Huskies Pull Away Late for Apple Cup Blowout Over WSU
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="4030"]
Washington Huskies coach Jedd Fisch and University of Washington president Robert J. Jones accept the Apple Cup after a 59-24 win on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025 at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Washington. Credit: Aaron Coe/Emerald City Spectrum [/caption]
PULLMAN, Wash. — The story of the 117th Apple Cup ended predictably, but there were some crimson herrings along the way.
New WSU starting quarterback Zevi Eckhaus served as the main plot twist in Saturday’s Apple Cup, when he was given a chance to start in the 117th Apple Cup. Though it took a while, the Washington Huskies finally solved the senior and pulled away for a 59-24 win at Martin Stadium.
It wasn’t as simple as the final score sounds. Washington, 21-point favorites, flipped the script back to the original with UW safety Alex McLaughlin’s 47-yard interception return for a TD and another score moments later after a Zeckhaus fumble. Suddenly, the nailbiter became a blowout.
Washington scored every time it possessed the ball on Saturday — all touchdowns except for Grady Gross’ 51-yard field goal that appeared to be good by 10 yards.
Eckhaus completed 22 of his first 25 attempts, showing why many Cougars fans had been screaming for him to start against the Dawgs. He took advantage of the absence of senior cornerback Tacario Davis, picking on backup Leroy Bryant through the first three quarters. Then, the turnovers that new defensive coordinator Ryan Walters has been looking for became the story.
“We needed to get a takeaway, and that Alex McLaughlin interception for a touchdown, I really think, changed a lot of the momentum,” said Fisch, who won his first Apple Cup and his first game away from Husky Stadium. “I think they had three possessions in a row where they scored touchdowns, and we got that takeaway and were able to score.”
Eckhaus, who earned the start after North Texas blew out WSU 59-10 a week earlier, finished the game 25-for-36 for 277 yards, two TDs and two picks, both by McLaughlin.
A junior transfer from Northern Arizona, where he played against Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. in high school, McLaughlin intercepted Eckhaus twice, including the pick-6, which he wasn’t expecting.
“I was guarding my man, I looked up and I saw the ball,” said McLaughlin, who finished with six tackles. “I saw nothing but green, so I just ran straight and scored.”
While the defense took a while to straighten out, the offense marched up and down the field, scoring seven touchdowns and a field goal. The Huskies haven’t punted since the season opener. A string of 12 straight touchdowns was finally broken by Gross’ kick.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2335"]
Washington Huskies tight ends Quentin Moore (88) and Kade Eldridge (44) hold the Apple Cup trophy on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025 at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Washington. Credit: Aaron Coe/Emerald City Spectrum [/caption]
The win avenged a disappointing 24-19 loss to the Cougars last season, when WSU stopped a fourth-and-goal play at Lumen Field to take the Cup back to Pullman in Fisch’s first season as head coach. Williams said the team watched that play on film, “a lot.”
“It means a lot,” said Williams, who the Cougars struggled to stop in the passing and running game. “Walking throughout the facility, you see it everywhere. The past two weeks, we’ve been harping on you know, ‘Bring it back, bring it back.’ That was our goal coming in here, and we did just that.”
While the UW offensive line didn’t dominate the Cougars early, Williams proved way too much on the outside. With a few designed runs and some scrambles, Williams finished with 13 carries for 88 yards to go along with 16-of-19 for 298 and four touchdowns.
“Demond is sensational,” said Fisch, whose Huskies will host No. 1 Ohio State next. “I think a lot of the country saw what Demond can do today. … He’s a super player, and I can’t wait to see him get better.
Williams was sacked on the game’s first play, and all wearing Crimson in a packed Martin Stadium rejoiced. There was not much rejoicing when the Huskies were on offense after that.
“Shows our resiliency as an offense,” Williams said. “Nobody wavered, nobody batted an eye at a negative play, especially on the first play. You know, the next play we had a 20-yard reception.
Washington State’s defense clearly was on a mission to stop star running back Jonah Coleman, and ground yards were tough to come by early in the game. Coleman used his pass-catching skills to again take advantage of the outside. He finished with six receptions for 104 yards and a TD. He scored twice on the ground among his 12 carries for 59 yards to push his season touchdown total to 10 — equalling his 2024 output with nine games remaining on Washington’s schedule.
Washington State used cloud coverage often against Denzel Boston in an attempt to slow him down, but the 6-4 junior finished with six catches for 107 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Omari Evans, seeing his first game action of the season, raced away from the Cougars for a 59-yard reception for UW’s final TD.
