Apple Cup
Sport | College football |
---|---|
First meeting | November 30, 1900 Tie, 5–5 |
Latest meeting | September 14, 2024 Washington State, 24–19 |
Next meeting | September 20, 2025 in Pullman |
Stadiums | Husky Stadium Martin Stadium |
Trophy | Governor's Trophy (1934–c.1946) Apple Cup Trophy (since 1963) |
Statistics | |
Meetings total | 116 |
All-time series | Washington leads, 76–34–6 (.681)[1] |
Largest victory | Washington, 51–3 (2000) |
Longest win streak | Washington, 8 (1959–1966, 1974–1981) |
Current win streak | Washington State, 1 (2024–present) |
The Apple Cup is an American college football rivalry game between the University of Washington Huskies and Washington State University Cougars, the two largest universities in the state of Washington. Both were members of the Pac-12 Conference until 2024.
First played in 1900, 124 years ago,[2][3][4] the matchup was traditionally the final game of the regular season for both teams and generally took place on the Saturday preceding Thanksgiving. With the NCAA's extension of the regular season to twelve games in 2006, the game is often played at a later date. From 2011 to 2023, it was most commonly held on the Friday after Thanksgiving.[5] Due to the rivalry becoming a non-conference game with the demise of the Pac-12 Conference in 2024, the 2024 Apple Cup is scheduled to occur on Saturday, September 14 at Lumen Field in Seattle.[6]
Since 1946, the game has been held in odd years in Seattle at Husky Stadium (except 2011 and 2024, which were played at Lumen Field), while Washington State has hosted during even years at Rogers Field (1946, 1948, 1954) and Martin Stadium (since 1982) in Pullman, and Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane. The games in Eastern Washington from 1935 to 1948, all in Pullman, were held in mid-October. The exception was in 1945, when two games were played: the first in Seattle in mid-October, and the second in Pullman in late November.[7][8][9] This will change in 2024, as Seattle will host for 2024, 2026, and 2028 while Pullman hosts in 2025 and 2027.
First awarded in 1963,[10] the Apple Cup Trophy is presented to the winner by the state's governor at the conclusion of the game.
Series history
The teams played for the Governor's Trophy starting in 1934.[11][12][13] This bronze shield was made by sculptor Dudley Pratt and donated and awarded by Governor Clarence D. Martin, an alumnus of the University of Washington and the namesake of Pullman's Martin Stadium.[11][13] The winners for the years 1934–1939 are etched on the shield.[13] The trophy was awarded until at least 1946.[14][15]
In 1963 the Big Apple Trophy was donated to the competition by the Washington Apple Commission,[16] emblematic of Washington's national reputation as a major producer of apples. This award was colloquially referred to as the Apple Cup, [17] which later came to metonymically refer to the game itself. In 1989 the apple was recognized as Washington's state fruit[18] during the state's centennial celebration.
When the college football regular season was lengthened from eleven to twelve games in 2006, there was a movement to change the date of the game from the Saturday before Thanksgiving to the weekend following, which would have allowed a bye week for both teams during the season. In 2006, both teams played twelve straight weeks without a bye, leaving the two teams noticeably fatigued. The 2007 game was played on the Saturday after Thanksgiving for the first time; but the 2008 game was returned to the Saturday before the holiday.
The media joked that the 2008 game won by the Cougars in Pullman was the "Crapple Cup" and "full of worms," because WSU (1–10) hosted winless UW (0–10).[19] The game returned to the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 2009 in Seattle. The 2011 game in Seattle was moved to CenturyLink Field to allow an early start on the renovation of Husky Stadium.
From 1950 through 1980 (except for 1954),[20] the WSU home games in the series were played in Spokane at Joe Albi Stadium (Memorial Stadium until 1962). The Cougars won three of these fifteen games (1958, 1968, 1972). In 1910, the WSU home game in Spokane was played at Recreation Park (47°40′05″N 117°22′05″W / 47.668°N 117.368°W).
The first game in 1900 resulted in a 5–5 tie. The series has been played continuously since 1945, when there were two games, one in Seattle and one in Pullman. The 2020 game was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[21]
Game results
Washington victories | Washington State victories |
|
Overtime was introduced for Division I-A (FBS) in 1996 and has been used four times in the Apple Cup, all in Pullman.
Each team has two overtime victories: UW in 1996 and 2002, WSU in 2008 and 2012.
- OT → Overtime (1996, 2012)
- 2OT → Double Overtime (2008)
- 3OT → Triple Overtime (2002)
After a two-year hiatus in 1943 and 1944, two games were played in 1945.
The 2020 game scheduled in Pullman was declared No Contest by the league due to Washington State not having the minimum number of scholarship players available for the game as a result of a positive football student-athlete COVID-19 cases.[23]
Prior to 1959, WSU was WSC.[24][25]
Coaching records since 1945
Washington
Head Coach | Team | Games | Seasons | Wins | Losses | Ties | Pct. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ralph Welch | Washington | 4 | 1945–1947 | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 |
Howard Odell | Washington | 5 | 1948–1952 | 2 | 3 | 0 | .400 |
John Cherberg | Washington | 3 | 1953–1955 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 |
Darrell Royal | Washington | 1 | 1956 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
Jim Owens | Washington | 18 | 1957–1974 | 12 | 6 | 0 | .667 |
Don James | Washington | 18 | 1975–1992 | 13 | 5 | 0 | .722 |
Jim Lambright | Washington | 6 | 1993–1998 | 4 | 2 | 0 | .667 |
Rick Neuheisel | Washington | 4 | 1999–2002 | 4 | 0 | 1.000 | |
Keith Gilbertson | Washington | 2 | 2003–2004 | 1 | 1 | .500 | |
Tyrone Willingham | Washington | 4 | 2005–2008 | 1 | 3 | .250 | |
Steve Sarkisian | Washington | 5 | 2009–2013 | 4 | 1 | .800 | |
Chris Petersen | Washington | 6 | 2014–2019 | 6 | 0 | 1.000 | |
Bob Gregory (interim) | Washington | 1 | 2021 | 0 | 1 | .000 | |
Kalen DeBoer | Washington | 2 | 2022–2023 | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | |
Jedd Fisch | Washington | 1 | 2024 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
- Source:[26]
Washington State
Head Coach | Team | Games | Seasons | Wins | Losses | Ties | Pct. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Phil Sarboe | Washington State | 6 | 1945–1949 | 2 | 4 | 0 | .333 |
Forest Evashevski | Washington State | 2 | 1950–1951 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 |
Al Kircher | Washington State | 4 | 1952–1955 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 |
Jim Sutherland | Washington State | 8 | 1956–1963 | 2 | 6 | 0 | .250 |
Bert Clark | Washington State | 4 | 1964–1967 | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 |
Jim Sweeney | Washington State | 8 | 1968–1975 | 3 | 5 | 0 | .375 |
Jackie Sherrill | Washington State | 1 | 1976 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
Warren Powers | Washington State | 1 | 1977 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
Jim Walden | Washington State | 9 | 1978–1986 | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 |
Dennis Erickson | Washington State | 2 | 1987–1988 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 |
Mike Price | Washington State | 14 | 1989–2002 | 3 | 11 | 0 | .214 |
Bill Doba | Washington State | 5 | 2003–2007 | 3 | 2 | .600 | |
Paul Wulff | Washington State | 4 | 2008–2011 | 1 | 3 | .250 | |
Mike Leach | Washington State | 8 | 2012–2019 | 1 | 7 | .125 | |
Jake Dickert | Washington State | 4 | 2021–2024 | 2 | 2 | .500 |
- Source:[27]
- Last tie was in 1942, overtime began in 1996 in Division I-A
- Two games were played in 1945
- Jimmy Lake (UW) and Nick Rolovich (WSU) both coached for the 2020 and 2021 seasons, but neither in an Apple Cup; the 2020 game was canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and both were fired prior to the 2021 matchup.
See also
- List of NCAA college football rivalry games
- List of most-played college football series in NCAA Division I
- Washington–Washington State men's basketball rivalry
References
- ^ a b "Winsipedia – Washington Huskies vs. Washington State Cougars football series history". Winsipedia.
- ^ a b "A tie at Seattle". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). November 30, 1900. p. 2.
- ^ "Pullman still claims the lead". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). December 1, 1900. p. 5.
- ^ "Football men return". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). December 2, 1900. p. 5.
- ^ Withers, Bud (January 6, 2014). "Apple Cup moving back to Saturday for 2014". Seattle Times. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
- ^ Vorel, Mike (November 19, 2023). "UW, WSU announce continuation of Apple Cup through at least 2028". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
- ^ "Important W.S.C.-Husky game on at Pullman today". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. November 24, 1945. p. 9.
- ^ "Cougars beat Huskies; make bid for Rose Bowl". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. November 25, 1945. p. 10.
- ^ Ashlock, Herb (November 26, 1945). "Two factors remain in path of W.S.C.'s Rose Bowl hopes". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. p. 13.
- ^ "U.W. Is First Home for Apple Cup". The Seattle Times. December 1, 1963. p. B.
NEW TROPHY: [...] the Apple Cup Trophy which will be awarded each year to the winner in the cross-state football game. The Huskies won first possession of the cup by downing the Cougars, 16–0.
- ^ a b "Trophy for U.W.–State Grid Clash". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. October 7, 1934. p. 19.
A "Governor's Trophy" for the Washington–Washington State football struggle. That was the announcement made yesterday by University of Washington officials who said that such a cup had been donated by Governor Martin. The game will be played in Seattle on November 24.
- ^ "'Big Stick' Stays Trophy Travels To Be Awarded". Seattle Times. October 17, 1935.
The "Big 'W' Stick"—center of an annual college feud between University of Washington and Washington State college students—will not be taken to Pullman [...] Instead, the governor's trophy, donated last year by Gov. Clarence D. Martin to end the threat of annual riots over the stick, will be presented to the winning school
- ^ a b c Yanity, Molly (November 22, 2007). "Apple Cup Preview: After 107 rollicking years, even the trophy has a history". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on December 11, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
- ^ "Huskies Playing Underdog Role in State Scrap". The Seattle Times. November 27, 1942. p. 22.
Victor in tomorrow's game will take over possession of the Governor's Trophy, an award offered by former Governor Clarence Martin to be held by the winner of the annual Washington–W.S.C. game.
- ^ Mataya, Stan, ed. (October 12, 1946). The Cougar Huddle: Washington vs. Washington State. Pullman, Washington: Associated Students of the State College of Washington. p. 7.
- ^ "U.W. or W.S.U.? State's Big Apple Trophy Up for Grabs". The Seattle Times. November 21, 1963. p. 27.
Who will get the first bite? The Big Apple Trophy, a new award symbolizing rivalry and competition between Washington State University and the University of Washington football teams. The perpetual trophy will be presented for the first time Saturday after the Husky–Cougar Homecoming game by Sun Dodgers, men's spirit organization. The Washington Apple Commission donated the trophy.
- ^ "Apple Cup Is On The Line". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. November 21, 1964. p. 8.
The Big Apple Trophy, symbolic of victory in the Washington–Washington State football series, will go on the line today when the two teams play in Spokane. [...] Donated by the Washington State Apple Commission last year,
- ^ "RCW 1.20.035 (1989 c 354 § 63.)". Washington State Legislature. November 2, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
The official fruit of the state of Washington is the apple.
- ^ "Washington-Washington State playing for pride in Apple Cup – Austin Murphy". SI.com. February 24, 2009. Archived from the original on February 24, 2009. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
- ^ "UW stadium go out for 1954; COP may appear". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. November 26, 1953. p. 17.
- ^ "Apple Cup between UW, WSU canceled this year due to coronavirus". KING 5 News. November 22, 2020. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
- ^ "W.S.C. defeats varsity in mud". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. November 22, 1907. p. 15.
- ^ "Pac-12 statement on Washington at Washington State football game". November 22, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
- ^ "New name for WSC near O.K." Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. February 4, 1959. p. 2.
- ^ "New name near for State College". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. August 5, 1959. p. 18.
- ^ "2017 Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Washington Athletics. pp. 175, 211. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
- ^ "2018 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Washington State University Athletics. pp. 86, 116. Retrieved December 4, 2018.