Qwest Field’s massive covered seating decks are acoustically optimized to direct crowd noise onto the field below.

Even though the stadium in Seattle is 286 miles away from Washington State’s campus in Pullman, Gundy is not considering Saturday’s season-opening venue a neutral site. The Cougars have played one game each season in the Seahawks’ stadium since it opened in 2002.

Washington State has averaged 51,504 fans in the 67,000- seat stadium for the six games it has played there. The school has sold 42,000 tickets for Saturday’s game against OSU, and anticipates a crowd of more than 50,000.

“The fact that it is close for many of our fans over there makes it convenient for them,” Wulff said. “For our players, we need to make (Qwest Field) a home-field advantage for us.We need the crowd to be loud to give us that 12th man feel. We’re going to need it.”

Pettigrew on award list: OSU senior tight end Brandon Pettigrew is included on the Lombardi Award’s preseason watch list.

The Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the top lineman in college football. Currently on the watch list are 49 offensive players and 54 defensive players.

The award will be presented Dec. 10 in Houston.

Pettigrew, a senior from Tyler, Texas, was an All-Big 12 selection last season. He has 70 catches for 978 yards in his career, and is on track to become the 21st player in OSU history to surpass 1,000 yards in receiving.

Sense of familiarity: Saturday’s opener marks the fourth time since 1984 that the Cowboys have opened on the road against a Pac-10 opponent.

OSU throttled nationally ranked Arizona State 45-3 to start the 1984 season. One year later, the Cowboys downed Washington 31-17 in Seattle. In 2004, the Cowboys went to the Rose Bowl and beat UCLA 31-20.

A new Gundy?: Andre Sexton has been a part of all four preseason training camps Gundy has conducted as OSU head coach. The fourth-year junior linebacker has seen a change in his coach’s preparation methods.

“He has changed the way we practice and cut some things back to make sure we have our legs ready for the opener,” Sexton said. “That was a problem last year because a lot of us were tired. But he has grown as well and accommodated changes to make us better.”

Roster subtractions: Washington State senior defensive tackle Andy Roof was expelled from the school Tuesday following a review by the university’s Student Conduct Board.

Roof was arrested in April after a fight at a party. Police requested six assault charges, but prosecutors have yet to announce any decision.

Roof missed the 2007 season after he was suspended for the fall semester after his third alcohol- related offense.

Also, senior offensive lineman Dan Rowlands has been forced to quit the team due to chronic shoulder pain.

2008 OSU SCHEDULE