Washington vs. Washington State Apple Cup history and future with the Huskies now in the Big Ten

Rivalry week for some college football teams is coming early in the 2024 season, which is in part the result of conference realignments shaking things up.

So in Week 3, Oregon is playing Oregon State, Utah is playing Utah State, Pitt and West Virginia are facing off in the Backyard Brawl and, of course, Washington is taking on Washington State.

The latest chapter of the Apple Cup rivalry will be played in Seattle at Lumen Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks. But with the Huskies now in the Big Ten — Washington State and Oregon State make up what’s left of the Pac-12 for now — the future of the Apple Cup may be in jeopardy. But not for a few years.

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So ahead of Washington versus Washington State in the 2024 Apple Cup, let’s break down where we’re at and how we got here.

What’s the history of the Apple Cup rivalry between Washington and Washington State?

Saturday’s Week 3 game will mark the 116th Apple Cup matchup between Washington and Washington State.

The series first kicked off in 1900, and the first game ended in a thrilling 5-5 tie. However, the two didn’t play for the Apple Cup trophy until 1963; they initially played for the Governor’s Trophy from 1931 through 1962, per the Huskies’ website.

Who’s winning the Apple Cup series?

That wasn’t the only tie. Washington and Washington State have tied six times over the years, but overall, the Huskies have dominated the series and lead it with a 76-33-6 record.

Washington is on a two-game winning streak in this rivalry after winning 24-21 last season. The Huskies’ longest Apple Cup winning streak was 10 games from 2009 to 2019, while the Cougars’ longest was three games from 1917 to 1921 (games weren’t played in 1918 and 1920).

When is the 2024 Apple Cup and why is it in September?

The 2024 Apple Cup matchup between Washington and Washington State is Saturday, September 14 at 3:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.

The mid-September Apple Cup date is the earliest on the schedule of all 116 games with the majority being in November. According to the Huskies, the Apple Cup became the standard regular-season finale in 1949 with a small handful of exceptions in relatively recent years.

And, of course, it’s in September partly as the result of conference realignment. With Washington now in its first Big Ten season, the Apple Cup is a nonconference matchup for the teams, so it’s earlier in the season while most conference games are scheduled later.

How many more years will the Apple Cup continue?

Fear not: the Apple Cup will be back at least for a few more years. With Washington’s departure for the Big Ten, there was a lot of uncertainty about whether or not this rivalry — and several others outside the Evergreen State — would continue.

But last November, the Huskies and Cougars agreed to a five-year extension of the Apple Cup to ensure the in-state rivalry carries on through at least the 2028 college football season.

While this year’s game is at Lumen Field, it will return to campuses in 2025 and 2027 in Pullman and 2026 and 2028 at Husky Stadium in Seattle.

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