Oregon State and Washington State open a Pac-12 season unlike any other

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — The branding on their fields still reads Pac-12, but Oregon State and Washington State opened a surreal 2024 season on Saturday as the conference’s last two teams.

It is the first season of college football's new look after last summer's collapse of the so-called Conference of Champions in realignment.

On Saturday, the change was mostly apparent for viewers at home, with the season openers for both teams broadcast nationally on the CW television network. In the past, those two early games would have likely aired regionally on the Pac-12 networks.

“It’s just business as usual,” Oregon State senior safety Jaden Robinson said. “Everybody in front of us, we respect all, fear none. Whoever lines up in front of us, we’re out there to do our job and get it done. I miss the Pac-12 though.”

Washington State routed Portland State 70-30 in Pullman, and Oregon State downed Idaho State 38-15 in Corvallis.

“We have a year where the spotlight is on us,” Cougars coach Jake Dickert said. “People do want to see what happens to the Cougs, what happens to the Pac-12. My mindset, to the team and our organization, is we can’t worry about all that. Everything since January has been about us, our preparation, our mentality ad what we can really control. I think the rest takes care of itself."

The Pac-12 logo stays on the field and on the players' uniforms because of a settlement reached with former teams that allows the Cougars and the Beavers to retain the league's intellectual property.

Some other things remain the same, too. Both teams will still play in-state rivalry games — Oregon State hosts Oregon on Sept. 14, and Washington State visits Washington in the Apple Cup on the same day.

Over Thanksgiving, when the rivalry games were traditionally played, the Beavers and Cougars will play each other.

Under new Commissioner Teresa Gould, the Pac-12 reached agreements with the Mountain West Conference for football and the Big West Conference for other sports.

At Oregon State, the changes from last season to this have been especially dramatic. Coach Jonathan Smith, a former Oregon State quarterback who helped lead the Beavers back into the postseason during his tenure, left for Michigan State.

Smith’s assistant Trent Bray, another former player, now leads the Beavers, who saw an exodus to the transfer portal. Quarterback quarterback DJ Uiagalelei (Florida State) running back Damien Martinez (Miami) and wide receiver Silas Bolden (Texas) all moved on.

Cam Ward, Washington State’s starting quarterback last year, transferred to Miami.

“It feels a little weird because the rivalries will be different, but this is Game 1 of a long season. I think we’re ready to see what happens,” said Oregon State fan Brian Fenn of Portland, who attended the opener with his 11-year-old son.

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AP Sports Writer Anne M. Peterson contributed to this report.

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Gary Horowitz, The Associated Press