THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: WSU the puncher, Seahawks the punch-ee

To quote that old philosopher Mike Tyson…

“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.”

As we discovered this weekend, that rather crude view of life’s unpleasant turns isn’t just restricted to boxing.

There is a football version of Tyson’s wisdom, as well.

It’s fine to open things with confidence and a bit of a swagger, but things can change in a hurry when you get knocked on your butt.

You might think you’re good enough to win, but you’d better be ready to play from the first whistle — as unfancied, shorthanded Washington State proved on Saturday night, and which the Seahawks then learned to their cost less than two minutes into Sunday’s blowout loss at Buffalo.

The Cougs, playing without star running back/receiver Max Borghi — along with 31 more athletes who didn’t even make the trip to Oregon State — socked the Beavers in the nose immediately, and never quit swinging.

NEW BOSS Nick Rolovich and his troops refused to let up, dispatching the Beavers 38-28 in a historic opening win — both for Rolo and true freshman quarterback Jayden de Laura.

WSU won despite a platoon of freshmen, barely even on the planned depth chart, being tossed into key roles.

The kids played exceptionally.

Think about this: Every one of Wazzu’s opponents the past two years have had to focus on stopping Borghi, and for good reason.

Max has run for 1,183 yards and 19 touchdowns, in addition to catching 139 passes for another 9 TDs.

Borghi, though, is suffering from a back problem and had to sit out Rolovich’s first game in charge of the Cougs.

So, as it turned out, did 31 other players.

There had not been any announcement of COVID-19 exposure as of Sunday morning, but…

Hey, draw your own conclusions.

Meantime, the Kiddie Kougs didn’t seem stressed by it all, as de Laura — the kid from Hawaii who followed Rolovich to the Palouse — completed 18 of 33 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns.

De Laura also ran for 43 yards on eight carries to keep Oregon State honest.

Oh, and the rushing attack without Borghi?

Deon McIntosh ripped off 147 yards.

Mike Tyson would have been proud of a Wazzu bunch that just socked the Beavers right from the start, and walked off with a startling opening-night victory.

MEANWHILE, the Seahawks apparently have given coach Pete Carroll a contract extension that is intended to last through 2025.

But if Pete — and certainly quarterback Russell Wilson — have to endure many more floggings like they did Sunday in western New York, they may want to forget the whole idea and just stay home on the couch.

The Bills knocked Wilson to the ground a whopping 16 times (most for any QB in pro football this season) during a 44-34 victory that was NEVER as close as the score might suggest.

That’s the most points the Seahawks have given up in the Carroll era, by the way, and the Bills made it look ridiculously easy.

Start with this…

Andre Roberts returned the opening kickoff 60 yards and the Bills then needed just three plays and 1:19 to score, all on completions by Josh Allen.

THE TD came on a 25-yard throw to Isaiah McKenzie — one of many, many, many that looked like Allen was playing catch with some kids in the backyard.

The craziest stat of this season — maybe ANY season — will show that Allen was sacked seven times, this by a Seattle team that had registered just 12 sacks in seven previous games.

Allen was utterly untroubled by that, completing 24 of 28 passes for 282 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone against a defense that seemed unable to cover ANYONE.

Wilson, on the other hand, has had success playing catch-up in his career, but…

Not from his back.

Russ threw a couple of interceptions (that’s five in the last three games) and lost two fumbles as he was battered mercilessly by the Bills pass rush.

This loss seemed to show all of Seattle weaknesses in the most glaring light possible, so there will have to be work done before the Hawks, now 6-2, face the Rams next week.

At least Carroll had some new job security to ease his discomfort on the long ride home.

I’m guessing it didn’t help.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. “Moments, Memories and Madness,” his reminiscences from several decades as a sports journalist, runs each Sunday.

Steve also writes Zags Tracker, a commentary on Gonzaga basketball, once per month during the offseason.