Apple Cup judgment day is here

How's everybody feeling today? Are you nervous? Excited? Feeling dread?

The Apple Cup brings out a bunch of emotions, and when the Washington State Cougars and Washington Huskies get together, it could get wild.

Or it could be a dud, like the last few years.

I've gone back and forth with this game. I was in the "dread" category much of the week, but parts of me are slowly pulling me toward the optimists. Yeah, anything can happen. I don't want to get too comfortable, though, because my hopes have been set on fire before.

There was 2013 when we were finally bowl eligible and looking for an extra win and therefore a better bowl game.

Nope.

In 2014, I thought the conditions were too much for UW.

Frozen nope.

In 2015, we were back! UW was transitioning, and although we had a backup quarterback starting his first game, we'd beaten teams better than UW.

Nope.

Last year, the stakes were high. Winner takes the north. The game was at home. There was no way we'd come out flat, right?

It was 28-3 after the first quarter—NOPE!

The stakes are high again today. Win, and the Cougs take the North. UW is playing for a better bowl game, perhaps the Alamo Bowl, even. It's an opportunity for Luke Falk to beat the Huskies and notch a win against the only team he hasn't beaten. It's a chance for Mike Leach to beat Chris Petersen.

Despite last year's performance, I wish this was a home game. One of the loudest noises I ever heard was Husky Stadium during the 2005 Apple Cup. The stadium is better now, so I assume it's just as loud or louder (you'll never see me in Husky Stadium again). We've seen how this team plays on the road compared to Martin Stadium, and all those fans making noise when WSU has the ball can't be easy to play against.

And then there's UW's defense. It's fourth in the nation (WSU is 11th). Can WSU's 27th-ranked offense find a way to win? That's what I think it'll come down to. Everybody is talking about WSU's defense, but the matchup of WSU's offense and UW's defense is key, I think. So far, Chris Petersen has Leach's number.

We'll find out if that changes today starting at 5 p.m. on Fox. Deep breaths, everybody.

Links

Football

The pick: Why Washington will beat Washington State in the 110th Apple Cup | The Spokesman-Review
The big winner on Saturday? It won’t be Washington State or Washington. It’ll be Stanford.

Two minute drill: Keys to victory for Washington State against Washington | The Spokesman-Review
Theo Lawson’s keys for a possible Washington State victory over Washington on Saturday at Husky Stadium.

Washington State seniors eager to cross off a few more bucket-list items in 110th Apple Cup | The Spokesman-Review
In Saturday’s rivalry game, Cougars can book a spot in next week’s Pac-12 Championship game and end a four-year skid against their main nemesis.

Take a look at 3 fanmobiles, where Huskies, Cougars have poured their hearts — and cash | The Seattle Times
They have spent from $10,000 to $30,000 turning a couple of ambulances and one bookmobile into tricked-out UW, WSU and Seahawks fanmobiles. They don’t have a deep philosophical explanation. They’re fans, you know?

Apple Cup Pick 'em | The Seattle Times
Two pick the Huskies, two pick the Cougs.

Top 10 Apple Cup games of all time | The Seattle Times
Here's a cool project.

Apple Cup: Who has the edge? Breaking down UW and WSU position-by-position | The Seattle Times
They give the edge at quarterback to Jake Browning. Discuss.

Basketball

Hey! The men's basketball team got a big win! The final score was 84-79 but it wasn't even that close. Malachi Flynn had 26 points as the Cougs took down no. 21 Saint Mary's, the preseason favorite in the West Coast Conference (according to the coaches poll).

For those keeping track, the Cougs are 5-0. They'll play the San Diego State Aztecs tomorrow at 9 p.m. PST in the championship game of the Wooden Legacy Tournament.

Being 5-0 is nice, and the win against Saint Mary's was impressive. But let's not get ahead of ourselves:

Malachi Flynn’s 26 points carry Washington State over No. 21 Saint Mary’s | The Spokesman-Review
Malachi Flynn scored 26 points and Washington State held off No. 21 Saint Mary’s 84-79 to reach the title game of the Wooden Legacy on Friday.

Volleyball

WSU Volleyball Falls at No. 12 Washington - WSUCougars.com | Washington State University Athletics
The Cougar volleyball team fell in straight sets at UW.