This one - a near-Halloween treat that turned out to be a bad trick - will carry a deflating feeling for a few days.

For the first time this season, Washington State University had a real opportunity to go win a football game against an FBS opponent.

But the Cougars’ final-minute drive stalled near midfield on Owen Eshelman’s incomplete pass to Branden Ganashamoorthy on fourth down, and host San Diego State escaped with a 26-20 victory Saturday at Snapdragon Stadium.

WSU outgained the Aztecs, 367-306 and held possession of the football for 33:05 in the loss.

The Cougars are now 1-8, and the only team that hasn’t won a Pac-12 Conference game.

Here are three instant takeaways in WSU’s loss to the Aztecs in San Diego:

1.…