Pac-12 announces new football schedule

WSU set to play 10 Pac-12 opponents in a conference-only schedule this season

Nick+Rolovich%2C+WSU+Football+head+coach%2C+at+a+press+conference+Jan.+21.+%0A%0ARolovich+said+he+is+looking+forward+to+an+unusual+experience+this+fall.

ABIGAIL LINNENKOHL | DAILY EVERGREEN FILE

Nick Rolovich, WSU Football head coach, at a press conference Jan. 21. Rolovich said he is looking forward to an unusual experience this fall.

CODY SCHOELER, Evergreen reporter

The Pac-12 released the revised, conference-only football schedule Friday in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

WSU’s new 10-game schedule consists of an even split of home and away games. They play the same nine conference teams from their original schedule with an added game against USC.

The Cougars host Utah on Sept. 26, Oregon on Oct. 3, California on Oct. 17, Arizona State on Nov. 14, and Washington on Nov. 27.

The team will travel to play UCLA on Oct. 10, Stanford on Oct. 30, USC on Nov. 7, Oregon State on Nov. 21, and Colorado on Dec. 5.

The only game that remains unchanged from the original schedule is the matchup against University of Washington. The Apple Cup will not be WSU’s final game of the season for the first time since 2008.

Head coach Nick Rolovich said this will be a unique year of football, but he is glad that there is a schedule out.

He said he is glad to be done with the scheduling meetings. The conference went through many drafts to try and finalize the new, conference-only schedule.

“It was a pretty amazing process to be a part of, and I think the conference really did a real nice job,” Rolovich said. “It was so fluid and adjusted and there was good dialogue.”

He said there are still more steps to take to play a full football game, but it gets them one step closer to playing.

Rolovich said the team will advance to the Pac-12 approved 20-hour access period on Monday. He has not had any discussions yet about starting training camp.

Rolovich said they have finalized the general process that the team will go through starting Monday. They will hold meetings and sanitize the meeting rooms, then the players will travel to walkthroughs and then weights before grabbing their food.

He said players will be split into four groups for walkthroughs. There will be two groups on offense and two groups on defense.

“As far as I know, we’ve got it approved by everyone who needs to approve it as far as the ‘treasure map’ of navigation around the building,” he said.

Rolovich said the team is beginning to prepare for the lack of fans in the stadiums and the absence of crowd energy.

“It’s not going to get louder if they have a breakaway run or a pick-six,” he said. “You’re not going to get that juice.”

It will be an unusual experience but will provide unusual opportunities, Rolovich said.