SAN DIEGO — At some point in the fourth quarter, not long after Washington State angled toward mounting a comeback against San Diego State in Saturday’s game, things began to feel a bit eerie.

Driving down the field, the Cougars were facing a 26-14 deficit. Moments later, quarterback Owen Eshelman pulled a read option and jogged untouched into the end zone. All of a sudden, as listless as this WSU effort felt only a few moments prior, the visitors were angling toward a comeback.

It conjured memories of a certain game from two years ago: In 2024, in a road game against San Diego State, the Cougars were looking at a 26-14 hole in the fourth quarter.…