Pac-12 Announces Apple Cup Is Canceled Due To COVID-19
Nov 22, 2020, 5:33 PM
The Washington Huskies including center Nick Henry (56) hold up the Apple Cup trophy after winning the 112th Apple Cup between the Washington Huskies and the Washington State Cougars on Friday, November 29, 2019 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, WA. (Photo by Christopher Mast/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Christopher Mast/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The Pac-12 announced that the Apple Cup rivalry between Washington and Washington State has been canceled due to COVID-19.
RELATED STORIES
The Apple Cup has been played every year since 1945. The game was scheduled for Friday, November 27 in Pullman.
The Pac-12 released the following statement on Sunday afternoon.
“After consultation with Washington State University, the Pac-12 Conference announced the game involving Washington at Washington State scheduled for Friday, November 27 will not be played,” the statement read. “This decision was made under the Pac-12’s football policy due to Washington State not having the minimum number of scholarship players available for the game as a result of a number of positive football student-athlete COVID-19 cases and resulting isolation of additional football student-athletes under contact tracing protocols. Under Conference policy, the game will be declared a no contest.
“Not contesting this game is very disappointing to our student-athletes and our fans. While all of us want to see our football student-athletes on the field competing, our number one priority must continue to be the health and safety of all those connected to Pac-12 football programs.”
Statement regarding Friday's Washington at Washington State #Pac12FB game: pic.twitter.com/6FIS8ghN7C
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) November 22, 2020
It’s the second game that Washington has had canceled. Their first one was in the first week of the season when Cal had COVID-19 cases in their program. The Huskies are currently 2-0 with wins over Oregon State and Arizona.
This is the second straight week that Washington State won’t play a football game. Their game against Stanford was canceled last week.
According to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, both Washington and Washington State hope to play each other this season. They are targeting December 19, that is if neither team wins the Pac-12 North Division because that date is for the Pac-12 Championship game.
Although the game is being called a no contest by Pac-12, there's a chance game could get rescheduled if there's an opportunity later on. Both would like to do so. If neither team wins North Division, Dec. 19 would make sense. https://t.co/u4RAbSHmC8
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) November 22, 2020
