A Sunday Kickoff Like No Other
The Washington Huskies have announced a landmark start to their 2026 college football campaign, opening the season with a Sunday night showdown against arch‑rival Washington State on September 7 at 12:30 p.m. The game, traditionally held on a Saturday, will be played a day earlier to accommodate a Labor Day weekend schedule, marking the first time the Apple Cup opens the campaign.
Fans will gather at Husky Stadium in Seattle for the contest, which will be streamed live on the Big Ten Network, while the Cougars will host the matchup in Pullman. The unusual Sunday kickoff has generated buzz across the Pac‑12, with analysts noting that the timing could set a new precedent for future season openers.
Broadcast Details and TV Partners
Following the opener, the Huskies are slated to travel to Logan, Utah, to face Utah State on September 12 at 12:30 p.m., and then return home to take on Eastern Washington in Cheney on September 19 at 4:15 p.m. Both of those contests will also air on the Big Ten Network, giving viewers a double‑header of mid‑week college football.
Later in the month, Washington will meet Iowa in Iowa City on October 9, with a 6 p.m. kickoff that will be carried on either FOX or FS1, and will host Purdue in West Lafayette on October 16, where the game is set for a 5 p.m. start on FOX. The network and kickoff times for these matchups, as well as the remaining schedule, will be revealed 12 days before each game, a practice the athletic department says will keep the excitement fresh throughout the season.
Athletic director Morgan Huckaby emphasized that the staggered release of broadcast information is designed to build anticipation, noting that “the final details will be announced just in time to let fans plan their weekends.” Head coach Jedd Fisch and senior linebacker Kirby Moore have both spoken about the team’s readiness, with Fisch highlighting the importance of early‑season non‑conference games for building chemistry, and Moore expressing confidence in the defense’s ability to hold its own against the Cougars.
The schedule also reflects a broader shift in how the Big Ten Network is structuring its college football slate, with several mid‑week games slated for early evenings to capture national audiences. While the exact television partners for the later contests have yet to be confirmed, the conference has indicated that FOX and its sister channels will continue to play a prominent role in broadcasting the Huskies’ most high‑profile matchups.