This story contains editorial content, including both Evergreen sports section editors.
We may be rivals on the gridiron, but not in the newsroom. Early this week Jett Hatch, my co-editor, and I got the chance to sit down with the sports editor for The Daily, UW’s student paper, Andrew Michael Sousa.
At first, I was worried to talk. WSU’s 59-10 loss to North Texas gave me little ground to stand on in a debate.
But, as we discussed, our conversation took us to many different parts of the Apple Cup rivalry. Potential breakout players, WSU’s underdog mentality and the future of the PAC-12.
Hatch and I were quick to admit that the North Texas game gives the Cougs a rough look. But even with that game on the ledger, you can never truly count out the Cougs.
“We have that one chance,” Hatch said. “Where if everything goes right and maybe there is a muffed punt or something weird happens we have a shot.”
Knowing WSU’s identity, I could not help but agree.
“That’s the thing about the Cougs,” I said. “We find ways to get that one alternate reality where we win.”
Even Sousa had to concede that this year’s Apple Cup will not be as easy as people think.
“I’m not as optimistic,” Sousa said. “With what happened against North Texas people are saying Huskies by a billion. But I am cautiously optimistic. If Washington plays as it should, which is to give [Jonah] Coleman as many touches as he wants and let Demond [Williams] take care of the rest, Washington should absolutely win this game.”
Besides Coleman and Williams, Sousa predicts two other players having breakout games against the Cougs.
“Denzel Boston, that’s the receiver you might be worried about,” he said. “I think that [also] leaves a lot of opportunities for Dezmen Roebuck.”
Those two receivers may give WSU’s defense a run for their money. However, on the Cougs’ side, both Hatch and I see Josh Meredith and Jeremiah Noga having breakout games.
The two receivers have gotten few targets in the early season, leaving two of the team’s biggest assets untouched. In addition to wanting Noga and Meredith to get more targets, I shared my thoughts on the QB race.
“I think Jaxon Potter needs to develop,” I said. “We rolled him out too soon. He wasn’t fully baked. When you have Zevi [Eckhaus] in your quarterback room and this is his last year in college football, why are we rolling out the redshirt sophomore who needs more time?”
As we talked about the all-time rivalry, Sousa was curious what we thought about the future of the Apple Cup outside the PAC-12.
“It’s still a rivalry game at the end of the day,” I said. “It’s still the Apple Cup whether or not we play in the PAC-12. The Apple Cup for a lot of WSU fans is all that matters. We could go 1-11 and win the Apple Cup and I will consider that a win.”
When it comes to UW’s departure to the Big-10 and the PAC-12’s collapse, we each had our own thoughts.
“I think Washington ultimately made the right move long-term going to the Big-10,” Sousa said. “But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss the PAC-12.”
For Hatch, WSU missed an opportunity to move on from the PAC-12 and reinvent itself in the Mountain West.
“We’re in Pullman, Washington. We’ve always been at a disadvantage recruiting,” Hatch said. “I think we would have been a very great Mountain West level program.”
Personally, the lack of a consistent conference has had me itching for the PAC-12’s revival.
“I just want the PAC-12 back,” I said. “I just want to be in a conference. I mean soccer is playing WCC, volleyball is playing WCC, football is playing MWC teams and baseball has been playing Mountain West. It’s this hodgepodge of different conferences.”
Conference anxiety aside, Sousa understands that the home field advantage may have odds makers in the wrong.
“I think it is going to be closer than 20 and a half. I’m not a betting man, but if you are I would take the under on that,” he said. “It’s an environment at Martin Stadium that nobody at Washington has ever seen before.”
With only a few days left until kick off, we will be anxious to see how this rivalry matchup pans out. Although the three of us do not all see eye-to-eye, we can all agree that this year’s Apple Cup could be one to remember.
