New Mexico State @ Washington State preview

Washington State is beginning to get recognized nationally with its second Top 25 preseason coaches poll ranking in the last three years and tries to prove it belongs among the nation's elite as it opens the season against visiting New Mexico State on Saturday. The No. 21 Cougars are coming off their first double-digit victory season since 2003 and have won 37 games over the last four years - the best such stretch in school history.

Washington State senior quarterback Anthony Gordon spent the last three seasons paying his dues behind Luke Falk and Gardner Minshew but he was handed the keys by coach Mike Leach to start Saturday's opener. “I think he’s continued to improve,” Leach told reporters about Gordon. “The biggest thing is consistency. He’s gotten consistent. He’s always been able to unload the ball quickly and he’s gotten real steady with his reads. He’s done a real good job of reading the field.” The Aggies will play an independent schedule as they prepare for their first of three games against Power 5 conference teams, including a visit to No. 2 Alabama on Sept. 7. New Mexico State, which is led by sophomore quarterback Josh Adkins, has enjoyed only one winning season - 7-6 in 2017 - since 2002.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network. LINE: Washington State -32

ABOUT NEW MEXICO STATE (2018: 3-9): The Aggies are expected to be stronger with the addition of four transfers from Power 5 conference teams including graduate student wide receiver Tony Nicholson, who caught 41 passes at Baylor in 2017. Junior defensive back Chance Cook, a transfer from Oklahoma State, is expected to provide leadership to a defense that was 125th among the 130 FBS teams in points allowed at 41.3 per game. Adkins completed 56.5 of his passes with 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions last season while senior running backs Christian Gibson and Jason Huntley combined for 1,095 yards and 13 TDs.

ABOUT WASHINGTON STATE (2018: 11-2): Gordon, who threw five passes last season, has a plethora of targets that comprise one of the deepest receiving corps in the nation. Junior wideouts Davontavean Martin (69 catches) and Easop Winston Jr. caught a club-most eight touchdown passes apiece while senior Dezmon Patmon led the squad with 816 yards (five TDs). The Cougars took a hit on defense when safety Jalen Thompson had his final year of eligibility stripped by the NCAA because he took a banned substance, leaving the secondary in disarray.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Washington State sophomore RB Max Borghi rushed for 366 yards and eight touchdowns and caught 53 passes for 374 yards and four scores as a freshman.

2. The Cougars have won seven straight regular-season non-conference games since losing at Boise State 31-28 in 2016.

3. Washington State was voted to finish fourth behind No. 13 Oregon, No. 12 Washington and No. 23 Stanford in the North Division of the Pac-12 preseason poll.

PREDICTION: Washington State 51, New Mexico State 14