The Apple Cup is upon us as the No. 8 Washington State Cougars are fighting for a spot in the College Football Playoffs and the No. 16 Washington Huskies hope to end the season with something to brag about.
Admittedly, the Apple Cup is something that sounds joyous and peaceful. To be fair to both schools and fanbases involved, it’s probably important that I clarify that this is certainly not the actual reality of this rivalry. This year in particular, things could get interesting and heated.
When I say heated, I don’t mean that in any other sense than metaphorically. It’s going to be cold at this game. There’s a good chance that it’ll be some sort of rainy, frigid mess up in Pullman, Washington for this matchup. But these two teams enter into this game with bragging rights on the line and so much more.
First and foremost, these two teams are obviously fighting for the Pac-12 North. Washington State is 7-1 in conference play so far and Washington sits at 6-2. A win for the Huskies would tie things up in the Pac-12 win column and put them above the Cougars. A win for Wazzu gets them to 11-1 and clear, definite spot in the Pac-12 championship against Utah.
But that’s not the most intriguing aspect of this game. Washington State wasn’t the team that entered into this season with all of the preseason hype surrounding it. That was the team that’ll lineup on the other sideline. Washington was supposed to be in position to claim the division and a chance for a national title. Now, the Huskies have to play the role of spoiler, something that would have been expected from Washington State.
But here we all are, ready to sit back and watch the Apple Cup. Gardner Minshew is going to have a hard time throwing efficiently in this weather, which might give Washington an advantage as the Huskies will turn to talented running back Myles Gaskin.
How to bet on and watch Washington State vs. Washington
- Date: Friday, Nov. 23
- Start Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Pullman, Washington
- Stadium: Martin Stadium
- TV Info: Fox
- Odds: Washington State -2.5
- Live Stream: fuboTV
Prediction: There’s a very real chance that the weather will impact this game and will disrupt Gardner Minshew’s ability to throw the ball around. That would greatly benefit the Huskies if that were to happen. But still, Washington State didn’t get to be 10-1 without overcoming plenty of adversity. Both teams have strong defenses and both teams have found ways to score this season. This should be a close game, but playing in Pullman might be enough to put Washington State on top.