Apple Cup 2026 Picks: Washington vs. Washington State Odds — SkimNews
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- Washington and Washington State meet in the Apple Cup on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET at Husky Stadium, closing out college football's Week 1, with the Huskies having won 10 of the last 12 meetings including a 59-24 rout last season in Pullman.
- Kirby Moore takes over as Washington State's head coach after three seasons as Missouri's offensive coordinator, inheriting a team that finished 7-6 in 2025 with a bowl win over Utah State.
- Jedd Fisch enters his third season at Washington after a nine-win 2025 campaign, aiming for a College Football Playoff berth with quarterback Demond Williams Jr. back in the fold after a brief transfer portal stint.
- Transfer quarterback Caden Pinnick is the central question for Washington State's offense, supported by returning running back Kirby Vorhees and presumed top receiver Tony Freeman as the Cougars compete in the new-look Pac-12.
- Washington's defense returns key contributors Alex McLaughlin, Xe'ree Alexander, and Jacob Lane, though the article flags potential regression in turnover rate and pass rush as areas needing peripheral players to step up.
- The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, gives Washington State a 22% chance to win outright and backs the Cougars at +23.5, noting Washington State covered that spread in six of the last seven Apple Cups.
Why it matters: Sunday's Apple Cup gives first-year Cougars coach Moore an early measuring stick against a Huskies team chasing a College Football Playoff berth under Fisch. The 23.5-point spread reflects talent gap expectations, but Washington State has covered that number in six of the last seven meetings, making this a live dog spot for bettors despite a 22% simulation win rate.
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