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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Another Black Friday Apple Cup slated for 2015

PULLMAN – Washington State will only play one weekday football game next season, two fewer than 2014. But the Cougars’ only non-Saturday game in 2015 is another Black Friday Apple Cup, likely a concession to television demands, one that makes it difficult for those East Side residents who must choose between football and the holiday. It was previously thought that after playing the rivalry game on the Friday after Thanksgiving in 2012 and 2013 that the teams would have a least a two-year period of Saturday Apple Cups.

The Cougars will have six home games in Martin Stadium next season, including four against Pac-12 opponents.

“This is an attractive home schedule and playing six games in Martin Stadium for the second straight season is a tremendous benefit for our fan base,” said WSU athletic director Bill Moos in a press release. “We have one of the finest football facilities in the country and we take great pride in putting our team and stadium on center stage for our fans, recruits and television audiences across the country.”

Washington State will kick off the 2015 season on Saturday, Sept. 5 with another matchup in Pullman against Portland State, which it beat 59-21 last Saturday. After making a return trip to Rutgers the following week, the Cougars will then host Wyoming in the first matchup between the schools since 1990.

The Cougars will take their one and only bye week before embarking on their conference schedule at California on Oct. 3 and play Oregon in Eugene the following week.

Homecoming will be Oct. 17 against Oregon State. From there the Cougars will travel to Arizona, before returning home for back-to-back games in Pullman against Stanford and Arizona State.

Including those two games, the Cougars will play five of their final six games in the state of Washington. After traveling to Los Angeles to face UCLA the Cougars will close out their home season against Colorado on Nov. 21 and with plenty of turkey left in the fridge they’ll head to Seattle for the Nov. 27 Apple Cup.

For Arizona State coach Todd Graham there’s no question what the biggest game of the year is for his team. Over the last two seasons, seven points combined have decided the games between the Sun Devils and UCLA and the winner of the contest has gone on to win the Pac-12 South.

“I know it’s the game that I’m most excited about,” Graham said.

This week both teams have extra time to prepare for the Sept. 25 matchup with a bye this weekend. The added practices could be particularly useful, given that each team could be without its star quarterback.

Arizona State’s Taylor Kelly is almost certain to miss the game, while Brett Hundley’s status for UCLA is up in the air.

WR Myers tabbed for Biletnikoff

WSU receiver Isiah Myers has been added to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List following his 227-yard, three-touchdown performance against Portland State last weekend the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation announced.

The award will be given on December 11 to the best receiver in college football as determined by online fan voting. Were Myers to win it would mark the third time a receiver has won the award while being coached by Mike Leach – the first two were in 2007 and 2008 when Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree won back-to-back.