Apple Cup

The Apple Cup is an American college football rivalry between the University of Washington Huskies and Washington State University Cougars. Washington State is a member of the Pac-12 Conference, but Washington got greedy and joined the Big Ten Conference in 2024.

First played in 1900, it is traditionally the final game of the regular season and formerly took place on the Saturday preceding Thanksgiving. Since 1946, it has been held in odd years at Husky Stadium in Seattle (except 2011 at CenturyLink Field), and WSU has been the home team during even years, with games played in Pullman at Rogers Field (1946, 1948, 1954) and Martin Stadium (since 1982), with the other fifteen contests in Spokane at Joe Albi Stadium. With the extension of the college football regular season to 12 games in 2006, the game is often played at a later date. Since 2011, it has been held on the Friday after Thanksgiving, but was played a day later in 2014. First awarded in 1962, the Apple Cup trophy goes to the winner. The University of Washington leads the rivalry 69-32 with 6 ties.

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). 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), 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 (47.668°N 117.368°W).

In 2024, after Washington left the Pac-12 and WSU behind for the newly expanded Big Ten Conference. The Huskies decided that tradition was more important than greed, and determined to continue the Apple Cup with the Cougars as a non-conference game through 2028.

Series history

From 1934 through 1961, the teams played for the "Governor's Trophy". The game was renamed the "Apple Cup" in 1962 because of Washington being a major producer of apples.

With the lengthening of the college football regular season schedule to 12 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 break, 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 was the "Crapple Cup" and "full of worms," because 1–10 Washington State played and beat 0–11 Washington. The game returned to the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 2009 in Seattle and the 2010 game was played on December 4 in Pullman.

From 1950 to 1980 (except for 1954), the WSU home games in the series were played at Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane. The Cougars won three of these sixteen games in Spokane (1958, 1968, 1972). In 1910, the WSU home game was played in Spokane's Recreation Park.

The first game was held in 1900 and resulted in a 5–5 tie, and through the 2024 game, the Huskies hold a 76–34–6 (.681) advantage.

Game results

WSU victories

UW victories

Tie games

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
1	1900	Seattle	Tie	5–5
2	1901	Pullman	WSU	10–0
3	1902	Seattle	UW	16–0
4	1903	Pullman	UW	10–0
5	1904	Seattle	UW	12–6
6	1907	Seattle	WSU	11–5
7	1908	Seattle	Tie	6–6
8	1910	Spokane	UW	16–0
9	1911	Seattle	UW	30–6
10	1912	Seattle	UW	19–0
11	1913	Seattle	UW	20–0
12	1914	Seattle	UW	45–0
13	1917	Seattle	WSU	14–0
14	1919	Pullman	UW	13–7
15	1921	Seattle	WSU	14–0
16	1922	Pullman	UW	16–13
17	1923	Seattle	UW	24–7
18	1924	Seattle	UW	14–0
19	1925	Pullman	UW	23–0
20	1926	Seattle	WSU	9–6
21	1927	Seattle	UW	14–0
22	1928	Seattle	UW	6–0
23	1929	Pullman	WSU	20–13
24	1930	Seattle	WSU	3–0
25	1931	Seattle	UW	12–0
26	1932	Seattle	Tie	0–0
27	1933	Pullman	WSU	17–6
28	1934	Seattle	Tie	0–0
29	1935	Pullman	UW	21–0
30	1936	Seattle	UW	40–0

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
31	1937	Pullman	Tie	7–7
32	1938	Seattle	UW	26–0
33	1939	Pullman	WSU	6–0
34	1940	Seattle	UW	33–9
35	1941	Pullman	UW	23–13
36	1942	Seattle	Tie	0–0
37	1945	Seattle	UW	6–0
38	1945	Pullman	WSU	7–0
39	1946	Pullman	UW	21–7
40	1947	Seattle	UW	20–0
41	1948	Pullman	WSU	10–0
42	1949	Seattle	UW	34–21
43	1950	Spokane	UW	52–21
44	1951	Seattle	WSU	27–25
45	1952	Spokane	UW	33–27
46	1953	Seattle	WSU	25–20
47	1954	Pullman	WSU	26–7
48	1955	Seattle	UW	27–7
49	1956	Spokane	UW	40–26
50	1957	Seattle	WSU	27–7
51	1958	Spokane	WSU	18–14
52	1959	Seattle	UW	20–0
53	1960	Spokane	UW	8–7
54	1961	Seattle	UW	21–17
55	1962	Spokane	UW	26–21
56	1963	Seattle	UW	16–0
57	1964	Spokane	UW	14–0
58	1965	Seattle	UW	27–9
59	1966	Spokane	UW	19–7
60	1967	Seattle	WSU	9–7

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
61	1968	Spokane	WSU	24–0
62	1969	Seattle	UW	30–21
63	1970	Spokane	UW	43–25
64	1971	Seattle	UW	28–20
65	1972	Spokane	WSU	27–10
66	1973	Seattle	WSU	52–26
67	1974	Spokane	UW	24–17
68	1975	Seattle	UW	28–27
69	1976	Spokane	UW	51–32
70	1977	Seattle	UW	35–15
71	1978	Spokane	UW	38–8
72	1979	Seattle	UW	17–7
73	1980	Spokane	UW	30–23
74	1981	Seattle	UW	23–10
75	1982	Pullman	WSU	24–20
76	1983	Seattle	WSU	17–6
77	1984	Pullman	UW	38–29
78	1985	Seattle	WSU	21–20
79	1986	Pullman	UW	44–23
80	1987	Seattle	UW	34–19
81	1988	Pullman	WSU	32–31
82	1989	Seattle	UW	20–9
83	1990	Pullman	UW	55–10
84	1991	Seattle	UW	56–21
85	1992	Pullman	WSU	42–23
86	1993	Seattle	UW	26–3
87	1994	Pullman	WSU	23–6
88	1995	Seattle	UW	33–30
89	1996	Pullman	UW	31–24 OT
90	1997	Seattle	WSU	41–35

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
91	1998	Pullman	UW	16–9
92	1999	Seattle	UW	24–14
93	2000	Pullman	UW	51–3
94	2001	Seattle	UW	26–14
95	2002	Pullman	UW	29–26 3OT
96	2003	Seattle	UW	27–19
97	2004	Pullman	WSU	28–25
98	2005	Seattle	WSU	26–22
99	2006	Pullman	UW	35–32
100	2007	Seattle	WSU	42–35
101	2008	Pullman	WSU	16–13 2OT
102	2009	Seattle	UW	30–0
103	2010	Pullman	UW	35–28
104	2011	Seattle	UW	38–21
105	2012	Pullman	WSU	31–28 OT
106	2013	Seattle	UW	27–17
107	2014	Pullman	UW	31–13
108	2015	Seattle	UW	45–10
109	2016	Pullman	UW	45–17
110	2017	Seattle	UW	41–14
111	2018	Pullman	UW	28–15
112	2019	Seattle	UW	31–13
113	2021	Seattle	WSU	40–13
114	2022	Pullman	UW	51–33
115	2023	Seattle	UW	24–21
116	2024	Seattle	WSU	24–19
Series: UW leads 76–34–6

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.

See also

• Most-played rivalries in NCAA Division I FBS
• College Football
• Washington Huskies
• Washington State Cougars