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Washington State band drummers
Washington and Washington State have one of the longest-running rivalries in college football, and they’ll open up the 2026 season by meeting in the 118th edition of the Apple Cup. However, the latter’s band won’t be joining the Cougars on the road, and its director has added some unexpected intrigue by declining to explain why that won’t be the case.
It’s been more than 125 years since the football teams at Washington and Washington State met on the gridiron for the first time. It’s unclear how many people gathered to watch the showdown that unfolded in Seattle on November 29, 1900, but they were treated to an absolute barnburner that ended in a 5-5 tie.
The two teams have met on a regular basis since then and have been playing for the Apple Cup, the trophy whose name is also used to refer to the rivalry game, since it was presented for the first time in 1963.
The Huskies are firmly the big brother in the series with a 77-34-6 all-time record, and they have padded that lead by winning 13 of the 16 matchups that have transpired since 2009.
They’ll have home-field advantage on their side as heavy favorites when they host the Cougars to kick off the season on September 6th, a game that won’t feature a traditional halftime battle between the bands representing both schools due to a fairly last-minute decision on the part of Washington State.
No one knows why Washington State’s band isn’t traveling to Seattle for the Apple Cup
The Apple Cup has traditionally showcased the marching bands of both schools at halftime, but according to The Daily Evergreen, that will not be the case when it’s held at Husky Stadium this year.
The outlet reports the musicians who rep the Cougars won’t be making the 285-mile trip from Pullman to Seattle. However, it’s not entirely clear why that’s the case, as band director Jon Sweet simply responded with a “No comment” when given the chance to elaborate on the decision.
The most likely explanation seems to stem from the accommodations for the band, which may be relegated to the upper deck (a move that other college football teams have pulled and that you kind of have to respect when it involves a game against a sworn rival).
The Daily Evergreen speculates that the combination of the lack of prominence and the amount of time it would take to make the trek from the nosebleeds and back for the halftime show may have played a role in the decision, but that seems like a pretty weak excuse when you consider the historic nature of the rivalry.
It also reports that members of the band have been sworn to secrecy (saying they “have been instructed not to discuss the decision”), and a representative for Washington deflected any blame, saying,
“Decisions regarding whether a visiting institution brings its marching band to Husky Stadium are made by that institution.
We would defer to Washington State regarding its decision not to bring the band to this year’s Apple Cup.”
You do have to wonder if the cost of transportation played a role in the decision, as it’s not exactly cheap to send a band that’s composed of around 200 members (including its color guard) to an away game.
However, if there’s any contest where it would be justified, you’d have to think it’s the Apple Cup.