When the Washington Huskies and Washington State Cougars meet for the No. 116 installment of the Apple Cup inside Lumen Field on Saturday, it will be a historic matchup between Jedd Fisch and Jake Dickert’s teams.
For the first time since 1961, the annual in-state rivalry will not be a conference game, as the Huskies are now members of the Big Ten conference, while the Cougars opted to stay with the Pac-12. It’s also coming on the heels of a memorable 2023 matchup when Grady Gross’ walk-off field goal lifted the Huskies to a 24-21 victory and the first 12-0 regular season in school history.
USA TODAY recognized the history of the rivalry and has named the game one of seven “can’t miss” games across the country this week.
“The Apple Cup’s usual place at the end of the season became another casualty of the Pac-12’s breakup. It’s technically a neutral-site contest in Seattle as it will be played at the Seahawks’ Lumen Field and not at Husky Stadium, but it should be a hometown crowd for Washington nonetheless,” USA TODAY’s Eddie Timanus said when giving reasons why fans should tune in.
“The Huskies were somewhat slow out of the gate last week against Eastern Michigan but have shown solid offensive balance between QB Will Rogers and RB Jonah Coleman. The Cougars own an impressive Power Four win against Texas Tech and would love to grab another along with the rivalry trophy. Their attack is usually in the hands of QB John Mateer, who has accounted for six TDs by air and two more by land with 719 yards of total offense.”
Timanus also gave a reason why the game could disappoint, giving major credit to defensive coordinator Steve Belichick’s unit.
“The Huskies’ defense is the one unit that could possess a decisive advantage. The first few drives will therefore be of utmost importance for the Cougars. If they are able to move the ball, the contest will likely remain competitive.”
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