It’s not time to thaw out the turkey, but it’s Apple Cup week.
The Washington Huskies host the Washington State Cougars in the earliest game between the two in-state rivals since they began playing each other in 1900.
WSU is rebuilding under new head coach Kirby Moore, while UW enters its third campaign under head coach Jedd Fisch. For any chance at Fisch’s first College Football Playoff berth, the Huskies must start with a long winning streak before finishing with two teams currently sitting in the top six spots of the AP Top 25 preseason poll.
The Huskies most likely need to win 10 games to make the CFP, and a season with high expectations is likley to begin with a lopsided Apple Cup. UW fans may not need to worry much until Game 5 at USC. Will that be the first loss of the season for the Huskies?
Find out below.
Point spreads courtesy of BetMGM. Rankings from the AP Top 25 preseason poll, where Washington is ranked 17th.
Washington State at Washington
Sunday, Sept. 6 (1 p.m., CBS)
The Cougs have made things interesting the last few years. Kalen DeBoer needed to call a trick play to beat WSU on the way to the 2023 national title game. Jedd Fisch lost to the Cougs 24-19, and WSU kept it close last year in Pullman before falling 59-24.
WSU will face a healthy UW defense that should be able to quiet the Cougs. If Washington’s offense is able to find a rhythm early, look out.
Pick: Washington 45, Washington State 16
Utah State at Washington
Sept. 12 (12:30 p.m., BTN)
The Huskies open with two straight Pac-12 opponents. Unless Bobby Wagner has more eligibility and starts at linebacker, it’s hard to imagine a former Mountain West team that hasn’t posted a winning record since 2021 could stun UW. Bronco Mendenhall went 99-42 in 11 seasons at BYU (2005-15), but followed that by going 36-38 at Virginia (2016-21), 5-7 at new Mexico (2024) and 6-7 in his first season at Utah State.
Pick: Washington 38-13
Eastern Washington at Washington
Sept. 19 (4:15 p.m., BTN)
Things have changed a bit since Vernon Adams nearly stunned Chris Petersen’s Huskies in 2014 when quarterback Vernon Adams went nuts with 475 and seven touchdowns. The Eagles were a perennial FCS title contender most years from 2004-2021, but have suffered four straight losing seasons since. I hope the weather’s nice these first three weeks, and real non-conference games are scheduled more often in future seasons.
Pick: Washington 56-7
Washington at Minnesota
Sept. 26
Fourth straight home game for the Huskies. Minnesota can be frisky, but Washington doesn’t lose games against mediocre opponents at home very often.
Pick: Washington 28, Minnesota 10
Washington at No. 14 USC
Oct. 3
The Trojans will be coming off a home game against Oregon. That outcome could impact how much USC shows up for the UW game. Washington has won three straight against USC (2024, 2023, 2019) and two straight at Memorial Stadium (2023, 2015). That differs from the matchup history, which Southern Cal owns with a 52-31-4 record. USC could change my mind in September, but I think this is the game that essentially gets Trojans coach Lincoln Riley fired.
Pick: Washington 32-30 (2 OT)
No. 22 Iowa at Washington
Friday, Oct. 9 (6 p.m., FOX)
I don’t know what the under for the points total will be for this game, but I’d bet that one. Washington’s defense looks to be elite, and Iowa’s offense is, well, Iowa’s offense. Throw in the Friday night factor, and this one may set football back a few years.
Pick: Washington 20, Iowa 9
Washington at Purdue
Friday, Oct. 16 (5 p.m., FOX)
Washington must avoid tripping over time zone lines, as this one is a game the Huskies cannot lose if they want any chance of the CFP. The Friday night factor is also there, but it helps that UW will have played Friday the week before.
Pick: Washington 27, Purdue 16
Washington at Nebraska
Oct. 31
I had a funny feeling about Wisconsin last season, and I have a similar churning in my gut about this game. It’s another time zone game against a team with some physicality.
Pick: Nebraska 20, Washington 19
No. 18 Penn State at Washington
Nov. 7
Spoiler alert: Penn State will come to Husky Stadium with only one loss. They leave with a second one.
Pick: Washington 27, Penn State 20
Washington at Michigan State
Nov. 14
This is another dreaded trip east in mid-November, but this Michigan State team does not have the defensive talent like that of Wisconsin last season.
Pick: Washington 31, Michigan State 20
No. 6 Indiana at Washington
Nov. 21
I believe Washington’s CFP hopes come down to this game. If the Huskies enter this game 9-1, they’ll need to split the final two for a playoff berth. Indiana is going to be good again this year, but Josh Hoover has turned the ball over 42 times (33 interceptions, nine lost fumbles) in 31 starts at TCU. He loses the ball twice, helping the UW all but secure Jedd Fisch’s first trip to the CFP.
Pick: Washington 24, Indiana 23
Washington at No. 2 Oregon
Nov. 28
Ryan Walters’ defense gives the Huskies a chance at Autzen Stadium, but the Ducks still have an edge in talent that is enough to beat UW at home. Event at 10-2, Washington will need to keep this one relatively close to stop the CFP committee from getting squirrely.
Pick: Oregon 24, Washington 17
This column originally appeared at emeraldcityspectrum.com.
