PULLMAN, Wash. — The annual football game against University of Washington Huskies and Washington State University Cougars, better known as the Boeing Apple Cup, will be canceled this year due to coronavirus, according to Pac-12.
The game was initially set to be played on Friday, Nov. 27.
In a statement, Pac-12 said:
"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. 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."
UW Director of Athletics Jennifer Cohen said, in part, "This is so disappointing for our players, coaches and staff, as well as Husky Nation as we were all looking forward to the Boeing Apple Cup this week. This is one of the best rivalries in college sports and every year we circle this game at the start of the season. We will work with Pac-12 to prioritize this game and look into any opportunities to play it should there be an open date for both schools down the road."
Cohen said she understands that the Pac-12 is working with local and state health officials to develop policies to protect student athletes and coaching staff as the top priority.
The university is looking for another opportunity to allow the football program to compete this weekend and are working to find other opponents, Cohen said.
In response to the Pac-12 announcement, WSU Director of Athletics Pat Chun said that the Cougs don't have enough eligible scholarship players available to move forward with the game due to a number of positive COVID-19 cases on the WSU roster.
The Cougs' game against Stanford this past Saturday was also canceled for multiple reasons. Nine players were in the coronavirus protocol for testing positive or contact tracing, other injuries hindered the team and then the number of transfers also limited the team from getting to enough scholarship players needed to play Stanford.