Apple Cup History

The Apple Cup is an American college football rivalry between the University of Washington Huskies and Washington State University Cougars. Both are members of the North Division of the Pac-12 Conference.

First played 117 years ago in 1900, it is traditionally the final game of the regular season for both teams and originally took place on the Saturday preceding Thanksgiving. Since 1946, it has been held in odd years in Seattle at Husky Stadium (except in 2011 at CenturyLink 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; in Seattle in mid-October and in Pullman in late November.^[1][2][3]

With the NCAA's extension of the regular season to twelve games in 2006, the game is often played at a later date. Since 2011, it has been held on the Friday after Thanksgiving, excluding 2014 when it was played a day later on Saturday.^[4] First awarded in 1962, the Apple Cup trophy is presented to the winner by the state's governor at the conclusion of the game

From 1934 to 1961, the teams played for the "Governor's Trophy".^[5] The game was renamed the "Apple Cup" in 1962 because the state of Washington is a major producer of apples.

With the lengthening of the college football regular season schedule 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 during the season. In 2006, both teams played 12 straight weeks without a bye, leaving the two teams noticeably fatigued. For the first time, the 2007 game was played the Saturday after Thanksgiving; it returned to the Saturday before Thanksgiving in 2008 in Pullman.

The media joked that the 2008 game in Pullman was the "Crapple Cup" and "full of worms", because WSU (1–10) hosted winless UW (0–11); the Cougars won, albeit in double overtime.^[6] The game returned to the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 2009 in Seattle and the 2010 game was played on December 4 in Pullman. The 2011 game in Seattle on Saturday, November 26, was moved to CenturyLink Field to allow an early start on the renovation of Husky Stadium.

From 1950 through 1980 (except for 1954),^[7] 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 Cougar home game in Spokane was played at Recreation Park.

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.

... Series: Washington leads 71–32–6

Note: Click HERE to see year by year scores and more.