First Look at Washington State at Washington

When/Where: Friday, 12:30 p.m.; Husky Stadium, Seattle

TV: Fox

Records: Washington (5-6, 3-5 Pac-12), Washington State (8-3, 6-2)

Last time: Washington defeated Washington State 31-13 in Pullman (2014)

What it means for WSU: The Cougars have spent two seasons in their $61 million football operations building, but it still isn’t complete. A space was built inside the building’s trophy room to hold the Apple Cup, but the rivalry trophy has never occupied that space. With a win the Cougars can bring the Apple Cup back to Pullman for the first time since 2012. A win would also give the Cougars a nine-win regular season, a feat that has only been matched or beaten six times in the school’s history.

What it means for UW: The Huskies don’t necessarily have to win the Apple Cup to play in a bowl game, but they can assure themselves of a postseason berth with a victory on Friday. The extra bowl practices would be particularly valuable for a young UW team that starts true freshmen at quarterback, running back and left tackle.

Key matchup: WSU quarterback vs. UW secondary

Defensive backs Darren Gardenhire, Kevin King and Sidney Jones all rank among the top-20 in passes defended among Pac-12 defenders, while King and Jones are also tied for No. 3 in the conference with three interceptions each. While the WSU defense should have some success against the UW offense, anything can happen at the end of a low scoring game. If Luke Falk or Peyton Bender can find open receivers against UW’s athletic secondary, then the Cougars should be able to outpace the Huskies on the scoreboard.