Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
Editor's note: Read the schedule preview for Robert Morris and USC in Part 1 here, Utah and Temple in Part 2 here, Boise State and UNLV in Part 3 here, and New Mexico and Wyoming in Part 4 here.
LOGAN — This is Part 5 of the weekly series breaking down every Utah State football opponent leading up to the start of the 2024 season.
Washington State Cougars
Date: Saturday, Nov. 9, TBA
Location: Martin Stadium; Pullman, WA
2023 record: 5-7 (2-7 Pac-12)
Final AP ranking: N/A
Last meeting: Sept. 4, 2021; Aggies won 26-23
Washington State is a team entering 2024 without a real conference after the near total dissolution of the Pac-12 and a deal made with the Mountain West to schedule a few games. As a result, most of its schedule consists of nonconference opponents.
The Pac-12 in football was a notoriously brutal conference, which may account for why all the Cougars' losses last year were in conference play; they managed to still win five games overall.
Washington State was one of the best offensive teams in the country last year, ranking 35th with 421.7 yards per game. Defensively, however, the team clocked in at 78th. Much of that, it seems, came from the Cougars giving up nearly 800 total rushing yards more than they produced.
Quarterback Cameron Ward, who threw for more than 3,700 yards last year, transferred to Miami. And now the Cougars turn to John Mateer or Zevi Eckhaus, who transferred from Bryant. The pair will battle for the starting spot during fall camp, per The Seattle Times.
Washington State got three wide receiver transfers in Kyle Maxwell (Louisiana Tech), Tre Shackelford (Austin Peay) and Kris Hutson (Oregon). The team's leading receiver last year, Josh Kelly, transferred to Texas Tech.
Nakia Watson went to the NFL, but the team's second-leading rusher is back. Dylan Paine ran for 150 yards and one touchdown. Mateer had three rushing touchdowns as a quarterback while also throwing for 235 yards and two touchdowns.
Since Jake Dickert took over as coach in November 2021, the Cougars are 15-16.
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
Date: Saturday, Nov. 16, TBA
Location: Maverik Stadium; Logan, UT
2023 record: 5-8 (3-5 Mountain West)
Final AP ranking: N/A
Last meeting: Nov. 12, 2022; Aggies won 41-34
The Rainbow Warriors may have finished 2023 with a losing record, but it's the last few games that may tell more of the story. Hawaii ended the year winning three of its last four games — and that was after going on a four-game losing streak.
In all, the Rainbow Warriors scored only 21.4 points per game and allowed 32.2. But in their final three wins last year, they allowed just 17 points on average.
The good news on the offensive front for Hawaii is its top quarterback, Brayden Schager, is back for his senior season. He threw for more than 3,500 yards and 26 touchdowns with 14 interceptions. It'll be his second year as the full-time starter.
With Schager at the helm of the offense, it seems like the Rainbow Warriors are in good shape. Not only is he returning, but they have most of their top rushers and receivers coming back, as well. The same is the case on defense and on special teams, coach Timmy Chang said recently.
That type of continuity bodes well for any football team, and it's a continuity the Aggies just won't have this year, particularly with the official firing of coach Blake Anderson.
