The Apple Cup is one of college football’s most recognizable rivalries, and this season it will carry a special place on the AstroTurf® calendar. After Jacksonville State vs. North Dakota State opens the season as an early AstroTurf matchup, Washington and Washington State will meet in the first Power Four all-AstroTurf matchup of the year. Two programs. One state. One legendary rivalry. One trusted surface beneath both sides.
We are proud to help power a matchup with this much history behind it. The Apple Cup has always been about more than football. It is Seattle and Pullman. Huskies and Cougars. Purple and crimson. Generations of players, alumni, students, and fans who know exactly what this game means across the Pacific Northwest. Every rivalry game brings intensity, but the Apple Cup brings identity.
Washington’s connection to AstroTurf runs deep. The Huskies were one of the original major college adopters of AstroTurf, helping introduce synthetic turf to the college football stage decades ago. This summer, Washington continued that legacy by updating its surface again, reinforcing a long-term commitment to athlete safety, surface consistency, and performance. The modern game places more force, speed, and repetition on a field than ever before, and the Huskies are continuing to invest in a system built to support their athletes not just for one season, but for the long run.
Today’s AstroTurf football systems are engineered for the way the game is played now: faster athletes, bigger bodies, sharper cuts, heavier workloads, and higher expectations from practice through game day. Washington’s continued trust in AstroTurf reflects the value of a surface designed to handle those demands while supporting more consistent footing, cleaner cleat interaction, and dependable playability over time.
Washington State has now joined that same standard with its new AstroTurf surface at Gesa Field, extending our presence across one of college football’s most meaningful regional rivalries. Both programs practice and play on AstroTurf, giving athletes a consistent surface experience throughout the week. Players build timing, footwork, confidence, and trust through daily preparation, and that work carries into rivalry Saturday.
The benefits show up in the details of the game. AstroTurf’s RootZone® technology helps stabilize infill so it stays where it needs to be, limiting migration and reducing the loose, disrupted areas that can affect footing. For football players, that supports more consistent traction, cleaner cleat interaction, and a surface designed for the cuts, plants, accelerations, and recoveries that define modern football.
Husky Stadium gives this year’s Apple Cup an incredible setting. It is one of the most scenic and electric venues in the sport, and a rivalry game there creates the kind of atmosphere players remember for the rest of their lives. With AstroTurf underfoot, the experience is built not only for the fans in the stands, but for the athletes on the field — giving them a surface designed to match the speed, physicality, and emotion of the moment.
As the season begins, we are proud to see AstroTurf at the center of early college football storylines. From Jacksonville State and North Dakota State to Washington and Washington State, our surfaces are helping power programs that trust their field to support preparation, performance, and game-day experience. The Apple Cup is one of the sport’s great rivalries, and this year, both sides will compete on a surface built for modern football.
About AstroTurf® Corporation
AstroTurf® Corporation is the original inventor and innovator of synthetic sports surfacing, leading the industry for 60 years. Known for pioneering surfacing solutions, AstroTurf® Corporation delivers innovative products focused on performance, safety, and sustainability.
The company’s portfolio includes AstroTurf® fields, the trusted name in synthetic turf & Proud Partner of Major League Baseball; Rekortan® tracks, the benchmark for elite running surfaces; Laykold® courts, the premier choice for tennis and multi-sport court play; and SYNLawn®, the industry leader in residential and commercial landscaping solutions. These products are the original brands in their respective categories and set the standard for quality and innovation in sports and recreational surfacing.
AstroTurf® is dedicated to creating world-class sports and recreational environments that inspire athletes and elevate communities. For more information, visit astroturf.com.
