How did we get here? How is it that the Apple Cup, a Thanksgiving staple for decades and decades, is now being played in the middle of September? And will anyone outside of the state of Washington even care?

The guys from Dawgman.com - Kim Grinolds, Chris Fetters, and Scott Eklund - contemplated those very questions, and also got into what they expect to see from both Washington and Washington State in this pregame show.

The game, to be played at Lumen Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks, today at 12:30 pm PT, is the result of a five-year deal agreed to by both schools after the dissolution of the Pac-12, something many Washington State fans still haven't gotten over. They'll play the Apple Cup in Pullman in 2025 and 2027, with the return fixture at Husky Stadium in 2026 and 2028.

So what to make of things moving forward? And will there even be an Apple Cup after 2028? Will there be a Pac-12 as we know it by then? The guys talk about those questions as well as the recent news that Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State are joining Oregon State and Washington State to create the newest incarnation of the Pac-12. A Six Pac, if you will.

After a break to pay some bills, the guys start to break down the actual game. Will Washington State find a way to stop Jonah Coleman and put the game squarely on the shoulders of UW QB Will Rogers? And looking at the other side, will Steve Belichick find success scheming out John Mateer, the talented dual-threat WSU QB? He's already thrown for 350 yards in one game and ran for nearly 200 yards in the other, so that will be a tall task. Is there a way to take away one dimension from Mateer's game?

Scott follows up with a quick recruiting update (Brandon Huffman had a story this week on how neither team will be able to comp recruits tickets to this neutral site game as part of their recruiting strategy), and then the guys offer up their final thoughts before kickoff.

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