Washington State vs. Washington Prediction, Betting Pick, Latest CFB Odds for Sunday, September 6th
Washington State and Washington renew the Apple Cup on Sunday with the Cougars beginning the Kirby Moore era against a ranked Huskies team that dominated last season's meeting. Washington has the more established quarterback and deeper roster, but a spread of more than three touchdowns creates significant room in a rivalry matchup. Check out this Washington State vs. Washington prediction and best bet for Sunday, September 6.
Peter Alexis - September 6, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT
5 Minute ReadWashington State vs. Washington Prediction: Can Cougars Play Close with Huskies in Annual Rivalry Clash as Big Underdog on Sunday?
Washington State opens its 2026 season on the road against No. 17 Washington at Husky Stadium in Seattle. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00 PM ET on NBC and Peacock, with the Huskies favored by 23.5 points in the first Apple Cup ever played as the season opener.
Kirby Moore takes over a Washington State roster featuring 50 newcomers, including 29 new four-year transfers, while Washington enters Year 3 under Jedd Fisch with quarterback Demond Williams Jr. back after starting every game last season. The Cougars have far more turnover, but they have also brought in one of the most productive young quarterbacks from the FCS level.
Washington State vs. Washington Recent Results
Washington State finished 7-6 last season and ended the year with consecutive victories, including a 34-21 win over Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. The Cougars were particularly competitive away from home against ranked opponents, losing 24-21 at No. 4 Ole Miss, 22-20 at No. 18 Virginia and 24-20 at No. 21 James Madison. Those three losses came by only nine combined points.
Washington went 9-4 overall and 5-4 in Big Ten play. The Huskies lost 26-14 to Oregon in the regular-season finale before responding with a dominant 38-10 victory over Boise State in the LA Bowl. Williams finished his first full season as the starter with 3,065 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Washington State vs. Washington Head to Head
Washington leads the all-time series 77-34-6, but the rivalry has produced more back-and-forth results recently than that overall record suggests. Washington State has won two of the past five meetings, including a 2024 upset at Lumen Field.
- September 20, 2025: Washington 59, Washington State 24
- September 14, 2024: Washington State 24, Washington 19
- November 25, 2023: Washington 24, Washington State 21
- November 26, 2022: Washington 51, Washington State 33
- November 26, 2021: Washington State 40, Washington 13
Last year's matchup was one-sided, with Williams throwing four touchdown passes and rushing for another score while Washington accumulated 471 yards. The Huskies scored 28 fourth-quarter points to turn a competitive middle portion of the game into a 59-24 rout.
Washington State vs. Washington Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: Sunday, September 6th, 2026
- Time: 4:00 PM ET
- Location: Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium, Seattle, WA
- How to Watch: NBC, Peacock
Washington State vs. Washington Odds
- Spread: Washington State +23.5 (-110), Washington -23.5 (-110)
- Total Points: Over 51.5 (-105), Under 51.5 (-115)
- Moneyline: Washington State (+1160), Washington (-2778)
Click here for the latest Washington State vs. Washington Odds
Washington State vs. Washington Line Movement and Betting Splits
The market is trading Washington between roughly -22.5 and -23.5, with 23.5 still widely available on Washington State. The total opened around 50.5 and has moved up to 51.5.
The spread splits are much more interesting. Washington has attracted 66% of bets but only 19% of the handle, while Washington State has just 34% of tickets and a massive 81% of the money. That is one of the strongest ticket-to-money discrepancies on Sunday's board and clearly indicates much larger average wagers on the Cougars.
Washington State vs. Washington Prediction
Washington State's enormous roster turnover is the obvious concern. The Cougars return only four starters, all on offense, and Moore has essentially had to rebuild the rest of the roster in one offseason. The advantage is that he inherited enough offensive pieces to give the Cougars a realistic chance of scoring rather than simply trying to survive.
Caden Pinnick is the most important addition. He threw for 3,206 yards with 32 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions at UC Davis last season while adding 437 yards on the ground. He earned FCS Freshman All-America honors, won Big Sky Freshman of the Year and led UC Davis to the FCS quarterfinals.
Washington still owns a massive quarterback advantage in terms of Power Four experience. Williams was excellent last season and completely controlled the 2025 Apple Cup, accounting for five touchdowns. He is now entering his third year in Fisch's program rather than learning a new offense in Week 1.
The question is whether that advantage justifies asking Washington to create more than three touchdowns of separation in a rivalry game. Washington State repeatedly showed last season that it could travel into difficult environments and remain competitive. Ole Miss, Virginia and James Madison were all ranked home opponents, and none beat the Cougars by more than four.
The Cougars also return both starting tackles, Ashton Tripp and Jonny Lester, along with running back Kirby Vorhees and receiver Tony Freeman. That continuity around Pinnick matters against a Washington defense that will be trying to force a young quarterback into obvious passing situations.
Washington's 59-24 victory last season cannot be dismissed, but the current number has already priced in the possibility of another comfortable Huskies win. Washington State can lose 38-17, 35-14 or 34-13 and still cover. The Cougars do not need to reverse last year's result to cash this ticket.
The betting action reinforces the value of the number. Two-thirds of the individual wagers are taking Washington, yet more than four-fifths of the spread money sits on Washington State. In a rivalry game featuring a talented new quarterback and a Cougars team that consistently stayed close to ranked road opponents last season, 23.5 points is difficult to pass up.
Washington State vs. Washington Best Bet
- Pick: Washington State +23.5 (-110) Check out these best odds at DraftKings Sportsbook
Washington has the superior roster and the more proven quarterback, but the spread requires another blowout rather than simply a comfortable Huskies victory. Washington State went 9-4 against the spread last season and repeatedly showed an ability to hang around against ranked teams away from Pullman.
Pinnick gives Moore a legitimate playmaker to build around, and the extreme 34% bets to 81% money discrepancy makes the Cougars one of Sunday's most interesting larger-wager underdogs.
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