Conference Pac-12 Conference 2013 record 6–7 (4–5 Pac-12) Offensive scheme Air raid | Division North Division Head coach Mike Leach (2nd year) Defensive coordinator Mike Breske (2nd year) | |
The 2013 Washington State Cougars football team represented Washington State University during the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by second-year head coach Mike Leach and played their home games at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Washington. They were members of the North Division of the Pac-12 Conference. They finished the season 6–7, 4–5 in Pac-12 play to finish in a tie for fourth place in the North Division.
Washington State became bowl eligible for the first time since the 2006 season, when they went 6–6. As the seventh-place team in the Pac-12 conference, the Cougars were selected for their first bowl game since 2003. They played the Colorado State Rams in the New Mexico Bowl on December 21, 2013, losing by the score of 48–45. The game was noted for an egregious error by head coach Mike Leach, who instead of electing to kneel down the ball three times when the Rams were out of time outs, instead ran a play which resulted in a turnover. This allowed Colorado State to tie the game and ultimately win on a last-second field goal.