Washington State

Washington State enters 2026 under new head coach Kirby Moore with a roster that lost significant production through the transfer portal — 41 departures cost 79.6 PPA while 28 arrivals added just 9.3 PPA back. The Cougars lost top receiver Tony Freeman (27.9 PPA) and backup quarterback Jaxon Potter (24.1 PPA) while bringing in Missouri transfer Daniel Blood (7.1 PPA) and Florida's Tank Hawkins to help replace the target share. Zevi Eckhaus returns as the starting quarterback, providing some stability to an offense that grades 111th nationally at -4.1 points. The defense sits at an even 0.0 rating (64th nationally), but significant coverage attrition creates uncertainty in the secondary.

JP+ projects 4.8 wins for Washington State, reflecting the structural instability across both sides of the ball and the challenge of integrating new pieces under first-year leadership. The offense faces moderate continuity risk with just 4% of target share returning, while the defense carries high risk after losing key coverage players and edge rushers. If Moore can quickly establish depth chart clarity and the portal additions mesh faster than expected, the Cougars could push toward bowl eligibility again. If not, Washington State's fragile ecosystem could produce a step backward from last year's 6-6 finish.