Pac-12 Football: 10 best Apple Cup rivalry games of all time

Through the years, there have been some great Pac-12 football games between rivals Washington and Washington State in what is known as the Apple Cup.

The two teams started playing one another back in 1900, earning the name of “Governor’s Trophy” in 1934. In 1962, the game’s name changed to the “Apple Cup” because of the state’s high production of apples.

This intrastate rivalry divides the Eastern (Washington State) and Western (Washington) halves of the state. Just as the two campuses are totally different — Washington in the urban setting of Seattle and Washington State in the rural setting of Pullman — so, too, is the cultural clash.

While the Iron Bowl is similarly based upon a divide of the Eastern and Western half of the state, the political and cultural division between Alabama and Auburn isn’t significant. Seattle, known as “The Emerald City” and known for being progressive, is worlds apart from the more conservative, agricultural town of Pullman.

The head coaches of each team have thrown some interesting zingers, most notably Washington’s Don James and Washington State’s Jim Walden. James once famously quipped being a Cougar is good preparation for life because it helps one to not expect too much out of life.

In addition to the politics and trash talking, the weather has been another memorable factor in this series, often either snow or rain.

Washington has dominated the series with a 71-32-6 overall record, but there have been numerous games decided in the fourth quarter. Since 1960, 29 of the games in the series were decided by 10 points or less.

Here are 10 of the most memorable Apple Cup games.