Apple Cup

100th Anniversary All-Time Apple Cup Team

By SPNW StaffUpdated:7 Comments4 Mins Read
Mel Hein, who starred for the Cougars in the early 1930s, became the NFL’s first-ever NFL Most Valuable Player in 1938 — as a center. / Photo by Washington State University

Prior to the 100th renewal of the Apple Cup in 2007, the (now defunct) Seattle Post-Intelligencer selected its all-time Apple Cup team. This is that team (notable performances since 2007 are listed below):

Pos. Player School Years Skinny
WR Spider Gaines UW 75-78 Averaged 24 YPC in 3 Apple Cups; caught 78-yard winning TD in ’75
WR Hugh Campbell WSU 60-62 Caught 10 passes for 178 yards and scored a 75-yard TD in 1962
OT Lincoln Kennedy UW 89-92 1992 All-America allowed only 2 sacks in his 4 years with the UW
OT Glen Edwards WSU 29-31 1930 All-American later voted to College and Pro Halls of Fame
OG Max Starcevich UW 34-36 Consensus All-America in 1936 when UW finished 5th in AP vote
OG Dan Lynch WSU 81-83 Unanimous All-Pac-10 selection as  junior and senior
C Mel Hein WSU 28-30 Member of all-time teams in college football and professional football
TE Aaron Pierce UW 88-91 Only UW tight end to catch 2 TDs in one Apple Cup game (1990)
QB Drew Bledsoe WSU 90-92 In 1992, threw for 259 yards, 2 TDs in a Pullman snow storm
RB Hugh McElhenny UW 49-51 Had 3 100-yard rushing games, including 296 yards, 5 TDs in 1950
RB Rueben Mayes WSU 80-82 Cougar star ran for 165 yards in 1984 and 167 yards in 1985
DL Steve Emtman UW 89-91 Won Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award as a junior in 1991
DL Vic Markov UW 35-37 Named first-team All-America by Walter Camp and Liberty in 1937
DL Kai Ellis UW 01-02 4 tackles for loss, caused key fumble in 2002 triple-overtime game
DL Keith Millard WSU 81-83 All-American set 12 WSU records for tackles for loss and sacks
LB Rick Redman UW 62-64 Made All-America 3 times; averaged 12 tackles per game
LB Michael Jackson UW 75-78 In the 1977 Apple Cup, matched own school record with 29 tackles
LB Gary Larsen WSU 72-74 Had 10 tackles in 197 Cup and danced over prone Sonny Sixkiller
DB Lamont Thompson WSU 97-01 Picked off 3 passes in Rose Bowl clincher at Husky Stadium in 1997
DB George Wilson UW 23-25 In 1925, ran 40 yards for a TD, returned an INT 90 yards for a TD
DB Eric Johnson WSU 71-73 Intercepted 3 passes in 1972 in Washington State’s 27-10 victory
DB Al Burleson WSU 73-75 93-yard INT TD set up Washington’s 1975 Apple Cup victory
P Channing Wyles UW 89-90 Averaged 52.0 yards on 4 punts in 1990, including 65 yarder
K John Anderson UW 99-02 Kicked a record nine FGs in 4 Apple Cups, including 5 in 2002
Return Ernie Steele UW 39-41 Only player with 2 80+-yard scoring plays in the Apple Cup

Since the Post-Intelligencer selected its 100th anniversary Apple Cup team, these players have most distinguished themselves:

WASHINGTON

  • Chris Polk has rushed for 314 yards in three wins over the Cougars — 130 yards in Washington’s 30-0 shutout in 2009, 284 in Washington’s 35-18 win in 2010 and 100 in a 38-21 victory in 2011. His 284 yards in 2010 are the second-highest, single-game rushing total in Apple Cup history.
  • WR Jermaine Kearse caught six passes for 178 yards in Washington’s 35-18 win in 2010.
  • Keith Price threw three touchdown passes in Washington’s 38-21 victory at CenturyLink Field in 2011.

WASHINGTON STATE

  • Quarterback Alex Brink produced two, 300-yard passing games against Washington: 328 in 2006 and a game-record 399 in 2007. Brink is the only quarterback in WSU history to beat the Huskies three times (2004, 2005, 2007).
  • Mike Lobbestael threw for 344 yards and three touchdowns in Washington State’s 38-21 loss to Washington in 2011.
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7 Comments

  4. pixel13 on

    As gdwg said: DB
    Al Burleson
    WSU
    73-75has the wrong school.
    Now, maybe you got this from the P-I, but still.

  5. pixel13 on

    As gdwg said: DB
    Al Burleson
    WSU
    73-75has the wrong school.
    Now, maybe you got this from the P-I, but still.