The college football landscape has seen a lot of changes lately, with teams switching conferences and adapting to new schedules. Unfortunately, some historic rivalry games have been lost in the transition. However, this weekend in the Pacific Northwest, we still have the privilege of witnessing a couple of iconic in-state matchups.
First up is the famous Boeing Apple Cup at Lumen Field in Seattle, home of the Seattle Seahawks. On September 14, the Washington Huskies will face off against Washington State in their 116th meeting. This game, which originated back in 1900, has become one of college football’s most storied rivalries. The teams started competing for the coveted Apple Cup trophy in 1963, which got its name from one of the state’s most recognized crops.
Meanwhile, on that same day, the No. 9 Oregon Ducks will be traveling to Oregon State. It’s the first time in the history of their long-standing rivalry that this game is played in September, all thanks to the scheduling shakeup.
Will Rogers, the starting quarterback for Washington State, has been making waves since transferring from Mississippi State. He has completed an impressive 41 of 52 pass attempts, amounting to 511 yards, and has thrown five touchdowns without a single interception over the course of two games.
According to BetMGM Sportsbook, Washington is favored by 4.5 points in their matchup against Washington State.
As for the Oregon Ducks, they began their season with victories over Idaho (24-14) and Boise State (37-34). Their quarterback, Dillon Gabriel, has been exceptional, completing 59 of 70 pass attempts and boasting an impressive 84.3% completion rate over the two games. Gabriel currently ranks third in the nation in this category. Additionally, he leads the Big Ten conference and holds the 13th position nationally for passing yards with a combined total of 623 yards.
In the game against Oregon State, the Ducks are heavily favored by 16.5 points, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.