Apple Cup Week is Here!!
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From: http://afraidofedhochuli.blogspot.com
Rivalries are close to non-existent in Seattle sports. The Mariner’s have no real rivals, the Sonics aren’t good enough to ever play someone consistently and the Seahawks lost their real rivalries when they moved to the NFC. Of course you could argue any of these, but for the most part this is how it is.
One consistent rivalry does exist, however, and this weekend it will be revisited for the 100th time.
The Apple Cup.
For those who do not know, the Apple Cup is the yearly football game between the University of Washington Huskies and the Washington State Cougars.
This may not be to the level of Oklahoma/Texas, Michigan/Ohio State, California/Stanford, Red Sox/Yankees or Cubs/Cardinals but in Washington it is a big deal.
The animosity between these two teams could be measured with a thermostat, and the week leading up to it can bring around some great comments/jokes:
“Why did WSU put in Astroturf? So the cheerleaders wouldn’t graze” “What can you do with a WSU diploma? Put it on your dashboard and park in handicapped spots.” “Ted Bundy was a Husky.”
And on and on, along with quotes from Players: Husky DT Jordan Reffett was asked what he would say to his daughter, Kendall, if someday she wanted to enroll at Washington State:
"I'd say you're a traitor. That wouldn't be allowed. That's just the way it is. None of my kids, and I plan on having more, are going to be at Washington State, because I want them to be able to get a job someday."
The Huskies have dominated this game throughout the years. The overall record is: Washington: 64 wins Washington State: 29 wins Ties: 6
To make it even more insulting to the Cougars…they have never won three in a row. The Huskies? They have had eight instances of 3 or more wins in a row, including one of 5, one of 6 and TWO occasions of 8 consecutive Apple Cup wins.
Easy to say that the Huskies have dominated the rivalry.
This year may be a little different, however, due to the fact that both Head Coaches may be fighting for their jobs. With Willingham being 11-23 as Husky Head Coach and Bill Doba is 29-29 overall but hasn't had a winning season since his first, the 10-win season of 2003 that was capped by a Holiday Bowl victory over Texas.
Also, neither team needs this game, since they have both been eliminated from Bowl consideration. However in the past there have been some great games based on what the game meant. As the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta put it:
The greatest games ... Nov. 19, 1960: A game to make both teams proud. A Washington team that had lost twice in two years had to fight to the last play in Spokane to beat Washington State (4-4-1). Down 7-0 midway through the fourth quarter, UW scored on a Kermit Jorgensen QB sneak. Then, even though a tie would have ensured a Rose Bowl berth, the Huskies went for two and converted on a Bob Hivner pass to Don McKeta. But the game wasn't over until UW's Ray Jackson blocked a WSU 35-yard field goal on the final play. Aloha Bowl-bound Cougars win thriller was one of just two times (1936 was the other) that the Rose Bowl was on the line for both teams, as WSU was a surprising 8-1-1 and UW was 8-2. Washington needed some help (a USC win over UCLA), which it got before the game ended, and that helped provide even more momentum to hold on to a 23-10 win. WSU went to the Holiday Bowl, its first bowl in 50 years.
1988: One of just four Don James teams not to go to a bowl jumped ahead 21-9 and 28-16 in Pullman against a Cougars team that finished 9-3. But WSU rallied, blocking a UW punt in the fourth quarter and scoring the winning TD on a 5-yard run by Timm Rosenbach on fourth down. UW wins battle for Roses
1981: What made this game great was the setup more than what happened on the field. This was one of just two times (1936 was the other) that the Rose Bowl was on the line for both teams, as WSU was a surprising 8-1-1 and UW was 8-2. Washington needed some help (a USC win over UCLA), which it got before the game ended, and that helped provide even more momentum to hold on to a 23-10 win. WSU went to the Holiday Bowl, its first bowl in 50 years.
So the teams will be fired up. Emotions will be high but the rewards will not be what they have been in the past with only bragging rights (and possible coaches’ futures) on the line.
My family is Huskies so I will be rooting for the Cougars to go down in flames as I cheer from the stands.
