No. 23 Washington State will try for a 3-0 start for the second straight season when it kicks off against Northern Colorado (0-2) at 2 p.m. today (Pac-12 Network) at Gesa Field in Pullman.

“I think the best part is there’s so much to get better at,” WSU coach Jake Dickert said. “That’s not just coach speak, we need to be better to win football games. I’ve got a lot of respect for Northern Colorado ... but it’s about us (getting better).”

Here are four thing to watch in today’s game:

Kickstarting a lagging run game

Through two weeks, WSU’s leading rusher is quarterback Cam Ward at just 41.5 yards per game. In wins against Colorado State and Wisconsin, WSU averaged just 88 rushing yards per contest as a team.

Those numbers aren’t going to cut it in a highly competitive Pac-12 this season, so getting the running game going against the Bears will be a major focus for WSU.

The good news for the Cougars is the run game showed signs of life late in their win against the Badgers.

WSU ran the ball six times for two first downs to close out the game, and running back Nakia Watson had a 1-yard rush for the game’s final touchdown against his old team.

“I think that’s what we took from those last three minutes — we can run the ball,” Dickert said. “We’ve gotta be dedicated to doing it and we’ve gotta do it in a physical way, and Nakia is that physical presence. He just has to play that way and I think we’ll go out and show this week that we’ve emphasized it.”

The senior has just 41 rushing yards at a 2.3-yard clip in two games, but last year he had 769 yards and nine rushing touchdowns while averaging 5.3 yards per carry.

WSU’s most improved player

Free safety Sam Lockett has quietly put together a solid showing to start the season despite practicing for part of fall camp with a club on one hand.

Lockett’s 10 solo tackles are a team high and he’s tied with linebacker Devin Richardson for team high in total tackles with 18, which ties for second best in the Pac-12.

With fellow safety Jaden Hicks and edge Ron Stone Jr. earning national and conference weekly honors last week, Lockett has flown under the radar.

“I’d say if I maybe had to pick a most-improved player last year to this year of the guys that are really out there playing, I might pick Sam Lockett,” Dickert said. “I really mean that.”

Defensive touchdowns

WSU had a defensive touchdown in each of its first two games.

Hicks had a 37-yard interception return for a TD against Colorado State and edge Brennan Jackson had a fumble recovery touchdown against Wisconsin.

Can that streak continue against Northern Colorado?

About UNC

The Bears of the Big Sky Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision are just 1-8 dating back to a 55-35 loss to Idaho on Oct. 1 last year.

Northern Colorado’s two losses this season were 31-11 to Abilene Christian and 42-7 to Incarnate Word — WSU quarterback Cam Ward’s old team.

The Bears are allowing 555 yards of total offense per game, so WSU will go in expecting to have a big day on the scoreboard.

Wiebe may be contacted at (208) 848-2277, swiebe@lmtribune.com or on Twitter @StephanSports.