Upcoming Rivalries
The Apple Cup
Year Began: 1962
Group: NCAA
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The Apple Cup is the annual college football game between cross-state rivals the University of Washington (UW) and Washington State University (WSU), the two largest universities in the state of Washington. Traditionally, it was the final game of the regular season, played on the Saturday preceding Thanksgiving, at either Husky Stadium in Seattle during odd years, or WSU's Martin Stadium in Pullman in even years.

From 1950-80 (except for 1954), WSU hosted the game at Spokane's Joe Albi Stadium. The Cougars won three of these fifteen games in Spokane (1958, 1968, 1972), and have won five of the thirteen played at Martin Stadium (1982, 1988, 1992, 1994, 2004).

With the state of Washington being famous for its apple crop, the game was renamed the "Apple Cup" in 1962, and the Apple Cup trophy has been awarded to the winning team ever since. Before 1962, the teams played for the "Governor's Trophy."

With the recent lengthening of the regular season schedule to 12 games, there was a movement to push the Apple Cup to the other side of Thanksgiving, which would allow a bye week sometime during the season. In the 2006 season, both teams played 12 straight weeks without a break, leaving the two teams noticeably fatigued. For the first time, the 2007 edition of the Apple Cup will be played two days after Thanksgiving. In 2007 each team will have a bye week in early October. Washington's final game will be the week following the Apple Cup, at Hawaii on December 1st.

The first rivalry game, played in 1900, resulted in a tie between UW and the Washington Agricultural College. Through 2006, there have been 99 games between the schools, with the Huskies holding a 64-29-6 (.676) advantage. UW's longest win streak has been eight games, achieved twice: (1959-66 and 1974-81). Although WSU has never won three consecutive Apple Cups, the Cougars have won consecutive Cups on seven separate occasions: (1929-30, 1953-54, 1957-58, 1967-68, 1972-73, 1982-83, and 2004-05). The upset win by the Huskies in Pullman in 2006 thwarted the Cougars latest (and best) chance to achieve their first "three-peat" in the Apple Cup.