Washington vs Washington State
First game: 1900 (tie, 5-5)
At stake: Apple Cup
When: late November
Where: Huskie Stadium, Seattle or Martin Stadium, Pullman
Misc.:
In 1950, the Huskies sent quarterback Don Heinrich back into the
game to break the NCAA single-season passing record (completions), which
he did. Moments later, the Cougars watched UW running back Hugh McElhenny
break free and race 83 yards for the longest touchdown in Apple Cup
history, capping the Huskies' 52-21 victory. It gave him 296 yards on the
day, still a series record.
The most impressive comeback in Apple Cup history belongs to the Huskies
in 1975, when they turned a 27-14 deficit into a thrilling 28-27 victory
in the final 3:01. The Cougars had the ball at the Husky 14-yard line and
a chance to pad the lead, when they put the ball in the air. Husky Al
Burleson intercepted the pass and returned it 93 yards for a touchdown.
Washington then held the Cougars on their next possession and took over on
their own 22-yard line with 1:56 remaining. One play later they led 28-27.
On first down, Warren Moon passed the ball in the direction of a mob in
the center of the field. It hit WSU's Tony Heath and ricocheted into the
hands of Husky receiver Spider Gaines, who took it all the way for a
78-yard touchdown play. Two touchdowns in a little over a minute, and the
Huskies were victorious in Don James's first Apple Cup.
The 1981 game stands out in the series because it is the only one in which
the winner would advance to the Rose Bowl. The Huskies won it, 23-10, to
get to Pasadena for the second year in a row.
In 1982, Washington had won back-to-back games against Top 10 teams UCLA
and Arizona State, and needed to beat the 2-7-1 Cougars. Leading at the
half, it got away for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was
that UW All-American kicker Chuck Nelson, the man who never missed,
missed. Nelson had made and NCAA-record 30 field goals in a row, but with
4:35 remaining in a one-point game, his 33-yard field goal soared directly
over the right upright. The Cougars went on to win 24-20. The following
year, the Huskies again were a victory away from the Rose Bowl, but WSU
came away with a 17-6 triumph.
In 2002, highly ranked Washington State let a first half lead disappear when
star QB Jason Gesser went down injured and Washington came back to tie the
game in the second half and win the game in three overtimes, 29-26.
In the 2003 game, Washington's Cody Pickett threw a 21-yard touchdown pass
to Corey Williams with 70 seconds left and Marquis Cooper iced the game with
a 30-yard interception return moments later as Washington rallied for its
sixth straight victory over the Cougars, 27-19.
