Sunday’s Apple Cup between No. 17 Washington and Washington State is gonna be an absolute banger, folks, kicking off at 4 p.m. ET and reigniting one of the most heated in-state rivalries in all of college football. Our Huskies have been putting in work, flexing their dominance by winning eight of the last ten meetings against Washington State. That’s some serious bragging rights for our side of the state, right?
Cougars Are Sneaky Good Against The Spread, And The Model Agrees
But hold up, because those Cougars? They’re not just showing up to lose. Get this: they’ve actually covered the spread in seven of the last ten meetings overall. And if that’s not enough to make you raise an eyebrow, Washington State is 6-0 against the spread in recent history. That’s a different kind of dominance, isn’t it? It means these games are always closer than the final score might suggest, or that WSU finds a way to hang tough even when they’re the underdog. SportsLine’s advanced model, which, by the way, is on a serious 32-19 run on top-rated college football money-line picks since the 2024 season and just got upgraded for 2026 to factor in the transfer portal, is actually backing Washington State (+23.5) to cover against Washington. Are we about to see an upset in the spread that nobody’s truly ready for, even with our Huskies’ recent history of winning? You know every 12th man and woman in the Emerald City will be glued to this one.
Beyond the Apple Cup: The Model’s Bold Week 1 Calls
While our eyes are locked on the Apple Cup, there are some other huge Week 1 matchups getting SportsLine’s treatment. Later Sunday evening, at 7:30 p.m. ET, No. 4 Notre Dame and Wisconsin are set to battle it out at Lambeau Field. The Fighting Irish crushed Wisconsin 41-13 back in 2021, and the oddsmakers aren’t expecting much different this time, with Notre Dame listed as a 20.5-point favorite. The over/under for that game is 46.5 points. SportsLine’s model is absolutely hammering Notre Dame to cover that spread, projecting a comfortable 39-12 victory for the Fighting Irish in 65% of its simulations. That’s a confident call, if you ask me. And for the showdown between No. 9 Ole Miss and No. 24 Louisville, the model is looking for a lower-scoring affair, with the Under (54.5) hitting 60% of the time. If you’re feeling lucky, combining these three picks into a Week 1 college football parlay could score you a sweet +585 payout.
So, get ready, Seattle. This Sunday, the Apple Cup is front and center. Can our Huskies keep their winning streak alive, or will the Cougars keep covering that spread and make things interesting? Either way, you know it’s going to be appointment viewing.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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