Washington State Looks to Open Pac-12 Play With a Bang vs. Fresno State
In their first game against a new conference foe, the Washington State Cougars will open Pac-12 play on Saturday night when they host the visiting Fresno State Bulldogs at Gesa Field.
The Cougars enter the conference opener at 1-3 after a tough start to the season. Washington State opened the year with road losses to No. 17 Washington and Kansas State before picking up its first win with a 48-7 victory over Duquesne. The Cougars then returned home last Saturday but couldn’t hold onto an early lead in a 34-24 loss to Arizona.
Fresno State enters Pullman at 3-1 and riding a three-game winning streak. The Bulldogs opened the season with a 39-0 loss at No. 14 USC before responding with wins over Sacramento State, San Jose State, and Rice, feasting on far lesser competition after getting ran out of the Coliseum in Week 1.
For the Cougars, Saturday marks an opportunity to put the first four games behind them and get off to a strong start in a Pac-12 conference that should be wide open, with the exception being Boise State as an outside contender to make the College Football Playoff.
Reign Fall Out of NWSL Playoff Picture in 1-0 Home Loss to Courage
The Seattle Reign are on the outside looking in.
They dropped a crucial home tilt with the North Carolina Courage on Friday night Lumen Field 1-0, putting Seattle at 12-11-4 — good for ninth in the NWSL with three games to play. The loss snapped a franchise-record 17-game scoring streak for Seattle and a five-game home streak of clean sheets as the Reign trail Kansas City now by one point for the eighth and final playoff spot heading into a short international break.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali breaks down the loss and shares his coverage of the postgame aftermath.
Jadarian Price Injury Puts More Pressure on Seahawks’ Struggling Run Game
On the heels of a dreadful 44-yard performance as a team in a 33-31 loss to the Washington Commanders, the Seattle Seahawks hope to get a struggling ground game back on track against the Los Angeles Chargers returning to Lumen Field for the first time since their season opener.
But that mission became much tougher for Seattle on Friday with the team announcing starting running back Jadarian Price re-aggravated a chest injury during practice on Wednesday and would not be available for Sunday’s Week 4 contest after sitting out the final two practice of the week. Even though the rookie out of Notre Dame has fumbled twice in the first three games and received a “soft” benching last weekend as a result, he’s been one of the few bright spots for a running attack that has been anything but potent for most of the first month of the 2026 season, rushing 28 times for 119 yards and 4.2 yards per carry.
“Unfortunately, injuries happen,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said of Price after confirming he would not play against the Chargers. “He can’t control these things. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do since he got here. He’s had a great attitude. He’s been a great teammate. He has a great future. He’s going to play great football for us when he comes back, whenever that is and we move forward. I don’t think there’s any big picture things. It’s unfortunate.”
Macdonald didn’t have a timetable for how long Price may be out, but at minimum, the Seahawks will have to get by without him and Zach Charbonnet - who returned to practice for the first time since tearing his ACL back in January on Thursday - for at least one game before either has a chance to suit up again. Without either available against the Chargers, the onus will fall on Emanuel Wilson and George Holani to shoulder the load and pick up the slack after both players have endured somewhat slow starts through the first three games.
Analysis: Assessing Cougars QB Caden Pinnick’s Play at Quarter Mark
The Washington State Cougars entered the 2026 season with a new coaching staff, a new-look roster, and a new starting quarterback, awarding Caden Pinnick the job after an intense competition that played out in summer camp.
Through four games, Pinnick has shown some glimpses of why he was named Co-Big Sky Freshman of the Year at UC Davis prior to transferring to Pullman, but it has come with some major growing pains facing off against Power Four opponents.
Pinnick has experienced plenty of ups and downs through the opening month of the season. He has made some impressive plays, showing the ability to make things happen with his legs and demonstrating the ability to be accurate in the short passing game. At the same time, turnovers, inconsistency, and struggles throwing the deep ball have limited the offense quite a bit in the early stages of the 2026 season.
Through four games, Pinnick has completed 66 of 108 passes for 644 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions. He has also rushed for 201 yards and three touchdowns, giving him 845 total yards and six total touchdowns as a capable dual-threat quarterback running Kirby Moore’s offense.
How has Pinnick fared thus far? Where has he shown the most improvement and what areas remain concerning heading into Pac-12 play?
50 for 50: Ownership’s Comfortable Half Measures Ensured Mariners’ Mediocrity
You can’t have your cake and eat it too. It’s a bit of an archaism, given that “have” can mean “eat”, but it’s an apt turn of phrase to describe the pitfalls the Seattle Mariners have fallen into from ownership on down.
This attitude meshes with and reinforces their approach to risk; there is a genuine desire to win within the ownership group, but they aren’t willing to take on what they see as risks to revenue in order to achieve those wins. They believe - and the front office tells them that it is possible - that they can win the World Series without making any kind of lunge into the uncomfortable.
But when it’s a trade-off? When they must make uncomfortable moves in order to actually have a good shot at winning the World Series? They may not think of it in these terms, but by virtue of their actions, it is clear that they would rather remain in comfortable mediocrity than get what they supposedly want.
Stanton said as much on Monday. Even in a rather unintrusive one-on-one interview with King 5’s Paul Silvi, he couldn’t help but make it evident, in a way that a fish cannot help but make it evident that it is wet.
Silvi asked Stanton what he could have done differently in the 2026 season, and the Mariners majority owner all but went in circles around himself, merely repeating that changes were necessary without elaborating on any of those changes at all.
“Ultimately, I’ve gotta have people around the organization that are committed to the same thing that we as owners are committed to, and that’s to win championships. And I think that, in conversations I had with Jerry (Dipoto), Justin Hollander, others in the front office, there is that commitment. And I think that they’ve done a number of things in order to ensure that we have the pieces in place to be able to compete at the highest level. But we didn’t do that this year and we need to make changes.”
Big Ten Picks: Huskies Ready to Jump in USC Dumpster Fire
One fanbase will be extremely displeased Saturday night after Washington face USC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Both Washington and USC disappointed last week, though for slightly different reasons. Washington suffered its first loss at home to an unranked team since 2021, while the Trojans lost to Oregon for the fourth straight time.
The ground was already cracking around USC head coach Lincoln Riley entering the season, and his handling of Desman Stephens’ dirty hit on Oregon quarterback Dante Moore and dirtier celebration after. Now that ground is crumbling.
Gonzaga Unveils Full 2026-27 Schedule, Breaking Down Zags' Challenging Matchups
The Gonzaga Bulldogs officially released their 2026-27 schedule, which includes seven teams that appeared in the NCAA Tournament last season, 10 squads that won at least 20 games, and four reigning conference champions. Gonzaga will also play a 16-game slate in the revamped Pac-12, featuring a double round-robin format.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Howard Woodard gives expectations for Kraziness in the Kennel, breaks down the Zags' marquee nonconference matchups, and previews the structure of GU's new conference.
Analysis: Three Moves Mariners Need to Make Before Impending Lockout
The current Collective Bargaining Agreement in Major League Baseball ends on December 1, 2026. Most assume there will be a lockout of some kind as the owners and players fight for things they want, including the league desiring the implementation of a salary cap.
The situation might even get to the point where the 2027 regular season is shortened or altered in some way. Things might get messy. What can’t happen during that undetermined amount of time? Trades and signings. That will be a long stretch of winter for fans who love offseason moves with no activity.
What needs to happen in Seattle before that seemingly inevitable long, dark winter?
Sounders Escape Sporting KC on Late Cristian Roldan Goal
The Seattle Sounders collected their third home win in eight days with a 2-1 win over Sporting Kansas City on Thursday night thanks to a second-half stoppage-time goal from Cristian Roldan off a deflection. The win moved Seattle (10-9-8) into seventh in the MLS Western Conference, extending their unbeaten run to eight games off the heels of an MLS-worst eight-game losing streak.
Jordan Morris set up both Seattle goals to continue his solid run of games, assisting on 20-year-old Sebastian Gomez’s first MLS goal while being dragged down in the second half. The homestand proved to be a good tune-up against some non-playoff teams, as Seattle readies to welcome back striker Dejan Joveljić from international duty ahead of a tough road trip at the New England Revolution and FC Dallas in the coming weeks with just seven games to play.
Analysis: Jordan Eberle, Kraken Get Offensive in 6-1 Season-Opening Win Over Flames
It’s true the Seattle Kraken were facing the Calgary Flames, a team expected by most prognosticators to be at the bottom of the NHL standings this season and competing for a top draft pick. It’s also true tonight was just the first of a long 84-game season.
But make no mistake: the Kraken couldn’t have been much more dominant than they were in a season-opening 6-1 victory, kicking off year No. 2 of the Lane Lambert era with a bang.
“It’s good to see us start that way,” Vince Dunn said postgame. “It’s good to get that confidence rolling. It’s a quick turnaround after preseason. It was a pretty well-rounded team effort there. That’s huge.”
Zach Charbonnet, Ty Okada Return to Practice as Seahawks Ramp Up Preparations for Chargers
While it remains to be seen when either player will suit up for game action for the first time in 2026, the Seattle Seahawks welcomed back two key starters to the practice field with running back Zach Charbonnet and safety Ty Okada returning as limited participants on Thursday.
Designated to return from the PUP list, Charbonnet’s latest step shifts him one step closer to the end of a difficult journey recovering from a torn ACL. The fourth-year back injured his knee during a Divisional Round victory over the 49ers in January and didn’t undergo surgery to repair the ligament until February 20, putting his status for the upcoming season up in the air with just five months until the start of training camp.
But Charbonnet has seemingly been well ahead of schedule throughout the process, drawing praise from coach Mike Macdonald on numerous occasions for his outstanding work ethic and attacking his rehabilitation program from Day 1. Barely seven months after his surgery, he could be seen cutting on the practice field and donning a helmet for the first time since the injury, moving closer to a much-anticipated return for a Seattle backfield that certainly could use him.
“Having Zach back in general, just to have his presence, obviously Zach - man of many words, right?” quarterback Sam Darnold joked. “Doesn’t say a whole lot, but just the way he leads by example every single day of just coming to work and doing his job, that’s huge for us as a team.”
Did Storm’s Dominique Malonga Get Robbed of MIP Award?
Dallas Wings forward Jessica Shepard won the 2026 Kia WNBA Most Improved Player award, the league announced on Wednesday. Seattle Storm forward Dominique Malonga was also in the running for the award, finishing fifth out of six players in the voting.
Malonga made a massive jump from her rookie to second season, and she was one of just two second-year players in the voting (Portland Fire’s Carla Leite). The former 2025 No. 2 overall pick led the Storm in nearly every statistical category and drastically improved as a defender.
Was Malonga robbed of the MIP award? Did playing for the worst team in the WNBA swing the voting out of her favor? Let’s take a look at how the voting shook out.
Kraken, Flyers Flip Prospects as Seattle Trades for Devin Kaplan
Ahead of tonight’s season opener, the Seattle Kraken and Philadelphia Flyers swapped AHL prospects. The Kraken flipped 2022 second-rounder David Goyette for 2022 third-round pick Devin Kaplan.
Both prospects are bound for the AHL this season. Kaplan is a physical, 6-3 winger who spent three seasons at Boston University and earned an NHL game at the end of the 2024-25 regular season. In his senior season with the Terriers, Kaplan had 10 goals and 18 points in 38 games while racking up a lot of penalty minutes.
The 22-year-old scored five goals and 13 points in 49 games as a rookie in the AHL last season. He also had 62 penalty minutes. Kaplan is on the last season of his entry-level contract and should slot into Coachella-Valley’s bottom-six forward group to start next season.
Spread Thin: Huskies Coach Jedd Fisch Put Too Much on His 2026 Plate
Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch needs to do something about his offensive coordinator.
The thing is, being a head football coach is hard.
So is being a CEO. An offensive coordinator. A quarterback coach. A recruiter. A counselor. A fundraiser. And a person forced to deal with the media and the helicopter nature of many college football parents.
Fisch is good at all those things. But perhaps not all of them at once.
Reign Extend Star Defender Jordyn Bugg Through 2030
TUKWILA, Wash. — The Seattle Reign have made it a point to build around a promising young core over the past two seasons, and Thursday marked another key step in keeping that nucleus together. The Reign extended standout 20-year-old center back Jordyn Bugg through 2030, ensuring the 2025 Defender of the Year finalist will remain a stalwart in the back line going forward.
It hasn't been the easiest of seasons for the young USWNT prospect, who missed the first eight games of 2026 with a hamstring issue she picked up on international duty. Bugg hasn't missed any of the 18 games since, as Seattle sits at 12-10-4 in the eighth and final NWSL Playoff spot. Friday's home game against the North Carolina Courage will mark Bugg's 50th appearance with the club.
She’ll be the youngest defender in NWSL history to hit that milestone.
“I’m just super excited to stay here,” Bugg told The Spectrum after training on Thursday. “(The Reign are) kind of my family now… I’ve kind of grown up here.”
Bugg joined the club in 2024 at just 17 years old alongside a 16-year-old Ainsley McCammon. Since then, both have blossomed into consistent starters, with Bugg taking the leap in 2025 while McCammon has done the same this season.
Having leading scorer Maddie Mercado, wingback Ryanne Brown and others like young keepers Evan O’Steen and Neeku Purcell sign extensions has reinforced Bugg’s confidence in sticking out the long haul.
“It’s nice to know that these people will still be around,” Bugg said of the extensions. “We have great connections on and off the field… it is crucial on the field to have those connections.”
Analysis: Three Things That Must Happen for Kraken to Make Playoffs in 2026-27
The Seattle Kraken have missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of the last three seasons and four of their five seasons as a franchise. If they want to end that drought in 2026-27, they cannot simply hope that things break their way. They need tangible improvements in the areas that have held them back year after year.
Nothing is guaranteed, but if the Kraken can check these three boxes, they could give themselves a legitimate chance to return to the postseason in year No. 2 under the watch of coach Lane Lambert:
Two 30-Plus Goal Scorers
Nothing like saying the Kraken need something that has never happened in franchise history before. The Kraken have only had one 30-goal scorer ever with Jared McCann’s 40-goal performance in 2022-23. His 29 goals that following season is the second most in franchise history.
Seahawks Must Balance Long Game With Immediate Need as Zach Charbonnet Nears Return
After rushing for just 44 yards in a road loss to the Washington Commanders last weekend, much-needed help may be on the way in the near future for the Seattle Seahawks as the team weighs when to designate Zach Charbonnet to return to practice.
On Monday, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald remained non-committal on whether or not Charbonnet would practice this week, which would open his 21-day window to be activated to the 53-man roster. The fourth-year back has made quite the rapid recovery from a torn ACL suffered in a Divisional Round win over the 49ers in January and reconstructive knee surgery in late February.
“We’re still working through that process,” Macdonald said. “I’m sure we’ll have an answer by sometime tomorrow, whether or not he’ll start practicing this week. It’s not out of the question yet, we just haven’t had an update.”
During Seattle’s off day on Tuesday, the team didn’t announce anything on the Charbonnet front, leaving his status in question. But that doesn’t mean a decision wasn’t made behind the scenes, and before Wednesday’s practice, Macdonald again indicated a decision had not been made and that the veteran back could potentially practice on Thursday.
Considering how much Seattle has struggled running the football in two of the first three games, particularly in short yardage and goal line situations, bringing back Charbonnet as soon as possible would be the perfect ingredient to throw into the pot and spice up a rushing attack that currently doesn’t have enough bite to it. But the team also can’t afford to rush him back too quickly either, making the decision on when to get him back on the practice field a multi-layered one.
Kraken the Ice: New-Look Lineup, Bold Predictions for Seattle Entering 2026-27 Season
Following another season without a playoff berth, expectations remain tempered at best in the Pacific Northwest for the Kraken with coach Lane Lambert at the helm for his second year.
With opening day just a few days away, hosts Nick Lee and Josh Frojelin examine Seattle's roster construction and projected lineup for the 2026-27 season, dish out bold predictions for the team and individual players, and discuss whether or not the Kraken will be in the mix for a top draft pick in the lottery once again or bound to surprise in a jam-packed season preview episode of Kraken the Ice.
50 in 50: Mariners’ Self-Inflicted 2026 Disaster Most Disappointing in Team History
There have been many bad seasons in Mariners history, far more in fact than there have been good years. It took Seattle 15 seasons to have a winning record, after all, and this is the team that won 116 games in a season and didn’t make the World Series. The Mariners, of course, have never made the World Series, the only team in baseball with that dishonorable feat on its name.
The 50-year history of the Mariners has been defined, more than that of any sporting club this side of the Buffalo Sabres, by unceasing failure. And yet the game has cultivated an unyielding nostalgia in Rain City for days that did not end in glory.
And yet out of all the seasons the team of failure has played, 2026 found a way to be the most singularly disappointing. What happened was laughably preventable and cartoonishly immense, at once utterly unforeseen and perfectly predictable, and until baseball starts again - an unknown date courtesy of the coming labor war - it will be all that the M’s can think about.
Last year, the Mariners came closer than ever to their first world series berth, only stayed by a former Astro’s gut-punching home run to send the Blue Jays to the Fall Classic. One rival, it seemed, was replaced by another, and a not insignificant portion of the Emerald City found themselves rooting for the hegemonic Dodgers’ eventual repeat.
When the 2026 season began, the message from the clubhouse and the organization was clear: World Series or bust. The Mariners set out for a mandate, to take their place in the sun, to become baseball’s next dynasty. More resonant with the long-beleaguered fans was the simple idea of finally going to the mountaintop.
Jordan Morris Back in Form for Sounders at Right Time
Jordan Morris had been dealt a tough hand these past two seasons.
The Seattle Sounders' all-time leading scorer played 34 games in 2024 before matching that total over nearly two complete seasons in 2025 and 2026. An AC joint separation last summer and multiple long injuries in 2026 have made the striker-turned-winger into an inconsistent presence for head coach Brian Schmetzer.
With reserve striker Danny Musovski bursting onto the scene last summer and star transfer Dejan Joveljić occupying the nine spot, Morris could've very well been phased out of the rotation.
But Schmetzer believed in what the veteran from Mercer Island still had to give, finding creative ways to insert him back into the lineup — the coach even benched a hot Musovski last summer to get Morris back on the pitch at striker after his shoulder injury.
Morris has, slowly, at times, paid Schmetzer's belief off with savvy moments inside the box and runs that stretch opposing lines. But small knocks have chipped away at his confidence, leading to performances that have fans in debate about his designated player salary being worth the hassle.
After all of that discourse, however, Morris has been able to string together his best stretch of games this season with Joveljić on international duty and Seattle's top winger options sidelined with injury. With Seattle (9-8-9, ninth in MLS Western Conference) fighting back into playoff positioning on a seven-game unbeaten streak, the advent of Joveljić, the sharp service of Albert Rusnák and the resurgence of Morris have taken center stage.
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