Those are the questions on the mind of every Washington or Washington State football fan.
With UW’s departure to the Big Ten Conference in 2024, this fall’s football rivalry game could be the last of its kind if the two schools can’t come to some sort of agreement on how it can continue in the future.
In addressing the future of the Apple Cup earlier this week, WSU athletic director Pat Chun said he understands “the anger Cougs have for the University of Washington, and I believe it’s sourced correctly.” But WSU will have to take emotion out of the equation when a decision is made.
“I also recognize from a TV partner standpoint, there’s high value in a national rivalry like the Apple Cup,” Chun said. “… Our responsibility, President [Kirk] Schulz and I, is to make sound financial decisions for the athletic department.”
UW has been open about its interest in the continuation of the tradition.
“I want to make 100% clear, we are fully committed to continuing the Apple Cup against Washington State,” UW president Ana Mari Cauce said last weekend. “There is no question that the Apple Cup is a cherished tradition, and we want to continue our long history with the Cougars, including Apple Cup matchups across all of our sports as part of our nonconference schedule.”
But would it make sense for the Huskies to travel to Pullman for the game every other year?
“We are still working on the complexities of our football schedule in general for the future years, so Pat [Chun] and I will continue to work on the best plan to play the Apple Cup every year,” UW athletic director Jen Cohen added.
While there’s seemingly no easy answer just yet — especially given WSU’s tenuous status as one of the Pac-12’s four remaining schools — that doesn’t mean fans don’t have their opinions.
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