The pick: Why Washington State will beat Arizona

PULLMAN – Washington State will celebrate its important class of outgoing players, then those seniors will give WSU reason to celebrate.

The Cougars won’t be distracted by the emotional nature of this week. I expect they’ll feed off it, and down Pac-12 cellar dweller Arizona handily Friday at Gesa Field.

“Senior night has been a focus and will be a focus, especially the night before the game – there’s some things I’d like to do,” WSU interim coach Jake Dickert said. “But we’ve been focused on the task at hand.”

That is: win one more game and get to six victories on the year, therefore punching a ticket to a bowl game. That’d be a major positive for this program, considering its dreadful start to this year and the even more dreadful coaching turnover it underwent almost exactly one month ago.

“We still got a lot to fight and play for,” Dickert said. “That’s been our message.”

Arizona comes to Pullman toting a 1-9 record. The Wildcats will face an inspired Cougar team in uncomfortable elements.

Wrap up, because the temperature will be in the 30s and the forecast shows a chance of snow.

In its last two visits to the bitter Palouse, UA surrendered 138 combined points.

“When you play in the Pacific Northwest, you gotta train in the Pacific Northwest,” Dickert said. “We were out there. Our guys were really handling the ball.”

WSU will make the Wildcats feel the sting early. The Cougars will pour on three touchdowns in the first quarter and their defense will capitalize on UA turnover for a couple of first-half takeaways. WSU will stay comfortably ahead to earn a bowl bid for the sixth consecutive full season.

The pick: Washington State 40, Arizona 23