The game bowls include a Sun Bowl win in 2001 over Purdue University, as well as a win in the Holiday Bowl of 2003 against the University of Texas at Austin. Cougars also shared the Pac-10 title in 2002.

University of Washington Huskies is the biggest rival of Cougars. The Apple Cup is the most important athletic contest for both of these schools. Apple Cup is the annual game that pits the Cougars and Huskies against each other and is traditionally held on the third Sunday of November. WSU has a record of 28 wins, 63 losses and 6 ties against the University of Washington.

Cougars also have a strong rivalry against other Pac-10 teams of the Pacific Northwest including the University of Oregon Ducks and the Oregon State University Beavers.

Washington State's closest geographic rival is the University of Idaho and compete in the "Battle of the Palouse," which is the annual football game between the two universities held at Martin Stadium in Pullman.

Pink and Blue were the first school colors and was originally chosen by the first Washington State president. Crimson and gray were changed to the team colors by 1916 when the Washington State University Warriors won the first annual Rose Bowl.

The first mascot was a terrier named "Squirt." The football game between Washington State University and California in 1919, a cartoonist portrayed the Washington State team as fierce Northwest Cougars chasing the Golden Bears. A few days later, on October 28th, WSU students officially designated the cougar as their team mascot.