One win does not cancel months, years or even generations of heartbreak. But for Washington State in its 24-19 Apple Cup victory over rival Washington, there was significance beyond a single result.
Cougars head coach Jake Dickert described preparations for Saturday’s 116th installment since nine months ago—a reference to the 115th Apple Cup. In that game, Washington State crossed into Huskies territory late in the fourth quarter of a 21-21 tie.
A Cougars win would have denied Washington a spot in the College Football Playoff. Washington State also needs an improbable victory to earn bowl rights. However, a holding penalty stalled the Cougars’ drive, and an injured Michael Penix Jr. led a gutsy, game-winning drive for Washington.
Penix strengthened his case to be a Heisman Trophy finalist; The Huskies defeated Oregon in what was believed to be the final Pac-12 Championship Game and the Cougars fell short of Bowl eligibility.
The 2023 Apple Cup is “Cougin’ It.”
For those unfamiliar with the concept of Cougin’ It, it’s an easy way to describe the horrible ways Washington State’s teams have lost over the years.
Officials denied Ryan Leaf and Co. a last-second snap in the 1998 Rose Bowl? Gardner Minshew’s grounding blizzard in the 2018 Apple Cup, denying Washington State a shot at the Pac-12 title and a potential playoff claim? Penix’s heroics in 2023?
Different seasons, unique eras and three examples of Cougin’ It.
And while various game results suggest the Washington State program has been snakebitten, it pales in comparison to the Cougars left without a real home after the exodus last year of former Pac-12 partners to various conferences.
Washington State joins Oregon State in football purgatory, members of the first two-team conference in the world. Dickert addressed the situation in his postgame statement Saturday, joking that Washington State could “retire this (Apple Cup) trophy.”
“I think it’s the Pac-12 trophy,” he said. “I think we can stay in our place for a long time. We will bring something new next year.”
The situation is ripe for another entry into the unfortunate history of Cougin’ It there. John Mateer’s touchdown run before halftime gave Washington State a 17-13 lead it never relinquished but couldn’t extend by more than eight points in the second half.
A scoreless stalemate in the fourth quarter with the Cougars leading by five points set the perfect stage: Washington took possession with 3:40 left. Will Rogers connected with Giles Jackson for a 45-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage.
A Huskies methodical push into the red zone and towards the goal line chewed up yards and hours together. The underdog story is fun when it lasts, but this is Big Ten football.
However, Washington State’s defense held strong at the goal line. Andrew Edson’s hit on Rogers forced a pick for Jonah Coleman, with Coleman having nowhere to go but to another Cougars senior, Kyle Thornton.
The Pac-12 beat the Big Ten. How about?
“Being from Washington, I can’t tell you how much this win means to me,” said Edson, a senior and Snoqualmie native. “As an adult, I always wanted to play in this game. You always think it’s your time. The play came to me, and it was amazing.
The game-winning drive came from a veteran who was with Washington State the last time it won the Apple Cup — 2021, the Cougars’ first victory over the Huskies in nine years — underscoring Dickert’s message about the importance of the game.
“We are at a critical time for Washington State football,” he said. “If you can’t beat this team at this point, at this point, I don’t know what you can do. These guys are here for this moment.
The 2024 Apple Cup doesn’t erase the heartache Washington State football experienced before. The win did not, however, start a new chapter on a positive note.
Some of the uncertainty surrounding Washington State starting in the summer of 2023 broke earlier in the week with current Mountain West Conference members Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State announcing they would join the Cougars and Oregon State in 2026.
The road to rebuilding is long, but this is an important step. Every win Washington State can secure over the opponent of the power league while adding credibility to the century-old, fledgling conference argument for inclusion as an automatic playoff qualifier.
And while the playoff fate of both Washington State and the Pac-12 is very unclear, the Cougars can take solace in staking their claim to at least one trophy they could ever have to give back.
