Why is Washington-Washington State game called the Apple Cup? History, stats, more

Even after the latest round of college football realignment, the Apple Cup lives on.

Even with Washington leaving for the Big Ten, the Huskies and Washington State — one of two teams still in the Pac-12 Conference — will continue their football rivalry. The 116th Apple Cup is still on; however, it will be played at a different time than Huskies and Cougars fans might be used to.

While the game is usually played on the Friday following Thanksgiving, it will be played during Week 3 of the college football season 2024, on Sept. 14 at Lumen Field. The game will continue at least through the 2028 season, continuing a streak that went uninterrupted from 1945 through 2023 (sans the COVID-19-affected 2020 season).

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"While the landscape of intercollegiate athletics continues to change — including conference affiliation — the Apple Cup remains an indelible part of our universities' identities, and we are thrilled to find a framework to continue the more than a century tradition of football between the schools," former Washington athletics director Troy Dannen said at the time of the extension in November.

"This game means so much to so many and we are grateful to Washington State and Pat Chun for allowing us to reach a mutually beneficial arrangement for the years to come."

Here's what you need to know about the Apple Cup, records and more:

Watch the Apple Cup between Washington and Washington State live

Why is it called the Apple Cup?

Despite the programs playing each other annually since 1900, the series between the two teams was not known as the Apple Cup until the early 1960s. According to Washington State, the rivalry did not take on the name until 1962.

That following year, the Washington Apple Commission donated the Apple Cup trophy to the winner of the annual game, and is emblematic of the state being the largest apple producer in the country. The state's governor presents the Apple Cup Trophy to the winner after the game. Previously, the teams competed for "The Governor's Trophy" from 1931 through 1962.

The rivalry nickname has also allowed for some humorous play on words. One such game came in the 2008 meeting between the teams, which was jokingly called the "Crapple Cup" and "full of worms," due to Washington's 0-11 record and Washington State's 1-10 record. (The Cougars won to keep the Huskies winless, but it took two overtimes to seal the victory).

Washington-Washington State football history

The Huskies lead the all-time series between the in-state foes 76-33-6. The first-ever matchup occurred on Nov. 30, 1900, and ended in a 5-5 tie in Seattle. The following season, the Cougars defeated Washington 10-0 in Pullman for the first victory in the series.

Washington has the longest winning streak in the series, spanning eight games from 1959 to 66. The Huskies have won the last two and nine of the previous 10 matchups. The Huskies' largest win in the series was a 51-3 victory on Nov. 18, 2000, in Pullman.

The Cougars' biggest win in the series was a 40-13 victory on Nov. 26, 2021, in Seattle. Washington State has never won more than two games in a row in the series, but did go without a loss from 1932-34 (going 1-0-2 in that span) and winning three of four from 1951-54.

Six years into the rivalry, no games were played between the two in-state rivals in 1905 and 1906 because Washington refused to play in Pullman. Games weren't played in 1915, 1916 or 1918, either. The last time the game was did not take place was in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced its cancellation.

The two teams played twice during the 1945 season because the in-state rivalry took a hiatus in 1943 and 1944 due to World War II. In Seattle, the Huskies won 6-0 on Oct. 13, 1945, while the Cougars exacted revenge with a 7-0 victory on Nov. 24, 1945, in Pullman.

• All-time series record: Washington leads 76-33-6

• Last Washington win: 24-21 (Nov. 25, 2023)

• Last Washington State win: 40-13 (Nov. 26, 2021)

• First matchup: 5-5 tie (Nov. 30, 1900)

Future of the Apple Cup

On Nov. 19, 2023, the two schools agreed to a contract to extend the series through the 2028 season, with games alternating home sites. This year's game will be played at Lumen Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks, and then return to home campuses for the other matchups.

Future Apple Cup game locations:

• 2025 (Pullman)

• 2026 (Seattle)

• 2027 (Pullman)

• 2028 (Seattle)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Apple Cup nickname, explained: What to know of Washington-WSU rivalry