We’ve been packing for the Palouse for three fall seasons. The first season we promised our then freshman daughter that we would hold off and give her space and didn’t visit until October for our first football game. That’s old news, at this point we show up at for the first game our schedule allows. Washington State University’s campus is amazing in the fall! Trees are turning, there is excitement in the air as CFS (Cougar Football Saturday) is upon us and Date Dashes (Greek life events) are a plenty. We were lucky enough to experience the Friday evening USC v WSU game in 2017. Cougar football at it’s best!
Our daughter is now a junior at WSU, she is fully immersed in her program and crazy busy with clinicals and school. WSU had a rough year last year and their football program was in a lurch losing their incoming talented QB to a tragedy. We all wondered how campus would feel coming back this September to the long standing traditions. We have friends that tailgate and have since they were little people. They have continued the tradition with their parents, their children and their Coug pride through thick and thin. Through good times and bad they come out and support. It is a feeling of family – a tribal connection that Cougs have. They are there for the same reason because they are connected, to the campus, to the people, to the Palouse. The sheer beauty of the Palouse is breathtaking, especially in late summer when the wheat fields are ripe for harvest.
So we booked our 2018 tickets by our availability and our love for a good game, watching the local teams and an excuse to see our daughter and be an adopted Coug. Two weeks ago I got a call that I missed and an immediate text – ESPN GAME DAY IS COMING TO PULLMAN! We found ourselves overjoyed that we had in hand two tickets to the Cougs v Ducks game on October 20, 2018.
We showed up in Pullman as early as we thought we should get up (after a 4am call from our daughter announcing she had shown up at Game Day!)
Campus was lit up with Game Day festivities and energy and Coug pride! We found our daughter and enjoyed the moment and a photo by the Coug statue and sun rising on the Palouse as we were leaving.
The day was amazing – joining our friends at their tailgate. Our daughter and friends coming by later. Portland friends wearing their Duck gear were spotted. The tailgates were abuzz. I’ve never seen so many people on campus before a game. We went to another sorority friend’s tailgate among the RVs. I was truly amazed by the investment Cougs put into tailgating – the tradition, the camaraderie, the relationships, the fun. 70 degrees on October 20 in the Palouse. Perfect Cougar Football Saturday.
The game was at 4:30. We were hustling back to the game as we wanted to maximize tailgate time and the experience. The game energy started as Game Day and tailgating left off! The Cougs were on a high for the whole first half. The stadium fans were unreal. We gave the Oregon fans a little teeny bit of their own strategy. We were loud. The defense played proud. The offense was on fire.
The second half rolled around and we wondered – can this stick because the Ducks had a string of scores. But our Mustached Minschew and the talent that surrounds him came through with game ending scores to end a day that the Palouse will be talking about for years to come.
I feel so lucky that my daughter is a WSU student and that WAZZU welcomes the parents of Cougs as their honorary tribe.
Go Cougs!
