APPLE CUP 2025

CoachDay
Sep 19
3 min read

The Apple Cup is here...the Washington Huskies travel to Pullman to take on the Washington State Cougars. With the Pac-12 gone and the Huskies now in to the Big Ten, the game comes earlier on the schedule than usual. This maybe not as well known rivalry has given us so many classics, even with it dominated by the Huskies 76-34-6.

Legends who’ve lifted the Apple Cup include Michael Penix Jr., Drew Bledsoe, Warren Moon, Budda Baker, and plenty more. I once had Oregon fans try to claim they were the Huskies’ top rival, but now that I’m in Washington I know that’s just wannabe Ducks mentality. The Apple Cup reigns supreme in the PNW, a classic staple to every Washington fall.

So my wife’s been working in Seattle on and off the past four years, so I’ve become somewhat of a Huskies admirer in recent years, always liked them from afar a bit too. Some might call a flag on me since I’m a lifelong Gonzaga guy, but to that I say...mind your own damn fandom business. Also yes yes yes, Notre Dame is still king. But if I’m in Seattle, I’m immersing myself in the culture. Duh.

This year the two teams are coming in from very different directions. The Huskies are 2-0 after a bye and an FCS beatdown. The Cougs meanwhile are 2-1, but just got smoked 59-10 by North Texas. For Washington, this is a shot at revenge after last year’s close loss in Seattle and a launchpad into their Big Ten slate that poses many tall asks.

Growing up on the west coast, the Apple Cup in late November was always a treat. I persoanlly wish it still close to the end of season, players bundled in sleeves and hand warmers, maybe a little snow or freezing rain, while you’re crushing leftover apple pie. If that doesn’t hit the college football nostalgia bone, you ain’t got one.

This year’s edition is still primetime: nationally televised on CBS at 4:30 p.m. PT. Excited for the nation to finally get to see these Huskies and their dudes. Here are the names to know for both squads though on Saturday.

WAZZU Cougs

QB – Jaxon Potter

Big QB, big arm. Zevi Eckhaus is also in the mix, bringing more shake to his game. Both have struggled early. If Potter rediscovers his SDSU form, we could see an old-school Apple Cup shootout.

HB – Kirby Vorhees

Two quiet games so far, but he’s a dual-threat back who had 8 TDs at South Dakota State last year. He needs to show up Saturday to give the Cougs balance.

Defense

The unit got embarrassed last week. Was it a lookahead spot, or a real problem? Facing a rested Huskies team that just dropped 70, they better figure it out fast. Parker McKenna and Isaac Terrell have to keep Demond Williams Jr. in check.

Washington Huskies

HB – Jonah Coleman

Through two games, he looks like a Heisman contender. Nearly impossible to bring down one-on-one. If the Cougs bottle him up and force Williams to throw 30+ times, maybe it stays close. Coleman is the top game-changer on either side.

CB – Tacrario Davis

Long, athletic, and making his Apple Cup debut. One of the nation’s best corners, and with Coug QB confidence shaky, he could make the play that cements his name in Huskies lore.

QB – Demond Williams Jr.

This could be his national breakout. Two late-night kicks so far have kept him under the radar. As a former Arizona HS reporter(beat for Desert Edge), I’ve followed him since his early days. So watching the rest of the country finally catch on feels like when you tell your buddy you knew that band way before they blew up.

The edge is all Huskies. They’ve got the QB, a top-5 RB, a top-5 CB, and rising stars everywhere. And we haven’t even mentioned Denzel Boston, a monster outside threat. Seeing him and Coleman last year against Michigan was life-changing.

The Apple Cup will be hyped. I miss the late November version, but in the new college football world at least it has survived. Washington will be split in two for a few hours Saturday night. Even if you’ve got no stake in it, tune in.