In a no-surprise development, the Pac-12 Conference Monday named Washington State quarterback Connor Halliday its Offensive Player of the Week after Halliday set an NCAA FBS passing record with 734 yards. The Cougar senior completed 49 of 70 passes with six touchdowns and no interceptions, but WSU lost to California 60-59.
The 734 yards eclipsed the previous NCAA record of 716 by David Klingler of Houston Dec. 2, 1990. Halliday threw for 337 yards in the first half and 397 yards in the second, a school record.
The Spokane, Wash. native became the 15th player in NCAA FBS history to throw for 600 or more yards in a game and he accomplished that before the end of the third quarter. He connected on touchdown passes of 90, 16, 17, 86, 9, and 9 yards, pushing his career total to 84, passing Andrew Luck and moving into fifth all-time in Pac-12 Conference history.
Halliday also guided the Cougars to 59 points, their highest total since posting 64 to open the 2011 season against Idaho State.
Halliday leads the nation in passing yards (3,052), passing touchdowns (26), passing yards-per-game (508.7) and total offense (498.0). His 10,483 career passing yards rank No. 11 in Pac-12 history and second in WSU history, trailing Alex Brink’s school-record 10,913.