SEATTLE — The night before the strangest Apple Cup in recent memory was contested at a neutral site and as a non-conference meeting for the first time in more than 60 years, Kingston Fernandez was given a task.
Washington State head coach Jake Dickert wanted cigars for the coaching staff to celebrate should the Cougars prevail. And he tasked his assistant director of operations with making sure they were on hand.
“I texted him yesterday and said, ‘don’t tell any of the coaches, but be ready,'” Dickert said, with his celebratory cigar sitting on the table in front of him.
The Apple Cup was reclaimed by Washington State on Saturday behind three total touchdowns from quarterback John Mateer and a late goal-line stand in a 24-19 win over rival Washington.
Mateer ran for two scores and threw for another, and the Cougars stopped Washington on a fourth-and-goal running play from the 1 with 1:07 remaining to take home the Apple Cup trophy for just the third time since 2008.
It will be housed on the third floor of the Washington State football complex. Dickert would like to keep it there permanently.
“I think we might retire this trophy. I think it's a Pac-12 trophy. I think that might stay in our place a long time and we'll bring a new one next year,” Dickert said.
The realignment chaos of the past year threatened to end the rivalry game with Washington now in the Big Ten and Washington State's Pac-12 uncertainty. The Cougars did find some future security this week with news that the Pac-12 is starting to rebuild thanks to the addition of four schools in 2026.
But winning the game felt more meaningful to the Cougars after being left out in the reshuffling of schools, conferences and allegiances. And while purple may have outnumbered crimson in the crowd for the game played at Lumen Field, the Cougars were the ones celebrating on the field at the end.
“Coach kept saying we worked 9 1/2 months for this moment, just trust our preparation and everything," Mateer said referencing last November's 24-21 loss to the Huskies. “Looking back on those 9 1/2 months to come out here and perform, and it wasn't our best, and we still got it done.”
Mateer ran for touchdowns of 23 and 25 yards and threw a 16-yard touchdown to Josh Meredith in the third quarter that gave the Cougars (3-0) a 24-16 lead. Mateer finished 17 of 34 passing for 245 yards and added 62 yards rushing.
The 25-yard touchdown run came on third-and-20 in the final seconds of the first half and was a significant momentum swing that gave the Cougars a 17-13 halftime lead. The TD capped a 91-yard touchdown drive and Washington State never trailed again.
“End of the half and end of the game, we let up seven points on third-and-20 and we didn't score on fourth-and-1 one the 1. That's the story,” Washington coach Jedd Fisch said.
The fourth-and-1 play Fisch referred to will be debated for a long time in Apple Cup lore. The Huskies reached the Washington State 10 and on third-and-goal, Denzel Boston was forced out at the 1, setting up the final play.
Following a time out, the Huskies called an option play to the short-side of the field and Jonah Coleman had nowhere to go, getting stopped for a 2-yard loss.
“(Washington's) not really a speed option team, for them to run that I was kind of surprised," Washington State defensive lineman Andrew Edson said. "But, you know, we stopped it.”
Coleman, who topped 100 yards rushing in the first two games of the season, was limited to 75 yards on 14 carries. Will Rogers threw for 314 yards and a touchdown for Washington (2-1) and Giles Jackson had eight catches for 162 yards, including a 31-yard TD in the first quarter. But the Huskies were forced to settle for field goals on three trips inside the Washington State 25 and that proved the difference.
“It's never fun losing, especially to a rival, and just kind of feeling the pressure of the success some of my other teammates have had," Rogers said. "I want to win, that's all I really care about.”
The takeaway
Washington State: The Cougars will lament their fourth-quarter execution on offense. Mateer threw one interception, nearly threw another, and the Cougars threw incomplete on third-and-10 with 3:46 left. Not only did Washington State not get a first down, but the clock stopped.
Washington: After being fairly clean with penalties the first two games, Washington's discipline was awful. The Huskies were called for 16 penalties for 135 yards. Several were critical calls that kept drives alive for the Cougars.
Up next
Washington State: The Cougars will host San Jose State on Friday.
Washington: The Huskies open Big Ten play hosting Northwestern next Saturday.