“What goes around, comes around” is obviously not a scientific statement of fact, but when one team’s fanbase talks a lot of garbage around the other team’s inability to avoid contracting a virus in the middle of a pandemic … well, it wasn’t exactly hard to predict what was going to happen next.
A few weeks after the Washington State Cougars experienced a COVID-19 outbreak that forced the cancellation of two games — including the Apple Cup — the Washington Huskies are experiencing their own COVID issues that have caused them to pause team activities midway through the week in the lead up to their Pac-12 North showdown on Saturday with Oregon — a game that would decide who plays in the Pac-12 Championship Game.
There has been no announcement yet today as to the fate of the game, but, anecdotally, we’re struggling to come up with an example of a team that paused activities at the college level and didn’t end up canceling at least one game — and, usually, two. (In the Pac-12, only USC has avoided the fate of having two games canceled. Lucky us. Woo.)
That’s where this gets real sketchy, though: If positive tests and contact tracing force Washington into canceling just one game — against Oregon — the 3-1 Huskies are declared the Pac-12 North champs over the 3-2 Ducks and they would advance to the Pac-12 Championship.
However! UW’s best shot at that — again, presuming this weekend’s game ends up canceled — is King County adopting the CDC’s new guidelines for isolation: 7 days following a positive test, 10 days following close contact. But King County — which has struggled to contain COVID from the jump — has said that it intends to stick with the original isolation protocols: 10 days and 14 days. That would seem to make two cancelations more likely than not.
With the caveat that COVID is no joke, and we sincerely hope that the Huskies’ players and coaches emerge from this without any long-term effects of the virus …
… it wouldn’t exactly break our hearts if, after Husky fans lobbed a lot of stones across the mountains about the cancellation of the Apple Cup, their team ended up missing out on the Pac-12 Championship Game because the virus finally came for them in the way it’s come for every group.
That said: If the game is played this weekend, rescheduling the Apple Cup is still on the table if Oregon can beat Washington.
Big honor for Trinity Rodman
The younger sister of basketball player DJ Rodman made some huge waves when she committed last year to play soccer for WSU as one of the top recruits in the country. Yesterday, she was nominated for a massive award. How cool is this?
Links
Washington State overcomes yet another halftime deficit to beat Idaho 61-58 in 276th Battle of Palouse | The Spokesman-Review
The men’s basketball teams at Washington State and Idaho are separated by just eight miles, but the talent gap between Kyle Smith’s Cougars and Zac Claus’ Vandals was supposed to be particularly wide this year.
Even as adversity mounted, Washington State’s Jayden de Laura kept spirits high against USC | The Seattle Times
Jayden de Laura hasn’t faced much adversity as a starting quarterback, but #WSU’s freshman handled Sunday’s setback at #USC as well as he could’ve.
Cougars look to be more diverse on offense | Sports | lmtribune.com
In a season-opening win Nov. 7 at Oregon State, Nick Rolovich’s new run-and-shoot offense for Washington State looked surprisingly efficient despite a severe lack of installation time in the offseason.
Five Questions on WSU: Max Borghi’s Status High on the List – Sports Illustrated Cal Bears News, Analysis and More
Cougars Had Back-to-Back Games Canceled Prior to Facing USC Last Week
Cal, Washington State still hoping for bowl bid |
Cal Football News: WR Trevon Clark ‘excused’ from the program – California Golden Blogs
Trevon Clark has been excused from the team to deal with with personal issues, and much more from the Bears this week
Cal Football: Trevon Clark `Excused’ for Personal Reasons – Sports Illustrated Cal Bears News, Analysis and More
Unclear Whether Clark Will Return To Bears, But Seasons Nears End
Washington State Football Defensive Preview – Write For California
Check the weather forecast for Pullman. It’s going to be an interesting football game for the Bears…
Washington State Football Offensive Preview – Write For California
The Cougs look to bounce back from a thorough dismantling by USC.
Former Washington State associate head coach Jeff Hironaka enjoying the twilight of his career at Genesis Prep | SWX Right Now – Sports for Spokane, CdA, Tri-Cities, WA
Former Washington State associate head coach Jeff Hironaka, 63, is enjoying his modest, do-everything gig at Genesis Prep in Post Falls.
