PULLMAN — Washington State’s football program has unmistakably improved under Mike Leach, but there’s one facet of the Cougars’ game that could stand serious advancement.

Once again, WSU was ranked last in the Pac-12 this week in turnover margin, a station the Cougars have visited far too much in recent years.

Think about this: Washington State hasn’t won the turnover battle in a game since Nov. 16, 2013 — the 24-17 upset of Arizona on the road. That was nine games ago.

This year, WSU was minus-7 in turnover margin entering the California game Saturday night. A year ago, albeit on the way to their first bowl appearance since 2003, the Cougars were minus-5, finishing 10th in the Pac-12. And in Leach’s first year here, in 2012? Eleventh, with a minus-9 ratio.

You have to go all the way to 2006 to find a positive turnover margin by Washington State.

Included in that stretch was the horrific year of 2008, when the Cougars had a turnover margin of — believe it or not — minus-25 in going 2-11. That year, they fumbled 38 times, losing 17 and forcing only three.

Since the beginning of the Paul Wulff regime in 2008, WSU has a composite turnover margin of minus-58.

On the Pac-12’s coaches teleconference last week, Arizona State coach Paul Graham almost sounded like he was talking about the Cougars (he wasn’t) on the subject of turnovers.

“You can’t turn the football over,” Graham said. “Look at the teams leading the country in passing. If they turn the ball over, they’re not winning, no matter how many yards they’re passing for.”

There were no turnovers by either WSU or California on Saturday night.

Halliday climbs list

Connor Halliday bettered the WSU school career record for touchdown passes last week at Utah. After Saturday’s six against California, Halliday now has 84, and Alex Brink (2004-07) 76. Halliday also broke Brink’s career record for completions (848) and now has 909.

Brink also is next for Halliday on the WSU career passing-yardage list. Halliday has 10,483. Brink’s mark is 10,913.

Crazy Cal

The Bears have had about as eventful three weeks as imaginable. First, they took a 31-13 lead into the fourth quarter at Arizona, scored twice in that period — and lost 49-45 on Anu Solomon’s Hail Mary pass to Austin Hill.

Last week, Cal trailed a couple of times by two touchdowns at home to Colorado, came back to tie it and finally won in double OT, 56-53. And then came Saturday’s improbable 60-59 win.

Young ’uns

Washington State trumpets the fact it has played 22 youngsters who have made their first appearance in a WSU uniform this year. That includes five true freshmen and 11 redshirt freshmen.

Bud Withers: 206-464-8281 or bwithers@seattletimes.com

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