Power Ranking Washington State Football's 2025 Opponents

In 2025, Washington State football play their first season under the direction of head coach Jimmy Rogers.

The season will be a unique one for the program in multiple ways, playing Oregon State twice in the regular season while also traveling across the country to face an SEC opponent. Looking at the 11 opponents on WSU's docket, here's a power ranking of where they stack up against each other.

11. Idaho

The Vandals have not beaten Washington State since 2000. Though Idaho will likely be a top-15 FCS team, they should not cause the Cougars much trouble.

10. San Diego State

Head coach Sean Lewis will have his work cut out for him in his second year at the helm. After a 3-9 season, the Aztecs will need to replace both their leading rusher and signal caller, after quarterback Danny O'Neil transferred to Wisconsin. While SDSU has brought in a couple promising transfers at both the QB and RB positions, it's hard to imagine this team taking a big step this season.

9. Louisiana Tech

Last season's Bulldogs made their first bowl game appearance since 2020, despite winning just five games. Though they are returning starting quarterback Evan Bullock, LA Tech will be losing their top two receiving targets from 2024. The Cougars don't play the Bulldogs until late in the season, which could make for an interesting matchup in Pullman.

8. North Texas

The Mean Green finished 128th in total defense last season, and they lost their standout QB to the transfer portal. However, a plethora of power five transfers on the defensive side could give this team a new look. North Texas is shaping up to have a quality starting quarterback competition this summer. Still, this is a game that Washington State should be expecting to win in Denton against former WSU OC Eric Morris.

7. Colorado State

Jay Norvell's Rams found some success last season, going 8-5 and making a bowl game for the first time since 2019. the departure of the Rams' top three receiving leaders (including Tory Horton to the NFL draft) is a serious blow to their offensive unit. But the return of junior Quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, along with power five transfers on both sides of the ball, give CSU hope that they can make some noise in the Mountain West.

6. Oregon State

The Beavers will likely take a step forward in Trent Bray's second year. Highly-touted transfer QB Maalik Murphy will have a couple strong receiving options with the return of wideouts Darrius Clemons and Trent Walker. However, this is a team that gave up 30 points per game last season. Though OSU's defense is more experienced this year, woes on this side of the ball might persist.

5. James Madison

Most noteable for a 70-50 win at UNC that pushed Mack Brown out the door, the Dukes will be experienced on defense. If they can figure out how to replace their top two receiving targets from last season and stay healthy at the quarterback position (the room features starter Alonza Barnett and notorious ex-UNLV QB Matt Sluka), James Madison could be a tough challenge for the Cougars in 2025.

4. Toledo

Coming off a strong season that included a beatdown of Mississippi State on the road, the Rockets have a lot to look forward to in 2025. Senior QB Tucker Gleason is returning, along with Toledo's leading receiver Junior Vandeross III, who finished last season just shy of 1,000 yards. Combined with returning key pieces on the offensive line, the Rockets could once again prove to be a legitimate threat to power five opposition.

3. Virginia

Coach Tony Elliott faces mounting pressure heading into 2025. Entering his fifth year at the helm, he has yet to take the Cavs to a bowl game. The program has high hopes for North Texas tansfer WB Chandler Morris, who threw for nearly 3,000 yards last year. If their plethora of defensive transfers pan out, Virginia has the potential to be a surprise team in the ACC.

2. Washington

Through a combination of returning talent and effective use of the transfer portal, Jedd Fisch's squad appears to be on the right track heading into year two. With Demond Williams now under center, and standout halfback Jonah Coleman returning, the Husky offense has the potential to shine this year. If the transfers they brought in to boost the defensive line and the secondary pan out, Washington could end up as a fairly complete team in 2025.

1. Ole Miss

Ole Miss excelled last season under star QB Jaxson Dart and a strong offensive line. The Rebels had a marquee win against third-ranked Georgia, and went 10-3 overall. With the loss of eight players to the NFL draft, last year's success will be hard to replicate. However, Lane Kiffin has recruited well and brought in a lot of talent through the transfer portal. If things fall into place, the Rebels could once again find themselves in contention for the 12-team playoff.