WSU releases 2023 football schedule

The last time Washington State hosted a nonconference Power Five team on the Palouse, computers were the size of mini refrigerators, Google was in its infancy, baggy jeans were all the rage and Titanic dominated the Oscars.

That 25-year stretch will end in 2023.

WSU released its football schedule for this season on Wednesday and it features a Sept. 9 contest against Wisconsin at Gesa Field.

It marks the first time a Power Five team will play in Pullman since the Cougars defeated Illinois 20-13 in 1998.

“Our 2023 WSU football schedule will be unlike any in recent years,” WSU athletic director Pat Chun said in a news release. “The Pac-12 Conference will be one of the toughest, deepest and most talented conferences in all of college football. Combine this to a home schedule that welcomes Wisconsin, the first Big Ten opponent to come to Pullman in 25 years, 2023 will prove to be an incredible opportunity for our football program.”

The 12-game ­schedule will feature six home games, including three in September.

The Cougars kick off the season Sept. 2 at Colorado State before returning for a three-game homestand against the Badgers, Northern Colorado (Sept. 16) and their Pac-12 opener against Oregon State (Sept. 23).

WSU hosts Arizona on Oct. 14, the first game in Pullman for former Cougar quarterback Jayden de Laura since he routed his current team 44-18 on Nov. 19, 2021, throwing for 259 yards and four touchdowns against the Wildcats.

Senior night will be Nov. 17 against Colorado and Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders, and the Cougars conclude their season with the Apple Cup on Nov. 25 against the Washington Huskies in Seattle.

WSU’s other games are at UCLA (Oct. 7), at Oregon (Oct. 21), at Arizona State (Oct. 28), vs. Stanford (Nov. 4) and at Cal (Nov. 11).

But the big one early is that rematch against Wisconsin — a team the Cougars upset 17-14 at historic Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., in coach Jake Dickert’s home state in September.

Kickoff times and TV partners will be released at a later date. Last year, the Cougars played three games on Fox, one on ESPN, one on ABC, one on FS1 and seven on the Pac-12 Network. Homecoming and other themed home games are also yet to be announced.

Notably absent from WSU’s conference schedule are USC and Utah — the top two teams in the conference last season.

Wiebe may be contacted at (208) 848-2260, swiebe@lmtribune.com or on Twitter @StephanSports.

2023 schedule

Sept. 2 — at Colorado State

Sept. 9 — Wisconsin

Sept. 16 — Northern Colorado

Sept. 23 — Oregon State*

Oct. 7 — at UCLA*

Oct. 14 — Arizona*

Oct. 21 — at Oregon*

Oct. 28 — at Arizona State*

Nov. 4 — Stanford*

Nov. 11 — at California*

Nov. 17 — Colorado*

Nov. 25 — at Washington*

* — Pac-12 games