Washington visits Washington State for the 107th edition of the Apple Cup Saturday night in Pullman. There are no conference or national implications, but it’s the biggest game of the year for college football fans in the state.
How to watch Washington vs. Washington State Apple Cup: Game guide, TV/streaming, odds
The Huskies are trying to pick up their fifth win in six years over the Cougars.
The Cougars have taken a step or two back in Year 3 under head coach Mike Leach. After advancing to a bowl game last season, Wazzu is in danger of recording its second nine-loss season in three years. Leach’s air raid offense has led to some success in the passing game, but the defense has been pretty abysmal. Washington State is allowing 442.7 yards and 39.3 points per game, ranking 10th and 11th in the Pac-12, respectively.
In head coach Chris Petersen’s inaugural campaign, the Huskies have mostly met expectations week in and week out. They’ve lost games to Stanford, Oregon, Arizona State, Arizona and UCLA, and they swept through a light non-conference slate before taking down Cal, Colorado and Oregon State in Pac-12 play. After the win over the Beavers, fans are wondering if Petersen can move his team up in the conference pecking order next season.
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How to watch, listen, and stream
Game time: 10:30 p.m. ET
TV: Fox Sports 1
Radio: Washington; Washington State
Online streaming: Fox Sports GO
The numbers
Rankings and records: Washington enters at 7-5 (3-5 Pac-12), and Washington State is 3-8 (2-6). Neither team is ranked in any poll. The Huskies hold a 68-32-6 lead in the series.
Vegas: Washington opened as a 4-point favorite, and that line has dipped to 3 points at most sportsbooks. The over/under is listed at 65, per Odds Shark.
Weather forecast: High of 34, low of 15 and snow in the forecast.
Two things at stake
Like so many other matchups this week, bragging rights. The Apple Cup comes but once a year.
Washington is already bowl eligible and is trying to improve its postseason position.
One big matchup
Washington State passing offense vs. Washington passing defense
It's no secret that a Mike Leach-coached team wants to throw the ball around, and Washington State is leading the Pac-12 with 488.8 yards per game through the air. That's 147 more passing yards per game than the conference's second-best aerial attack. Even with backup quarterback Luke Falk taking over for the injured Connor Halliday in recent weeks, the Cougars haven't missed a beat: Falk threw for 601 yards on 74 -- 74! -- attempts last week.
Washington’s secondary has been burned this year. The Huskies rank 10th in the Pac-12 in passing yards allowed per game, eighth in opposing QB rating and ninth in touchdowns allowed through the air. To win this one, they have to find a way to stop Leach’s air raid.
Further reading
For more on Washington, check out UW Dawg Pound. For all things Washington State, visit Coug Center.
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