The Washington State Cougars have “handshake agreements” for five home-and-home football series against BCS schools, WSU athletic director Bill Moos said on his weekly call-in show.
“I have handshake agreements with five different schools, BCS schools, for home-and-home football competition provided it fits into our schedules. I think some of it may be out into the early 20’s and so forth.”
Three of those teams could be Florida State, Michigan State, and TCU. Moos specifically mentioned those three schools when discussing what he accomplished at the Pac-12 Spring meetings in Phoenix earlier this month.
“Talking to friends of mine from TCU and Florida State and other schools like Michigan State. I’m working hard to try and get those arrangements put together to bring schools like that in early to Pullman so that our students and fans can enjoy that kind of competition.”
Moos mentioned that some of the agreements may be for games in the early 2020’s. But the Cougars do have several non-conference openings from 2014 through 2019. It will just be a matter of how tough he wants to make his football schedules.
Here’s a look at what Washington State currently has set:
2014 – Wisconsin, at Nevada
2015 – Wyoming, at Wisconsin
2016 – at Boise State
2017 – Nevada, Boise State
2018 – at Wyoming, San Jose State
2019 – BYU
The 2014 home game against Wisconsin could be in jeopardy if the Badgers finalize a contract to play LSU at Reliant Stadium in Houston. When asked about that possibility, Moos did say he has had “preliminary conversations” with Wisconsin.
“Well there have been some preliminary conversations, but I have not talked to Barry Alvarez,” Moos said.
“This home-and-home series was scheduled in 2006. They (the Big Ten) don’t go to nine conference games until 2016. I would think if they were to pull out of it that they would certainly have the courtesy and the class to move it down the calender, down the years, and maybe play it four to six years later.”