In Part 1 of RealDawg’s look at Apple Cup memories from a player’s perspective, we looked back at the 2003 and 2006 Apple Cups where Washington pulled off improbable victories.
In the 2021 Apple Cup is Seattle, Jaden de Laura planted the Washington State’s flag Ol’ Crimson on the W at Husky Stadium, a year later saying that he regretted it.
A year later, a former Husky made sure that the entire Washington State squad regretted it.
In a text exchange with former Washington edge and the honorary captain for the Huskies game against Colorado State 3 weeks ago, Zion Tupuola-Fetui, I asked him for a memory from any Apple Cup.
He didn’t feel it to be necessary to respond with words but with a video from the 2022 Apple Cup.
The Cougars just wouldn’t go away, repeatedly responding to Washington’s Michael Penix-fueled pass-heavy offense. Opposing the Penix was Cam Ward who pulled WSU within two points, 35-33 late in the 3rd quarter.
The Washington’s defense provided unrelenting pressure but couldn’t seem to put Ward on his back. On the Cougar’s ensuing possession following a 40-yard TD run by Husky RB Wayne Taulapapa that pushed the score to 51-33, ZTF exacted his revenge. After sacking the future number 1 pick in the NFL Draft, he clutched his hands in a fist and dramatically waved an imaginary flag and planted it in the Martin Stadium turf near the Apple Cup logo.
https://x.com/Alexcook_2/status/1597054903259918336
“I needed to throw it back in their face,” he laughed.
The imaginary flag was planted where a few years earlier, in 2018, several Washington players made statement. This series will continue in Part 3.
