Scooter Chapman
Spotlight on Sports
Published on Wed, Nov 25, 2009 by Scooter ChapmanRead More Chapman
It's Apple Cup time, Husky and Cougar fans.
Forget the records, forget the fact that neither team is going to a bowl game, forget the cold and wet weather, it's Dawgs vs. Cats at Husky Stadium on Saturday afternoon with almighty television dictating a 3:30 p.m. start, so if you're going to the game, bundle up to stay warm.
Remember when the Huskies used to dominate the Pacific Northwest? The Huskies always beat Washington State, Oregon and Oregon State. My, how things have changed in the past few years.
Although both teams have had trouble the past two seasons, it's been the Cougars as the dominating team in the Apple Cup. The Cougs have won four of the past five games, getting last year's contest in Pullman, 16-13.
Two years ago it was WSU, 42-35, at Husky Stadium. Before that, the Dawgs took a 35-32 nail-biter in Martin Stadium. In 2005, it was the Cougs 26-22 and in 2004, it was the Cougs in 2005 and 28-25 for WSU in 2004.
The 102nd meeting of the two teams should be very interesting as both teams give up a lot of yards on defense and offensive teams have struggled to sustain drives and score touchdowns inside the 20-yard line.
Looking back
There have been some great Apple Cup games and great contests between the cross-state rivals, two stand out and let's look at them:
1936 - It was the original Husky Stadium and WSU entered the game trailing the first-place Huskies by one game in the conference standings, the first time the two teams would play for the league title.
The contest was called the game-of-the-day in the nation but turned into a 40-0 Husky rout. WSU did not register a first down until the last quarter and they recorded only two first downs, never getting into Washington territory. Washington went on to the Rose Bowl.
1981 - The Cougars were ranked 14th in the nation, Washington was ranked 17th. It was the biggest game since that 1936 affair.
The game matched the tough Washington defense against the high-scoring Cougars but Washington prevailed 23-10.
The Cougars led 7-3 late in the second quarter, Steve Pelluer hit Paul Skansi with a pass in the end zone, then WSU drove the ball 69 yards in the second half to tie it up.
The Dawgs went ahead 17-10 on a run by Ron Jackson, then Chuck Nelson, the current Husky color commentator on the Husky radio network, kicked a field goal with three minutes to play.
On the same day, USC upended UCLA and the Huskies went back to the Rose Bowl.
Of course, there have been some other great Apple Cup games, the Snow Bowl in Pullman being one of those, but every time the two teams meet, it's another great game and will be remembered by all who play in the game and all who watch the game.
There have been some who have wanted to put this game in Qwest Field each year where 67,000 could watch. The average Apple Cup game in Pullman draws about 35,000, while the game at Husky Stadium draws 72,000 even on bad years for the Huskies.
I doubt if the game ever will be moved to Seattle on a permanent basis, but it is a thought.
Which team prevails this Saturday? I think the Huskies, with two weeks to prepare for the Cougars, will win the contest, but don't look for a high-scoring affair.
On the other hand, it could be wide open with offenses prevailing. In that case I like the Huskies, say 31-24.
Columns by KONP 1450 AM sports announcer Scooter Chapman appear weekly in the Sequim Gazette. He can be reached via e-mail at scooter@olypen.com.
Forget the records, forget the fact that neither team is going to a bowl game, forget the cold and wet weather, it's Dawgs vs. Cats at Husky Stadium on Saturday afternoon with almighty television dictating a 3:30 p.m. start, so if you're going to the game, bundle up to stay warm.
Remember when the Huskies used to dominate the Pacific Northwest? The Huskies always beat Washington State, Oregon and Oregon State. My, how things have changed in the past few years.
Although both teams have had trouble the past two seasons, it's been the Cougars as the dominating team in the Apple Cup. The Cougs have won four of the past five games, getting last year's contest in Pullman, 16-13.
Two years ago it was WSU, 42-35, at Husky Stadium. Before that, the Dawgs took a 35-32 nail-biter in Martin Stadium. In 2005, it was the Cougs 26-22 and in 2004, it was the Cougs in 2005 and 28-25 for WSU in 2004.
The 102nd meeting of the two teams should be very interesting as both teams give up a lot of yards on defense and offensive teams have struggled to sustain drives and score touchdowns inside the 20-yard line.
Looking back
There have been some great Apple Cup games and great contests between the cross-state rivals, two stand out and let's look at them:
1936 - It was the original Husky Stadium and WSU entered the game trailing the first-place Huskies by one game in the conference standings, the first time the two teams would play for the league title.
The contest was called the game-of-the-day in the nation but turned into a 40-0 Husky rout. WSU did not register a first down until the last quarter and they recorded only two first downs, never getting into Washington territory. Washington went on to the Rose Bowl.
1981 - The Cougars were ranked 14th in the nation, Washington was ranked 17th. It was the biggest game since that 1936 affair.
The game matched the tough Washington defense against the high-scoring Cougars but Washington prevailed 23-10.
The Cougars led 7-3 late in the second quarter, Steve Pelluer hit Paul Skansi with a pass in the end zone, then WSU drove the ball 69 yards in the second half to tie it up.
The Dawgs went ahead 17-10 on a run by Ron Jackson, then Chuck Nelson, the current Husky color commentator on the Husky radio network, kicked a field goal with three minutes to play.
On the same day, USC upended UCLA and the Huskies went back to the Rose Bowl.
Of course, there have been some other great Apple Cup games, the Snow Bowl in Pullman being one of those, but every time the two teams meet, it's another great game and will be remembered by all who play in the game and all who watch the game.
There have been some who have wanted to put this game in Qwest Field each year where 67,000 could watch. The average Apple Cup game in Pullman draws about 35,000, while the game at Husky Stadium draws 72,000 even on bad years for the Huskies.
I doubt if the game ever will be moved to Seattle on a permanent basis, but it is a thought.
Which team prevails this Saturday? I think the Huskies, with two weeks to prepare for the Cougars, will win the contest, but don't look for a high-scoring affair.
On the other hand, it could be wide open with offenses prevailing. In that case I like the Huskies, say 31-24.
Columns by KONP 1450 AM sports announcer Scooter Chapman appear weekly in the Sequim Gazette. He can be reached via e-mail at scooter@olypen.com.
© 2009 Sequim Gazette. All rights reserved. 147 West Washington, Sequim, WA 98382 • 360.683.3311 • Email the Webmaster