Sara Clayton

Nov 27th, 2023

COM 300

Apple Cup 2023

The Last Game? We Always Find Our Way Back Home

Saturday in Seattle, Washington State University Football fought hard but ended in a
loss to the University of Washington with the score of 21 - 24 at the 2023 Apple Cup closing off
the season.
For the last month, WSU football has been unsure of what their future might hold. With
every team in the PAC-12 leaving and only Washington State and University Of Oregon being
the last two teams, a lot of fans had a lot of questions and concerns.
One of the biggest things is the Apple Cup, it has been around for 115 years and is one
of the biggest rivalries in Washington. With University of Washington transferring to the PAC-10
and Washington State still in the PAC-12, there was no sure answer.
Just days before the big game it was announced by Washington State Athletic
Communications that “Washington State University and the University of Washington have
agreed in principle to a five-year continuation of the storied Apple Cup football series through at
least 2028. Next year's match-up will take place on September 14, 2024, at Lumen Field in
Seattle, with the following four games alternating between the school's campuses.”
Emily Kinsley a Washington State Alumni said “I’m happy Apple Cup will continue
through 2028. It’s a tradition I’ve grown up with that I always look forward to. It’ll be weird to
have it in September rather than November but I’m looking forward to nicer weather for Apple
Cup moving forward.”
In the final PAC-12 Apple Cup UW has a ranking of 11-0 while Washington State has a
ranking of 5-6 which led most people thinking it was going to be a blow-out. By the end of the
second quarter, the game was tied 14-14. Coug fans could not believe how well we were
keeping up and playing decent considering our past games.
Daniel Cho a current Washington State Student who attended the game said “It was a
tight match, UW holding the 4th rank nationally while WSU is unranked. WSU put up an
impressive performance against UW. we may not have won, but I’ll always take pride in being a
coug. Being part of this community is something that will never change for me.”
The Cougars held their ground until the last few minutes of the fourth quarter with a
score of 21-21 but at the last second University of Washington scored ending the game 24-21.
Cameron Ward, Washington State quarterback back had an outstanding game with 317
passing yards and three completed touchdowns. Overall Washington State had a total of 381
Yards, and put up a good fight for the last game of the season.
With the Apple Cup being in Seattle this year there was a lot more purple than crimson in
the stands but that never stops the Cougs. The Cougars are known has having an outstanding
fan base that is more like family.
 Kinsley says “The coug family is so special because it’s a culture like no other. The
sayings of cougs help cougs and win or lose go cougs run deep and really shape the community
and make it is open and welcoming.”
The future of Cougar football is undetermined with only Washington State University and
University of Oregon being the last teams in the PAC-12. One thing that fans do know is that the
Apple Cup will continue and the battle between the two teams will be tested again next year in
2024.

Emily Kinsley
emilykinsley@outlook.com

Daniel Cho
bum.co@wsu.edu

https://wsucougars.com/news/2023/11/19/football-washington-state-and-washington-agree-to-fiv
e-year-continuation-of-the-apple-cup.aspx#:~:text=Washington%20State%20University%20and
%20the,series%20through%20at%20least%202028.