Mike Leach will coach his third game as a Cougar, but his influence has already made a remarkable impact on the Washington State football program (Photo: SWX)Just how much has Mike Leach done for the Washington State football program? Three games into the season Washington State has sold more tickets to road game than they have in ten years.
The WSU athletics department said Friday they sold more than 5,000 tickets to Friday's football game against UNLV in Las Vegas.
""This is the most number of tickets we've sold for an away game in over a decade," said Paul Finn, WSU athletics director of ticket operations. "Las Vegas is obviously a draw, but there is a new excitement about Cougar football."
More than 1,000 Cougar fans registered for a pre-game event at UNLV's Sam Boyd Stadium. The program says it hasn't seen this much excitement about a road game since 2003 when WSU went to the Rose Bowl.
""There is a great deal of momentum with Cougar football right now," said Director of Athletics Bill Moos. "From the renovated Martin Stadium to the near doubling in members of the Cougar Athletic Fund, our fan support has been tremendous and this week's game at UNLV is just another example that Cougar football is on the rise."
Friday's game against UNLV kicks off at 6 p.m. and will be televised nationally on ESPN.
