Although Washington State began competing in intercollegiate football in 1894,[1] the school's official record book considers the "modern era" to have begun in 1951. Records from before this year are often incomplete and inconsistent, and they are generally not included in these lists.
These lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons:
Since 1950, seasons have increased from 10 games to 11 and then 12 games in length.
The NCAA didn't allow freshmen to play varsity football until 1972 (with the exception of the World War II years), allowing players to have four-year careers.
Bowl games only began counting toward single-season and career statistics in 2002.[2] The Cougars have played in seven bowl games since this decision, giving players in those seasons an extra game to accumulate statistics.
Since Mike Leach took over as head coach in 2012, the Cougars have run a high-octane air raid offense, allowing quarterbacks and wide receivers to rack up many yards and touchdowns. Most notable among these is Connor Halliday, who set an FBS single-game record (since tied) by passing for 734 yards in a 60–59 loss to California in 2014.[3]
Due to COVID-19 disruptions, the NCAA did not count the 2020 season against the eligibility of any football player, giving all players active in that season the chance for five years of eligibility instead of the standard four.
These lists are updated through the end of the 2025 season.
