Early Opponent Outlook: Apple Cup Season Opener Offers Unique Test

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For the first time in the 118th meeting between the Washington Huskies and Washington State Cougars, the annual Apple Cup rivalry football game will take place on the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend.

It's not the only unique part of the 2026 rendition between Jedd Fisch's team and first-year Cougars coach Kirby Moore, brought in to breathe new life into WSU after Jimmy Rogers made a quick exit from Pullman after just one year to take over as the head coach at Iowa State.

"Surreal," Moore told the Big Ten Network's Yogi Roth of opening his first season at WSU against UW. "I think it's an incredible opportunity for our players to be on a grand stage. It's the first—and only—time the Apple Cup's been played on a Sunday. I can't wait to attack it with the guys."

Although the game will be Moore's and many other players' first against UW on Sept. 5, his expected starting quarterback, Caden Pinnick, has some experience at Husky Stadium. The transfer from UC Davis made his second career start for the Aggies last fall—a 70-10 victory for the Huskies—in Seattle last September.

Pinnick finished the game 8-of-16 for 50 yards with a touchdown and an interception, his lowest yardage output in 2025, but proved to be one of the best FCS quarterbacks by the end of the season. He finished No. 5 in touchdown passes (32) and No. 9 in passing yards (3,206) over 12 games for the Aggies before transferring to WSU.

The left tackle protecting his blindside could also have some familiarity with former UW offensive lineman Maximus McCree among the 28 new additions to the Cougars' program. McCree made seven starts combined for Fisch over his first two seasons in Seattle while battling through multiple injuries.

In his first two seasons at the helm, Fisch has a 1-1 record against the cross-state rival, adding more of an onus to come out victorious over another first-year coach. Uniquely enough, however, the former Arizona coach and longtime NFL assistant coach hasn't faced the Cougars at Husky Stadium since arriving on Montlake.

Following a 24-19 defeat in 2024 at Lumen Field, UW returned the favor last season at Martin Stadium with a 59-24 victory in Pullman, and the Huskies are favored by as many as three touchdowns ahead of the 2026 installment of the in-state rivalry.

This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Early Opponent Outlook: Apple Cup Season Opener Offers Unique Test

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