The Cougars’ victory against USC Sept. 7 gives fans the indication that this season will turn out different from last year.

The way the Cougars have kept the games close throughout and not crumbled under pressure like in past years, shows they are not settling for an average season.

Currently the Cougars have one win on the season and have the opportunity of returning to a bowl game for first time since 2003 when the Cougars won the Holiday Bowl against Texas 28-20.

While the 2013 football schedule features tough matchups against No.2 ranked Oregon and No.5 ranked Stanford, there are five winnable games for the Cougars.

Southern Utah: The Cougars should win this game easily as they are playing a Division-II school. Even though the Thunderbirds are 2-0, they have not played a Division-I school. Also the fact it’s a road game will make it tougher for Southern Utah to put up points. Thunderbirds quarterback Aaron Cantu is averaging only 160 yards of passing coming into this game according to ESPN.com. WSU has too much talent to not win this game.

Idaho: Similar to the Southern Utah game, the Cougars should have no problem winning this game. Idaho is currently 0-2 and could barely put any points against small schools such as Wyoming and North Texas. ESPN.com reports that Idaho’s defense ranks 115th in the country for points allowed. The Vandals have given up an average of 41 points a game. With WSU Head Football Coach Mike Leach being an offensive genius, it will be tough for Idaho to stop a passing attack that averages 280 yards a game, according to ESPN.com. If North Texas quarterback Derek Thompson can throw for 349 yards and two touchdowns against the Vandals, WSU quarterback Connor Halliday shouldn’t have a problem in this game.

California: This will be a tough test, but a winnable game for the Cougars. Though California defeated the Cougars by a score of 31-17 last year, this year is different. The Cougars were able to stay in the game until the third quarter, but the team broke down mentally toward the end of the game last year. The Cougars are mentally tougher than they were a year ago and playing on the road should not be a problem for the team. California’s defense has given up an average of 37 points a game, which ranks at No. 106, according to ESPN.com. California’s pass defense is vulnerable. The Air-Raid offense will be too much for the California defense to handle. Along with upgrading the defense, the Cougars have more depth on the defensive side to make this a close game.

Utah: This will be another difficult game for the Cougars, but a winnable game too. Playing in Martin Stadium will give the Cougars an advantage. Late November is when the weather is usually cold, which will make it tough for the Utes to pass ball. Utah’s biggest strength is their running game. The Cougars have improved on defense this year and have an experienced line that includes Toni Pole, Ioane Gauta and Xavier Cooper. If the Cougars defense shows up in this game, expect victory for the Crimson and Gray.

Washington: As bold as this pick sounds, fans must remember that anything can happen in the Apple Cup. Last season the Cougars were viewed as heavy underdogs against the Huskies who were ranked No. 25 in the country. With just two wins last season, the Cougars did not shy away from UW and pulled off a historical upset victory. What hurt the Huskies last year against the Cougars was the passing attack. Now in his second year with the Air-Raid offense, WSU quarterback Connor Halliday knows what it takes for this offense to succeed and get the victory against the Huskies.