Originally published Saturday, January 17, 2009 at 12:00 AM

UW Football | Huskies to end 2009 against Cal instead of WSU

Moving the game allowed each school to also make some other changes to create byes in their schedules, which the coaches felt necessary to keep their teams fresher. The schools did the same thing in 2007. Washington announced three game changes, opening up two byes in a that will span 14 weekends. Washington State moved one other game and will have one bye in its schedule.

By Bob Condotta

Seattle Times staff reporter

Wanting to avoid having their football teams face a gauntlet of playing 12 games on 12 consecutive Saturdays, Washington and Washington State agreed Friday to move the 2009 Apple Cup back a week.

That will mean the Apple Cup will be played Nov. 28, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, at Husky Stadium.

Moving the game allowed each school to also make some other changes to create byes in their schedules, which the coaches felt necessary to keep their teams fresher.

The schools did the same thing in 2007.

Washington announced three game changes, opening up two byes in a schedule that will span 14 weekends.

Washington State moved one other game and will have one bye in its schedule.

"Obviously, playing 12 consecutive weeks can take a big toll on our student-athletes," UW athletic director Scott Woodward said in a statement. "In making these schedule revisions, our main goal was to try to provide a break or two during the season, and that's what has happened. I'm pleased with how it all worked out."

Also moved for UW were home games against California (from Oct. 10 to Dec. 5) and Arizona (from Oct. 31 to Oct. 10), creating byes for the Huskies on Oct. 31 and Nov. 21.

The California game will be the first December home date for UW since 1932 when the Huskies played the West Seattle Athletic Club on Dec. 10.

Washington has played regular-season road games in December the past two seasons, including this year at Cal on Dec. 6.

WSU, meanwhile, moved a home game with Oregon State from Oct. 17 to Nov. 21, giving the Cougars a bye at the halfway point of their season.

Each team will begin its 2009 season with three home games. For WSU, that three-game opening slate includes a Sept. 12 game in Seattle against Hawaii as its annual contest at Qwest Field.

Both teams will play Notre Dame. The Huskies will play in South Bend, Ind., on Oct. 3 and the Cougars will face the Irish on Oct. 31 in San Antonio.

Times and TV situations will be announced later.

Bob Condotta: 206-515-5699 or bcondotta@seattletimes.com


UW 2009 schedule
Date	Opponent
Sept. 5	LSU
Sept. 12	Idaho
Sept. 19	USC
Sept. 26	at Stanford
Oct. 3	at Notre Dame
Oct. 10	Arizona
Oct. 17	at Arizona State
Oct. 24	Oregon
Nov. 7	at UCLA
Nov. 14	at Oregon State
Nov. 28	Washington State
Dec. 5	California

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Comments

I have to rant about the UW football schedule. Times change I will admit, but I also admit that years ago I knew that on a Fall Saturday afternoon,... Posted on January 17, 2009 at 10:20 AM by Larry Jacobson. Jump to comment

Someone has to stop this madness of playing ridiculously hard non-conference games. Why the hell are we playing teams like LSU, Oklahoma, and... Posted on January 17, 2009 at 1:45 PM by DawgFan02. Jump to comment

Woodward is just trying to give a youngish team with a new coach a few extra weeks in the season for more practice. A few byes means at least 10... Posted on January 17, 2009 at 10:29 AM by Husky Fan In New York. Jump to comment

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