A Grip on Sports: We have questions this morning but many will be answered before the sun sets

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Just three quick questions and I’ll leave you be to enjoy your Sunday. They are …

•••••••

• Can the Seahawks win what’s basically a playoff play-in game?

All those number dudes tell us this afternoon’s battle in Arizona is, in the Seahawks’ case, a make-or-break game. Win and ESPN and others say the Hawks have a better than 70% chance of making the postseason. Lose and that percentage drops to almost non-existent. So, which will it be?

As the sun dawns, it doesn’t look good. Kenneth Walker III, the Hawks’ best running back, is out. The Cardinals are at home and have film of how the Seattle defense bottled up Kyler Murray and friends just 14 days ago. And three-game winning streaks – as they boast heading into the 1:05 game (on BBS) – seems to be the Hawks’ limit.

My scenario? The Seahawks win a tight one. Move to 8-5 and in control of the NFC West. Then proceed to lose to Green Bay and Minnesota at home, in Chicago on a cold, dreary Thursday after Christmas and lose their grip on it all.

Though they finish the year with a win at the Rams, costing L.A. a playoff berth.

• Will other teams hit Gonzaga with the zone defensive look that is all the rage in basketball?

Coaching websites all over America are trying to sell a defensive wrinkle. Start in a 1-3-1 zone. Matchup in man after the first pass. Mess with an offense’s rhythm.

It might be an easier sell this morning.

Just link the video of fourth-ranked Kentucky’s second half Saturday night in Seattle. Heck, put the whole game on your site. Show the first half, as the Zags sliced and diced their way to a 16-point lead, en route to another win this season over a ranked squad.

Then show how the Wildcats adjusted. Ya, I know. A Kentucky basketball team making in-game adjustments. Hasn’t happened in about 15 years.

But Mark Pope is not John Calipari. In so many ways. And the second-half Zag offense wasn’t the first half one last night. In so many ways.

The change wasn’t something the Cats stayed with throughout the half. Sometimes they played straight zone. But it didn’t matter. The adjustment threw a bone in the Bulldogs’ usually smooth-running offensive machinery. Shots began to rim out. Passes around the perimeter took the place of ball-screen actions. The whole thing ground to a jog.

Kentucky clawed back. Found a way to get the game to overtime. Just like the last time the seventh-ranked Zags were forced to play an extra period, they started it slowly. And then lost. Just like they did to West Virginia.

• The Pac-12 may be scattered to the wind, but its top teams sure blew through college football’s other conferences, right?

Yep, that century-old collection of West Coast teams deserved to disappear.

After all, there is no way the SEC or the Big Ten would have liked Oregon rolling to an undefeated record and earning the top seed in the expanded 12-team College Football Invitational. Nor could have the Big 12 or ACC abide by Arizona State earning an at-large berth by winning double-digit games. Washington State and Colorado winning eight and nine, respectively, and being in the conversation for much of the season.

So they did everything in their power to break the Pac-12 apart. Conspired to do something perfectly legal, American to its core, actually, but underhanded nonetheless. They threw enough money at the L.A. schools get them to forget their fans, their history and everything else college football was once about.

And the whole place crumbled as ESPN and Fox realized they could get a better product for, overall, less money.

Yep, it’s an American success story. And those of us who barked loud and hard over the years about the beauty and potential of West Coast college football were chained-up and silenced. Then the West Coast teams went out and grabbed three of the five guaranteed playoff berths. You know, the ones earned on the field.

Heck, Oregon and Arizona State put 90 points up combined in winning the Big Ten and Big 12 title games Saturday.

Not bad for recent members of a third-rate conference.

•••

WSU: Don’t look now, but the Cougar men are easily the second-best team in the state – we’re sure even UW coach Danny Sprinkle would agree – and are showing signs of challenging for the WCC title. All without one of their best players. With Cedric Coward reportedly headed for shoulder surgery, Washington State built a 24-point lead and held off host Boise State 74-69 for their second consecutive Quad 1 win. Greg Woods has all the details. … Ethan O’Connor won’t be following in the footsteps of his uncle, Jason David, after all. You know, going from WSU to the NFL. O’Connor announced Saturday he’s headed to the transfer portal. Greg has that story as well. … Elsewhere in the (current, old and future) Pac-12 and the nation, Jon Wilner has his thoughts in the Mercury News on what the CFP committee will do, though it’s somewhat moot. The seedings will be revealed just after we post this column, so we aren’t linking much. We’ll get into tomorrow morning. There are some national thoughts, which may or may not mirror what actually happens. … Wilner also tells us where the former and current Pac-12 teams will be bowling. It looks as if WSU is headed to another Holiday Bowl. … Yes, Oregon won the Big Ten title. The Ducks are 13-0, the only undefeated FCS school and the sure top playoff seed. They celebrated. And yet, as John Canzano and others will tell you, they have bigger goals than just beating Penn State. … Arizona State was dominant yesterday morning in Dallas. Routed Iowa State 45-19. Won the Big 12 title. Will get a bye in the playoffs. Wow. … Georgia won the SEC title but may have lost its quarterback. Texas had every opportunity to win and failed. … Why should Deion Sanders leave Colorado? Well, his kids are leaving soon. … Utah lost a veteran quarterback to the portal. No, not Cam Rising. No one that old. … Expect more and more Arizona players to bid adieu to Tucson. … Among the future Pac-12 members in the Mountain West, Boise State moved up in this morning’s A.P. poll. And expects to earn the playoff bye. … Fresno State’s new coach has an interesting contract. … In basketball news, Kyle Smith was really good winning rivalry games while at Washington State. He still is at Stanford. The Cardinal team opened ACC play with a win over California. … USC flew to Seattle and rolled over Washington, something Sprinkle saw coming. … No. 12 Oregon hosts UCLA today.

Gonzaga: The 90-89 loss may have been familiar, but it was also discouraging. After winning his last 175 games he led at halftime by double digits, Mark Few must also be disappointed – understatement of the year? – today. Jim Meehan has the game story and combined with the folks in the office to put together the recap with highlights. … Dave Boling falls on his pen and takes the blame for the defeat, kind of, in his column. … Theo Lawson examined Kentucky’s defensive adjustments after halftime and put together the keys to the loss. … Tyler Tjomsland has the photo report from Seattle. … We can pass along a story with the Kentucky perspective. … The Gonzaga women are in Colorado today to face Colorado State. … Elsewhere in the WCC, Saint Mary’s went into Salt Lake City and handed Utah a 72-63 defeat. … Santa Clara cruised past Fresno State 81-66. … San Diego lost by 17 points at No. 24 San Diego State.

Idaho: The Vandals moved on in their FCS title quest with a 34-13 beat-down of visiting Lehigh on Saturday. The win included a 74-yard interception return for a touchdown by Lake City High grad Zach Johnson, someone we were lucky enough to coach in basketball a few years ago. Thank goodness we weren’t in the Kibbie Dome press box last night. Cheering is not allowed and we were doing it at home, that’s for sure. Johnson was a joy to coach. Seeing him have that type of success was heart-warming. And not unexpected. Peter Harriman has the game coverage. … Another member of that same travel basketball team, Kolton Mitchell, and his Vandal group wasn’t as successful on the road last night, losing 78-62 at Oregon State. … Former Vandal quarterback Gevani McCoy is back in the portal. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, Montana State is the top seed in the FCS playoffs and played like it Saturday, rolling over UT Martin. … South Dakota State did what it did last season, defeat Montana in the playoffs. … Yes, UC Davis defeated visiting Illinois State 42-10 but the Aggies coach was disappointed in the crowd. … In basketball news, the Montana State men defeated Kansas City. … Montana lost to St. Thomas on the road. … The Bobcat women lost in overtime. … Montana also lost.

EWU: South Dakota State, and former WSU player Oscar Cluff, overpowered the Eagles in Brookings, winning 74-53. Dan Thompson has this story.

Whitworth: The Pirates picked up a home win which should help down the road when they are in the Division III playoff discussion. They topped Hardin-Simmons 78-73. … The Linfield football team was eliminated in the D-III playoffs.

Preps: Dave Nichols was once again following The Fitz tournament, covering its final day and using the results to kick off his roundup of the GSL games Saturday. … Dave also has a roundup of the smaller schools and other sporting events.

Chiefs: Dave had one more thing to cover Saturday. The Teddy Bear Toss game. The cuddly toys made their appearance at the Spokane Memorial Arena within Spokane’s 3-2 win over the Wenatchee Wild. … Former Chiefs assistant coach Scott Burt is dealing with a brain tumor. Howie Stalwick has more in this story.

Zephyr: Fort Lauderdale United FC pinned a 2-1 loss on Spokane, as the Zephyr continued its long string of USL Super League matches on the road.

Seahawks: What will Seattle do offensively without Walker? … You will just have to watch to find out. … The Cardinals know how important today is as well.

Mariners: What lessons did Seattle learn in 2023?

Sounders: The L.A. Galaxy’s MLS title win Saturday assured the Sounders of another appearance in the CONCACAF Champions League. And they also learned their Club World Cup schedule for the summer.

•••       

• We believe Alabama will be awarded the final playoff spot this morning. Angering the SEC and its commissioner isn’t a good idea, especially with all the machinations upcoming as the playoffs reboot in 2026. Until later …