The Apple Cup: A Retrospective

The 1997 Apple Cup is the greatest win in Washington State history. The Cougars' first Rose Bowl berth was in large part due to this win. With a 9-1 record, the 11th-ranked Cougars needed a win in the finale to clinch a spot in the Rose Bowl. They were hanging on by a thread as UCLA was right on Wazzu's tail.

The 17th-ranked Huskies were a solid team, coming in with a 7-3 mark. In this high-scoring affair, future second-overall pick Ryan Leaf cemented his place as the most impactful quarterback in WSU history. He led the Cougars to a thrilling 41-35 victory that sent Wazzu to the Rose Bowl. It was the Cougars' first Pasadena appearance since 1931. This game became known for wideout Chris Jackson's incredible performance.

He caught two touchdowns, including a 57-yard grab in which he ran over Washington's Tony Parrish. This came after he was quoted in the media as saying that he had no respect for Washington and that he wasn't going to let them get in his way of a trip to the Rose Bowl and claim the PAC-10 title. He sure backed up his talk. After many heartbreaks for Wazzu's fans, they finally caught their big fish. Unfortunately, Wazzu would lose a close battle to Michigan in the Rose Bowl. But this was the pinnacle of the program.