Washington State and Washington renew their Apple Cup rivalry on Saturday afternoon in a neutral site battle in Seattle at Lumen Field in Week 3 of the 2024 college football season. With the Huskies moving to the Big Ten, this annual rivalry was in danger of not appearing on the '24 schedule until some late shuffling last November. These two teams are now scheduled to play every season through the '28 campaign.
After a huge win over Texas Tech last Saturday, Washington State moved to 2-0 this season. But the wins for the program didn't stop with just on-field action. On Thursday, the Cougars welcomed four new teams - Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Colorado State - into the fold as Pac-12 members . After being left out of Big Ten and Big 12 expansion and playing with Oregon State as a two-team Pac-12 from 2024-25, the future for Washington State's football program looks brighter in '26 and beyond.
Transition and change is also a big storyline for Washington. The Huskies underwent massive offseason turnover, starting with Jedd Fisch taking over for Kalen DeBoer (left for Alabama), and just two starters returning from a team that played for the national championship. Even though Fisch inherited a ton of change, Washington is off to a solid 2-0 start after wins over Weber State and Eastern Michigan.
Washington holds a 76-33-6 series edge over Washington State. The Huskies have won nine of the last 10 games in this rivalry.
Washington State vs. Washington
Location: Lumen Field in Seattle, Wash.
Kickoff: Saturday, Sept. 14 at 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: Peacock
Spread: Washington -4.5
Over/Under: 56.5
Announcers: Paul Burmeister, Colt McCoy, and Zora Stephenson
Why Washington Will Win
So far, so good for Fisch and Washington's offense. The Huskies' revamped line has allowed just two sacks, while the offense averages 32.5 points per game and 7.93 yards a play. The competition level will rise this week against Washington State, but the new pieces have played well so far.
New quarterback Will Rogers has shined (41 of 52 for 511 yards and five touchdowns) in Fisch's system, with Jonah Coleman (231 yards), Adam Mohammed (65), and Cameron Davis (64) providing options at running back. Giles Jackson (16 catches) and Denzel Boston (nine) give Rogers two standout weapons in the passing game from the receiving corps.
Washington State's offense is the best unit Washington has faced so far in '24, but the revamped defense has yet to allow a touchdown and is only giving up 3.4 yards a snap. This group has also been active around the line of scrimmage (eight sacks).
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Why Washington State Will Win
Despite quarterback Cameron Ward transferring to Miami, Washington State's offense hasn't missed a beat in '24. New signal-caller John Mateer has passed for 467 yards and six touchdowns and ran for 252 yards and two scores through the first two contests of '24. Additionally, the Cougars are sixth nationally in scoring (53.5 points a game) and second in yards per play (9.1 a snap).
Mateer isn't a one-man show on offense. Although the sophomore leads the team in rushing, freshman Wayshawn Parker (165 yards) has been impressive on the ground, while Kyle Williams (five catches), Kris Hutson (seven), and Josh Meredith (two) provide capable weapons to test Washington's rebuilt defense on Saturday.
It's a good thing Washington State coach Jake Dickert can lean on his offense in the early part of '24. The Cougars are still finding their footing on defense, as this unit has struggled against the run and is giving up 5.5 yards a snap through two contests. However, as last week's win over Texas Tech showed, Dickert's defense can get stops (the Red Raiders converted just one of five fourth-down attempts) and force turnovers (five).
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Final Analysis
Expect the Apple Cup rivalry to bring out the best in both teams. Although Washington's rebuilding effort under Fisch is on track, Saturday's game against Washington State is its toughest of the season and a better test for where this team is in '24. Can Mateer and the Cougars offense move the ball against a solid Huskies' defense? On paper, Washington is the better team. However, rivalries always bring out the best in the underdog.
Prediction: Washington 31, Washington State 27
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