On Saturday, the Washington Huskies (2-0) will battle their in-state rivals, the Washington State Cougars (2-1), in the Apple Cup, a near-annual contest which has been played 116 times since 1900. The Huskies are seeking revenge on the Cougars, who defeated the Dawgs 24-19 inside Seattle’s Lumen Field last September to claim the Apple Cup.
This time, the Huskies are headed to Pullman’s Martin Stadium, where they’ve established a four-game winning streak. Second-year Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch is still in search of his first Apple Cup trophy, as are many of his players.
“All of our energy, all of our passion, all of our focus is on the Apple Cup,” Fisch said to reporters on Monday.
His Huskies, who enjoyed a bye last week, will look to reignite the dominant running attack they showcased in Weeks 1 and 2. Through those two weeks, senior running back Jonah Coleman tallied a Power Four-best 288 rushing yards and led the nation with seven rushing TDs.
A week later, 21 FBS players have surpassed Coleman’s yardage total, but the Huskies’ bruising back remains atop the rushing touchdowns leaderboard. Only four other players have reached even six scores. As a result, Washington currently holds the nation’s second-highest Pro Football Focus (PFF) Rushing Grade, an eye-popping 91.0.
Coleman’s efforts have defined the Huskies’ offense so far, but sophomore quarterback Demond Williams Jr. has been solid (34/49, 480 yards, two touchdowns in two games) in support.
The two have also been aided by quality offensive line play, as the unit’s PFF Run Block grade of 82.7 is the nation’s second-best. Although Williams Jr. took three sacks in the season opener against Colorado State, Washington’s PFF Pass Block grade still ranks 25th among 136 FBS teams.
On defense, the Huskies have been solid, with five sacks and two interceptions through two weeks. Their 80.5 rushing yards allowed per game ranks 16th in the nation, while their allowed completion percentage of 50.8 ranks ninth-best.
That defense could be problematic for a Washington State offense which is still trying to find its quarterback. After losing eventual Heisman winner Cam Ward and emerging Heisman contender John Mateer to the transfer portal in back-to-back years, the Cougars are facing a dilemma in the backfield.
This past offseason, redshirt sophomore quarterback Jaxon Potter won a three-way quarterback battle over redshirt senior Zevi Eckhaus and redshirt freshman Jalen Dugger. However, after Potter threw three first-half interceptions in last week’s 59-10 loss to North Texas, both Eckhaus and Dugger saw the field.
Eckhaus played most of the second half and was the most efficient passer, finishing 7/10 for 72 yards and a respectable QBR of 80.2. Though he was sacked once, Eckhaus also finished with three rushing yards and a rushing touchdown, which he scored from two yards out late in the fourth quarter.
Dugger went 0-for-2 through the air, carried the ball four times, and was sacked twice, finishing with -1 total yards. Though Potter completed 16-of-23 pass attempts for 139 yards, three interceptions sunk his QBR to just 26.2.
On Monday, new WSU head coach Jimmy Rogers announced that an open quarterback competition would take place between the three prior to the Apple Cup. However, on Wednesday, Rogers contradicted that statement, telling reporters instead that coaches had selected their starter on the Sunday after the game, before Rogers ever announced the supposed competition.
If a change is indeed made, it’s likely that Eckhaus would get the starting nod. However, Fisch and the Huskies have been preparing for all possibilities.
“We have to have a plan for all three,” Fisch said.
Whoever starts for the Cougars will be shouldering plenty of offensive responsibility. Through three weeks, only Eckhaus and Dugger have rushing scores (one apiece), while only redshirt sophomore Kirby Vorhees (25 carries, 119 yards, no touchdowns) has totalled 100 rushing yards.
The Huskies are listed as 20.5-point favorites, a far cry from the 5.5-point spread the Cougars overcame a year ago. Even at home, it’ll be a tall order for Rogers and the Cougars to take home a win. However, there are upsets in college football every week, and rivalry games aren’t safe from chaos.
With that in mind, Fisch and company are bringing a championship mindset with them to Pullman.
“Our team is really focused, really focused on getting the trophy back here in Seattle,” Fisch said. “And we’re going to do everything we possibly can to get that done.”
The 117th Apple Cup will kick off from Martin Stadium in Pullman at 4:30 p.m. on CBS.