College Football Preview 2022

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WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS

HEAD COACH: Jake Dickert
LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 7-6 (6-3 Pac-12)
THE LOWDOWN: The Cougs had a drama-filled 2021 season, and that wasn't such a bad thing! The year started under the cloud of soon-to-be-fired head coach Nick Rolovich refusing to get vaccinated against COVID, and ended on a hot streak under his replacement Jake Dickert, including a dominating win in Seattle in the Apple Cup. While Dickert is back this year, the Cougs will have to replace a lot of lost firepower (most notably running back Max Borghi, currently signed to the Denver Broncos) and quarterback Jayden de Laura (transferred to Arizona).
BEST ROAD TRIP: The University of Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium is legendary, and getting a taste of Big Ten country in the fall on a trip to watch the Cougs sounds like a perfect football experience.
SCHEDULE
Sept. 3 vs. Idaho
Sept. 10 at Wisconsin
Sept. 17 vs. Colorado St.
Sept. 24 vs. Oregon
Oct. 1 vs. California
Oct. 8 at USC
Oct. 15 at Oregon St.
Oct. 27 vs. Utah
Nov. 5 at Stanford
Nov. 12 vs. Arizona St.
Nov. 19 at Arizona
Nov. 26 vs. Washington

WSU's new head coach Jake Dickert has a lot of experience winning in a small town

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EASTERN WASHINGTON EAGLES

HEAD COACH: Aaron Best
LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 10-3 (6-2 Big Sky)
THE LOWDOWN: Last year's Eagles had all the markings of a team ready for a deep playoff run. They opened the season by knocking off UNLV on the road, and put together a 10-2 overall record before having to go on the road in the playoffs and losing to Montana in a game the Eags' arguably should have been hosting. This season they'll have to replace all-world quarterback Eric Barriere, but as coach Aaron Best heads into his sixth season at the helm, he's proved capable of reloading the team's high-octane offense year after year.
BEST ROAD TRIP: All due respect to the Ducks, but it's hard to imagine a better experience for Eagles fans than a trip to the Swamp for a showdown against the Florida Gators.
SCHEDULE
Sept. 3 vs. Tennessee St.
Sept. 10 at Oregon
Sept. 24 vs. Montana St.
Oct. 1 at Florida
Oct. 8 at Weber St.
Oct. 15 vs. Sacramento St.
Oct. 22 at Cal Poly
Oct. 29 vs. Portland St.
Nov. 5 at Idaho
Nov. 12 at Montana
Nov. 19 vs. Northern Colorado

Image: With the departure of a national player of the year and arrival of new staff, 
the Eagles might need to tweak their existing blueprint to soar to new heights

With the departure of a national player of the year and arrival of new staff, the Eagles might need to tweak their existing blueprint to soar to new heights

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UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO VANDALS

HEAD COACH: Jason Eck
LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 4-7 (3-5 Big Sky)
THE LOWDOWN: The Vandals' return to the Big Sky Conference has not exactly meant a return to the heights of the Football Championship Subdivision. The struggles last year ultimately cost longtime head coach Paul Petrino his job, so 2022 marks a fresh beginning under new head coach Jason Eck, most recently the offensive coordinator for South Dakota State. Eck, a former Vandals assistant coach under Dennis Erickson and Nick Holt, will try to bring some of the high-scoring mojo he established with the Jackrabbits to Moscow.
BEST ROAD TRIP: If Indiana was a football school, you'd think a trip to Bloomington would be obvious here, but why go to the Midwest when you can hit Missoula? It's closer, it's prettier, and it's only one time zone away.
SCHEDULE
Sept. 3 at Washington St.
Sept. 10 at Indiana
Sept. 17 vs. Drake
Sept. 24 at Northern Arizona
Oct. 1 vs. Northern Colorado
Oct. 15 at Montana
Oct. 22 vs. Portland St.
Oct. 29 at Sacramento St.
Nov. 5 vs. Eastern Washington
Nov. 12 vs. UC Davis
Nov. 19 at Idaho St.

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WHITWORTH PIRATES

HEAD COACH: Rod Sandberg
LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 7-3 (4-3 NWC)
THE LOWDOWN: Last season found the Pirates in unfamiliar territory, that of the middle of the pack in their conference. In order to get back to contending for the Northwest Conference title and the playoffs, they'll of course have to go through the powerhouse Linfield squad. Helping the cause will be the hiring of Pirates legend Ian Kolste as offensive coordinator. Kolste graduated as the school's all-time leader in pretty much every passing category you can imagine, and he'll lead 10 returning starters on the offensive side of the ball.
BEST ROAD TRIP: This is a no-brainer. Carnegie Mellon is in Pittsburgh, home to the Andy Warhol Museum, Steelers and Pirates home games, and the Strip, land of great Italian food.
SCHEDULE
Sept. 2 at Carnegie Mellon
Sept. 10 vs. Eastern Oregon
Sept. 17 vs. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
Oct. 1 at Lewis & Clark
Oct. 8 vs. Linfield
Oct. 15 at Pacific Lutheran
Oct. 22 at Willamette
Oct. 29 vs. Puget Sound
Nov. 5 at Pacific (Ore.)
Nov. 12 vs. George Fox