Only One Washington State Opponent Starts Year Ranked in USA Today Coaches Poll

Ahead of Jimmy Rogers' first season as the head coach of the Washington State football program, the Cougars will not begin the year ranked in the USA Today Coaches Poll.

Just one of Washington State's 2025 opponents will begin the year in the top 25. That honor belongs to Lane Kiffin's Ole Miss Rebels, who come in at No. 15. The Rebels have posted at-least ten wins in three of Kiffin's five seasons at the helm, including a 10-3 2024 campaign.

WSU will travel to Oxford, Mississippi on October 11 for their first-ever matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:45 a.m. PT on the SEC Network.

The only other opponent on WSU's 2025 schedule that received votes in the coaches poll were the Washington Huskies, though not enough to be ranked in the top 25. Washington come to Pullman for the latest chapter of the Apple Cup on September 20. That game will kick at either 4:30 or 5 p.m. PT on CBS.

Washington State's season begins on Saturday, August 30 against the Idaho Vandals in Pullman with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. PT on The CW.

The US LBM Coaches Poll is conducted weekly throughout the regular season using a panel of head coaches at Football Bowl Subdivision schools. The panel is chosen by random draw, conference by conference plus independents, from a pool of coaches who have indicated to the American Football Coaches Association their willingness to participate. Each coach submits a Top 25 with a first-place vote worth 25 points, second place 24, and so on down to one point for 25th.

Preseason US LBM Coaches Poll Top 25

1 Texas Longhorns
2 Ohio State Buckeyes
3 Penn State Nittany Lions
4 Georgia Bulldogs
5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
6 Clemson Tigers
7 Oregon Ducks
8 Alabama Crimson Tide
9 LSU Tigers
10 Miami (FL) Hurricanes
11 Arizona State Sun Devils
12 Illinois Fighting Illini
13 South Carolina Gamecocks
14 Michigan Wolverines
15 Ole Miss Rebels
16 SMU Mustangs
17 Florida Gators
18 Tennessee Volunteers
19 Indiana Hoosiers
20 Kansas State Wildcats
21 Texas A&M Aggies
21 Iowa State Cyclones
23 BYU Cougars
24 Texas Tech Red Raiders
25 Boise State Broncos

Others Receiving Votes
Oklahoma 221; Missouri 142; Louisville 126; USC 116; Utah 86; Baylor 76; Auburn 50; Iowa 49; Memphis 34; Army West Point 33; Tulane 31; Georgia Tech 27; TCU 24; Nebraska 19; Syracuse 16; Washington 15; Navy 14; Arkansas 14; Duke 12; Colorado 12; Minnesota 11; UNLV 8; Florida State 8; Kansas 6; Vanderbilt 3; Buffalo 1;