One of college football’s oldest regional rivalries will be reignited to open the 2026 season.
After playing at home last year, the Washington State Cougars will be on the road to face off with the University of Washington Huskies in the 2026 Apple Cup. It marks the third meeting between the teams since conference realignment moved the Huskies into the Big Ten; a five-year agreement was signed to keep this rivalry game alive.
Washington leads the all-time series overall, including a dominant 59-24 victory over the Cougars during their 2025 meeting in Pullman.
Watch Washington State vs. No. 17 Washington for free
- When: Sept. 6, 4 p.m. ET
- Where: Husky Stadium (Seattle, Washington)
- How to watch for free: DIRECTV (five-day free trial)
- Channel: CBS
Both programs enter the 2026 season following solid, bowl-winning finishes to their 2025-26 campaigns.
Washington finished with a 9-4 record in its second year in the Big Ten, navigating a tough conference schedule before ending the year on a high note with a commanding 38–10 victory over Boise State in the LA Bowl. They come into this season ranked No. 17 on the AP preseason Top 25.
Washington State finished 7-6, overcoming midseason stumbles to win three of its final four games, capped by a 34-21 victory over Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
If you want to tune in to today’s Apple Cup game, here’s what you need to know.
Washington State vs. Washington start time
The Washington State vs. Washington game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET today, Sept. 6.
How to watch Washington State vs. Washington for free
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the Washington State vs. Washington Apple Cup matchup for free.
DIRECTV is our favorite service for trying live TV for free. We recommend the Choice plan, which includes NBC as part of its 125+ channels. Right now, you get your first five days for free before saving $30 on your first month.
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This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
