The Apple Cup arrives with plenty of uncertainty on both sides, but Washington has a few especially interesting questions to answer when it opens the 2026-27 season against Washington State at 1 p.m. PT on Sunday at Husky Stadium in Seattle.
The Cougars are starting over under first-year head coach Kirby Moore with an almost completely retooled roster, so there’s no shortage of unknowns in Pullman’s corner of the rivalry. Washington, meanwhile, is in its third season under Jedd Fisch and still has some spots that need to be sorted out once the real action begins.
One of the biggest early tests comes in the secondary, where Washington’s new cornerback pairing will be thrown right into the fire. Defensive coordinator Ryan Walters is set to face Cougars quarterback Caden Pinnick for the second straight season, after Pinnick was with UC Davis last year and went 8-for-16 in a 70-10 Washington win. This time, Pinnick brings a better supporting cast after finishing his season as the Big Sky Freshman of the Year and a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) First-team Freshman All-American.
Washington’s cornerback situation is still coming together, and that makes this matchup even more worth watching. Robinson was singled out by both Prysock and Davis as the "next man up" and has been talked about by the coaching staff as a future NFL draft pick, but he missed most of training camp.
Karnley has been one of the team’s better competitors in offseason work, though his 6-foot-1 size has often left him on the wrong end of 50-50 balls. Robinson is listed at 6-foot-3, and the Huskies will want to see how that combination holds up before Big Ten play ramps up.
Washington also expects to learn a lot about its first-year starters right away. The Huskies could have at least three, and possibly four, true freshmen in starting roles for the opener. Edge rusher Ramzak Fruean, interior defensive lineman Derek Colman-Brusa and left tackle Kodi Greene are all projected to start, while cornerback Jeron Jones could either open at nickel or split time with returner Rahshawn Clark.
The staff has made its approach clear: the "best players will play." That gives Washington some built-in cover, since more experienced options are available at every spot the freshmen are expected to play. Still, how those young players handle the speed and physicality of their first game will be one of the season’s recurring storylines.
The backfield brings another layer of intrigue. Second-year running back Quaid Carr is set to start, but Washington plans to rotate him with fourth-year back Jayden Limar and sixth-year back Trey Cooley in a committee setup. The Huskies are not expected to lean on that trio the way they did Jonah Coleman, but the way the touches are distributed - and how each back handles them - could shape the rotation moving forward.
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Washington Recruiting Momentum Just Put Danny Sprinkle In A Huge Spot
Washingtons mens basketball recruiting push is starting to look like a real early test for Danny Sprinkles staff, with the Huskies working hard on top talent from the Classes of 2027 and 2028. One of the biggest names on that board is five-star shooting guard Jordan Mize, a nationally ranked prospect with a growing list of major offers, and his presence on the Huskies radar says plenty about how aggressively Washington is trying to build forward momentum.
Mize is set to make an official visit to campus in September, and that trip figures to be a key moment in the process as Washington tries to turn interest into something more concrete. If the Huskies can keep making progress there, it would be another signal that Sprinkle is not just chasing talent, but beginning to stack up real momentum with the kind of player who can change the direction of a recruiting class. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Gets An Early Chance To Shake Up The Rivalry
The 2026 season will open with a familiar edge for the Huskies, who are set to face Washington State right away in a rivalry game that already carries extra weight. Washington comes in ranked No. 17 and favored to handle the Cougars, but the backdrop matters too: the Huskies have had their share of growing pains since moving into the Big Ten after thriving in the Pac-12, and early September will offer a quick read on where they stand.
A big reason for optimism is Demond Williams Jr., who is back as the starting quarterback after a strong previous season and gives Washington a steady hand as it tries to settle into its new conference life. The rivalry matchup gives the Cougars an early chance to make things uncomfortable, and for the Huskies it is the kind of game that can either reinforce expectations or expose how much work still remains. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Faces A Huge Apple Cup Test With Elite Recruit Watching
The Apple Cup already carries plenty of weight in Washington State rivalry week, but this one has an added recruiting wrinkle with four-star tight end Tytan McNeal set to be in the building. McNeal is working through official visits and will take in the matchup between the Huskies and Cougars, giving Washington a chance to show off the program in front of one of the top offensive prospects in the country.
For the Huskies, the timing matters as much as the opponent. A strong showing in a game like this can leave an impression on elite recruits, especially one weighing multiple schools and looking closely at how a program handles pressure atmospheres. Washington has plenty to sell, but the result on the field could shape how much momentum it carries with McNeal once the visits keep rolling. [Read more 🡒]