WSU Opens New Era with Historic Apple Cup Matchup
Washington State University (WSU) is set to open its new era under head coach Kirby Moore with a trip to Seattle for the Boeing Apple Cup against No. 17 Washington. This matchup marks a milestone in the series, as it's the first time the Apple Cup will be played at the start of the season.
Moore has brought significant changes to WSU, including 50 new players on the roster, with 29 transfers from four-year schools. The team returns 24 letterwinners from last year's squad, which went 7-6 and capped off the season with a win over Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Among those returning is quarterback Caden Pinnick, who was named the starting QB by Moore. Pinnick earned FCS Freshman All-America honors last season at UC Davis, where he threw for 3,206 yards and 32 touchdowns. He also rushed for 437 yards and three touchdowns.
The Cougars are looking to break a streak of not beating a ranked opponent on the road since 2022. They've only done so twice in their history: against No. 19 Wisconsin in 1994 and No. 15 Nebraska in 1977.