If you were watching the 2025 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl just a few weeks ago, you saw more than just a football game on a blue turf. You basically saw the future of West Coast sports. Washington State vs Utah State isn't just a random matchup of "State" schools anymore. It's the cornerstone of a rebuilt conference.
Honestly, for years, this matchup was an afterthought. A footnote. They played in 1949, 1950, and 1961, then basically forgot each other existed for sixty years. But the college football landscape is messy now, and these two are suddenly the ones holding the keys to the Pac-12 brand.
The December 2025 Potato Bowl Shift
Let's talk about that bowl game on December 22, 2025. Washington State walked away with a 34-21 win, but the score doesn't tell the whole story. The Cougars dominated the trenches, racking up 628 yards of total offense. It was the first time they’d crossed the 600-yard mark since 2018.
Utah State looked stuck in the mud for the first half. They only managed 73 yards before the break. Bryson Barnes tried to put the Aggies on his back in the second half—and he’s a gamer, honestly—but that WSU defense was just too physical.
What’s wild is the "fry bath." Seeing interim coach Jesse Bobbit get doused in cold french fries after the win felt like a fever dream, but it was the perfect metaphor for where these programs are. They're gritty. They're finding their own traditions in a world where the "big" schools have chased TV money elsewhere.
Head-to-Head: A History of Gaps
When you look at the Washington State vs Utah State record, it's a weirdly short list for two schools that have been around so long.
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- 1949-1950: WSU dominated the early years, winning the first two meetings by a combined score of 79-6.
- 1961: Utah State finally bit back with a 34-14 win.
- 2021: The game that rebooted the interest. Utah State pulled off a 26-23 upset in Pullman, which, looking back, was a sign of things to come for the Aggies' rise.
- 2024: WSU took care of business at home, 49-28.
- 2025: The aforementioned Potato Bowl victory for the Cougs.
Basically, WSU leads the football series 4-2. But in basketball? That’s a whole different vibe.
The Basketball Dynamic
On the court, these two have more history than people realize. They last met on Christmas Day in 2022, where Utah State took down WSU 82-73 in Honolulu. Historically, the Cougars have struggled against the Aggies' basketball consistency. WSU is only 1-8 all-time against Utah State on the hardwood.
With David Riley now leading WSU basketball into 2026, and the team sitting at 8-10 but showing life in conference play, that lopsided record is something the Pullman faithful are desperate to fix.
Why This Matchup is Now a "Conference Game"
Here is the part most people get wrong: they think this is still a Mountain West vs. Pac-12 (or Pac-2) thing.
Starting July 1, 2026, Washington State and Utah State will officially be conference mates in the new-look Pac-12. They aren't just playing for "bragging rights" anymore. They are playing for playoff positioning.
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The new Pac-12 will include:
- Washington State
- Oregon State
- Boise State
- Utah State
- San Diego State
- Colorado State
- Fresno State
- Gonzaga (Non-football)
It’s a "Best of the Rest" league that actually looks pretty terrifying on paper. If you’re a fan of either team, you’ve probably spent the last year refreshing Twitter (or X, whatever) waiting for realignment news. The wait is over. This is the new reality.
Key Players to Watch Moving Into 2026
If you're looking ahead to the next time these teams meet, keep your eyes on the young talent that emerged during the bowl season.
For the Cougars, Zevi Eckhaus proved he can sling it. He threw for 334 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Potato Bowl. But the real star was Maxwell Woods, the freshman running back who averaged 13 yards per carry. He’s the type of explosive player that changes a program's ceiling.
Utah State is in a bit of a transition. With the portal being what it is, the roster will look different by next fall, but the core of their passing attack showed life late in the season. Jacob Conover came in and looked sharp in relief, throwing two late touchdowns that made the Potato Bowl closer than it probably should have been.
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Misconceptions About the Rivalry
People often confuse "Utah State" with the "University of Utah." It happens all the time.
Washington State used to play the Utah Utes every year in the old Pac-12. WSU actually had a decent run against the Utes (winning four straight between 2013-2018), but that's over now. The Utes are in the Big 12.
The "new" rival is the Aggies. Utah State brings a different kind of energy—Maverik Stadium in Logan is a house of horrors for visiting teams. It’s high altitude, it’s loud, and the fans are notoriously intense. WSU fans who think this will be an easy transition into a "weaker" conference are in for a shock.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're following this matchup into the 2026 season, here is how you should handle it:
- Watch the Basketball Schedule: The first "regular" conference games between these two in the new Pac-12 will likely happen in early 2027, but keep an eye on non-conference tournaments.
- Ticket Strategy: If you’re planning to travel to Logan, Utah, for a football game, book early. The town is small, and with the Pac-12 brand coming to town, hotels will fill up months in advance.
- Follow the Trenches: Both teams are heavily recruiting offensive linemen right now to deal with the physicality of Boise State and San Diego State. Whoever wins the "recruiting war" in the portal this spring will likely win the next head-to-head.
- Appreciate the History: Don't let the "new conference" talk distract from the fact that these are two of the oldest programs in the West.
The Washington State vs Utah State story is really just beginning. We're moving away from the era of "geographic convenience" and into an era of "survival of the fittest." Based on what we saw in Boise last December, both of these programs are more than ready to fight for their spot at the table.
Check the 2026 schedules as they are finalized this spring. You’ll want to circle the date when the Aggies finally make their first trip to Pullman as a full-fledged conference member. That’s when the real history starts.
Future Outlook
- Football: Expect a high-scoring, air-raid style evolution from WSU, while USU will likely lean on a more balanced, dual-threat QB approach.
- Revenue: The new Pac-12 media deal (expected to be announced mid-2026) will dictate how much these schools can spend to keep their star players from being poached by the "Power 4."
- The Apple Cup: Don't forget that WSU still plays Washington every year. Their performance against Utah State will be the "litmus test" for whether they can still compete with the Big Ten on a weekly basis.