# 1975 Washington State Cougars football team

The 1975 Washington State Cougars football team was an American football team that represented Washington State University in the Pacific-8 Conference (Pac-8) during the 1975 NCAA Division I football season. In their eighth season under head coach Jim Sweeney, the Cougars compiled a 3–8 record (0–7 in Pac-8, last) and were outscored 295 to 262.
The team's statistical leaders included John Hopkins with 1,022 passing yards, Vaughn Williams with 662 rushing yards, and Brian Kelly with 371 receiving yards.
With two wins to open the season, followed by seven consecutive losses, the Cougars took out their frustrations on over-matched neighbor Idaho in the Battle of the Palouse on November 15, scoring eight touchdowns in the first half on the way to an 84–27 rout. The next week at Husky Stadium in Seattle, WSU led rival Washington 27–13 with three minutes left in Don James' first Apple Cup, but gave up two long touchdowns to lose by a point.
Sweeney resigned a week later, and was promptly hired at Fresno State.
This was the first season for the concrete north grandstand at Martin Stadium; the student section, it was formerly a wooden grandstand constructed in the 1930s as part of Rogers Field. (1975 aerial photo)

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 13 | at Kansas* | Memorial StadiumLawrence, KS | W 18–14 | 33,378 |
| September 20 | at Utah* | Robert Rice StadiumSalt Lake City, UT | W 30–14 | 19,622 |
| September 27 | California | Martin StadiumPullman, WA | L 21–33 | 24,500 |
| October 4 | at Illinois* | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL | L 21–27 | 51,060 |
| October 11 | at No. 3 USC | Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles, CA | L 10–28 | 47,408 |
| October 18 | No. 18 UCLA | Joe Albi StadiumSpokane, WA | L 23–37 | 28,500 |
| October 25 | at Stanford | Stanford StadiumStanford CA | L 14–54 | 35,000 |
| November 1 | Oregon | Martin StadiumPullman, WA | L 14–26 | 18,100 |
| November 8 | at Oregon State | Parker StadiumCorvallis, OR | L 0–7 | 13,489 |
| November 15 | Idaho* | Martin StadiumPullman, WA (Battle of the Palouse) | W 84–27 | 17,300 |
| November 22 | at Washington | Husky StadiumSeattle, WA (Apple Cup) | L 27–28 | 57,100 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game ||||||

## Game summaries
### Washington

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Washington St | 10 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 27 |
| Washington | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 28 |
at Husky Stadium • Seattle, Washington
* Date: November 22
* Game time: 1:30 pm PST
* Game weather: Rain • 50 °F (10 °C)
* Game attendance: 57,100
Game information :
Washington St
Washington
Warren Moon 4/22, 126 yards, 2 TD
Robin Earl 9 rush, 51 yds
Spider Gaines 2 rec, 107 yds, 2 TD :
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | WSU | WASH |
| 1 | | | | | Washington St | 40-yard field goal by Hedrick | 3 | 0 |
| 1 | | | | | Washington | Rowland 1-yard touchdown run, Robbins kick good | 3 | 7 |
| 1 | | | | | Washington St | Williams 3-yard touchdown run, Hedrick kick good | 10 | 7 |
| 2 | | | | | Washington St | Hopkins 1-yard touchdown run, Hedrick kick good | 17 | 7 |
| 2 | | | | | Washington St | Williams 1-yard touchdown run, Hedrick kick good | 24 | 7 |
| 2 | | | | | Washington | Gaines 29-yard touchdown reception from Moon, Robbins kick good | 24 | 14 |
| 3 | | | | | Washington St | 36-yard field goal by Hedrick | 27 | 14 |
| 4 | | | | | Washington | Interception returned 93 yards for touchdown by Burleson, Robbins kick good | 27 | 21 |
| 4 | | | | | Washington | Gaines 78-yard touchdown reception from Moon, Robbins kick good | 27 | 28 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 27 | 28 |

## NFL draft

Four Cougars were selected in the 1976 NFL draft
| Player | Position | Round | Overall | Franchise |
| Robin Ross | T | 10 | 275 | San Francisco |
| Mark Young | T | 13 | 370 | Oakland Raiders |
| Mark Husfloen | DE | 14 | 383 | Atlanta Falcons |
| Dan Smith | T | 15 | 405 | Seattle Seahawks |