the entire country right now. They are heating up and if there was ever a time to tune in, it is now.

Cougar men’s basketball is not the second sport, not the replacement time-filler for the end of the football season. They are here to compete, and with Mouhamed Gueye, TJ Bamba and Kyle Smith at the helm there is not a team left on the schedule we should not feel confident against. 

After all, they already crushed the best team on the schedule. Everyone else should be light work, and you should be there for it.