Washington and Washington State Apple Cup rivalry

The 118th Apple Cup rivalry between the Washington Huskies and the Washington State Cougars took place at Husky Stadium in Seattle. This matchup was notable for being an early-season fixture rather than a late-season game.

Despite conference realignments—with Washington moving to the Big Ten and Washington State to the Pac-12—the schools maintained the rivalry through a five-year series agreement. Washington entered the game ranked No. 17 in preseason polls, while Washington State competed under new head coach Kirby Moore with Caden Pinnick at quarterback.

The Washington Huskies defeated the Washington State Cougars 24-10. The victory was fueled by a dominant defensive performance, including interceptions by Jeron Jones and Alex McLaughlin and a fumble recovery by Isaiah Ward. The defense was a decisive factor, limiting the Cougars to 228 total yards and preventing Washington State from converting any of their 11 third-down attempts.

Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. was instrumental in the win, recording 268 passing yards, a passing touchdown, and a 5-yard rushing touchdown. Washington faced discipline issues, incurring 130 penalty yards compared to Washington State’s 50. For the Cougars, transfer quarterback Caden Pinnick accounted for 142 passing yards and an 11-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. Despite the loss, Moore noted the team’s defensive effort and fighting spirit as positives.

Following the game, Washington coach Jedd Fisch expressed frustration regarding the team’s offensive execution and penalty yardage, despite the defensive success.