Arizona State coach Todd Graham holds the Territorial Cup after the 41-34 victory over Arizona. Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Arizona State strikes first in the new era of the Territorial Cup rivalry, storming back in the fourth quarter to pull out a 41-34 victory at Arizona Stadium.
The Devils, taking advantage of four turnovers from Matt Scott, trailed 27-17 entering the fourth quarter but gathered momentum when Scott fumbled after the Cats had reached the ASU 18. The ball was kicked around before the Devils recovered at their 44 and quickly scored to tie the game at 27.
A blocked punt on the next possession set up ASU for another quick score and the lead.
Arizona scored with 1:54 left to pull within 41-34, but the on-side kick went out-of-bounds, and ASU ran out the clock.
This is the fourth consecutive year in which the visiting team has won this matchup.
ASU’s goes to 7-4 overall and 5-4 in the Pac-12, giving coach Todd Graham a victory in his first game in the rivalry. Rich Rodriguez’s Wildcats finish the regular season at 7-4 and 4-5.
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I’m headed down to the field. Will be back after the game with postgame reaction …
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How often does special teams make the difference in this rivalry? ASU blocks a punt and takes over at the 6 and scores. So there’s that.
The Devils have stormed back to take a 34-27 lead with 5:34 left.
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Back and forth we go. Matt Scott keeps and has the ball stripped, with the ball popping loose, kicked down the field, before ASU recovers at its 44. This is going down to the final play, isn’t it?
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Ka’Deem Carey fights for 5 yards on third-and-5 at the UA 30. A huge play to keep the Cats moving, and then one play later, he goes off for 36 yards. Seems to be feeling OK.
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With 10:46 to go, ASU is out of timeouts. Somewhere, Kevin O’Neil nods in understanding.
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Arizona has to give a big thank you to ASU WR Rashad Ross, who lets a wide-open deep pass go off his fingers; it would have been a 74-yard touchdown. And then on third down from the UA 22, a pass in the end zone goes through his hands and off his face mask, incomplete.
ASU gets the 39-yard field goal, though, making it a one-possession at 27-20 with 11:51 to go.
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Arizona had 185 yards in the third quarter, getting a big boost from backup RB Daniel Jenkins. We’re going to the fourth with UA up 27-17, getting ready to punt from its 40.
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Momentum is smiling on Arizona, as the Cats recover a fumble on the first snap after taking the lead. Arizona takes over at the Devils 24. UA gets close to the goal line but has to settle for a 23-yard field goal. Good news is it’s a two-possession game as UA leads 27-17 with 4:14 left in third quarter.
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The action has been fast and furious. Matt Scott hits Garic Wharton down the right sideline, fitting the ball just over a safety coming to help, and Wharton stumbles but keeps his feet for a touchdown. Then, Arizona snaps the ball directly to PK John Bonano, who runs around right end for an easy two-point conversion to get back that missed PAT.
Arizona up 24-17.
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Ka’Deem Carey has been out for several plays across two possessions, and it seems to be a problem with his collarbone, which has been an issue in the past couple of weeks. Unknown if he will return.
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Attendance is 51,901.
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Another ASU pass interference penalty helps Arizona drive 83 yards in 11 plays, capped by a 22-yard pass from Matt Scott to Austin Hill. Hill ran a stop-and-go along the right side and slipped behind Osahon Irabor. No two-point try yet; Cats kick the PAT and trail 17-16 with 9:22 to go in the third quarter.
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ASU reaches the UA 9-yard line but Arizona holds on three plays and forces the Devils into settling for a 26-yard field goal from Jon Mora. ASU goes up 17-9 after first play of second half.
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Two Arizona players have left with injuries on ASU’s first drive of the second half — CB Shaq Richardson and DE Justin Washington.
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Matt Scott saved from third INT by roughing-the-passer penalty in final minute of the half. UA stays alive and gets a 32-yard field goal from John Bonano on the last play of the half.
ASU had 200 yards of offense in the second quarter to take control and go into halftime with a 14-9 lead. Ka’Deem Carey has 123 yards on 19 carries.
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HUGE play with two minutes left in the half, as Tra’Mayne Bondurant strips the ball from WR Alonzo Agwuenu at the Arizona 23. An ASU score there would have put the Cats in a bit of a headlock, especially with the Devils opening the second half with the ball.
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The game has turned on those two INTs from Matt Scott. ASU drives 62 yards on nine plays, converting a third-and-12 from the UA 24, and scores on a 2-yard run by Marion Grice. ASU up 14-6 in the second quarter.
Worried? Arizona has trailed in all six of its victories vs. FBS teams.
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Matt Scott is intercepted on back-to-back plays, this time picked by CB Osahon Irabor on a deep throw that Scott had no business throwing. Irabor was over the top on Tyler Slavin and fairly easily made the interception.
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Shades of Kevin Galbreath (who gets that reference?) as ASU’s Marion Grice goes 52 yards for a TD to make it 7-6 with 9:42 before half. All that persistent running pays off for the Sun Devils as Grice picks his way through the line and then breaks into the open.
PAT miss looming large already. ASU up 7-6 with 9:42 to go in second quarter.
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Matt Scott hasn’t been sharp through the air, and he commits the first turnover of the game, throwing a pass that is intercepted by Keelan Johnson at the ASU 25 with 11:55 to go. The Cats have seemingly been in control the whole way, but are up only 6-0.
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Arizona stops Cameron Marshall for no gain on third-and-1 from the ASU 27. The Cats defense has come to play.
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End of the first quarter. Arizona is up 6-0, facing third-and-8 at the ASU 45. Can’t fault Todd Graham’s offensive strategy so far, with 11 runs and only three passes, but the Wildcats defense is holding up well, forcing three punts in three ASU possessions.
Look for ASU to keep attacking ASU with the trio of Cameron Marshall, D.J. Foster and Marion Grice at running back.
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Arizona State defensive tackle Will Sutton comes off the field limping and is being tended to on the training table. Something to watch. The Arizona defense has two stops in two tries, is going for a third with 5:06 to play in first quarter.
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Arizona State, which has been one of the least penalized teams in the nation, has three penalties halfway through the first quarter, including two pass interference calls that help UA go 69 yards for the first score of the game. Ka’Deem Carey puts on a Superman move, leaping over safety Alden Darby on a run around right end on third-and-goal for the 1.
Problem: John Bonano missed the PAT. UA up 6-0 with 7:59 to play in the first quarter.
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After a 15-yard burst by Ka’Deem Carey on the opening play, Arizona’s first drive stalls just past midfield. UA had fourth-and-4 at the ASU 44 — a possible go-for-it situation — but Rich Rodriguez decides to punt. Good idea. Kyly Dugandiz pooches it to the ASU 13, and the Cats defense forces a quick three-and-out.
So, after an exchange of punts, Arizona starts anew at its 31.
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Arizona going with its offense first. Wins the toss, will receive. Let the game begin.
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Officials from the Kraft Fight Hunger, New Mexico and Independence bowls are here. The Sun Bowl is in play for UA, too, because of Washington loss, but I would guess Vegas is most likely with a UA win.
Let’s say the Pac-12 sends two teams to the BCS (Stanford/UCLA title game winner, and Oregon). The loser of UCLA/Stanford and Oregon State would fill the Alamo and Holiday bowls. The Sun Bowl picks next and choose Arizona, Washington or USC. If Arizona slides past the Sun, then the Vegas Bowl would jump on the Cats.
If the Pac-12 sends just one team to the BCS (Oregon as champ), then Stanford, UCLA and Oregon are likely next to go. The Vegas could then take USC over Arizona.
We’ll know more by the end of tonight, and the end of tomorrow. First, Arizona just needs to win.
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Did Arizona State use Arizona’s logo without permission in creating a motivational banner for its locker room? Well, yeah. Perhaps not a big deal, but “it’s added another layer of tension in a rivalry that’s always good for a few arguments,” writes the Arizona Republic.
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Arizona athletic director tweeted at about 4 p.m. that the game is officially sold out.
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The best defensive player on the field for the Arizona-Arizona State game will be Sun Devils defensive tackle Will Sutton.
Sutton, a junior, has played at an All-American level, with 18 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks, despite missing nearly two full games because of a knee injury.
“He’s got a high motor,” said UA coach Rich Rodriguez.
“I think the best defensive players, particularly the best defensive linemen, are always wired in a certain way with a high motor. You’ve got to have quickness, too, and strength. And he has that.
But when you combine the quickness and strength with his high motor, to me you’re one of the best d-linemen in the country. That’s what he is.”
Sutton (6-1, 267) has at least one tackle for loss in all of his games this season, using his quickness to knife into the backfield.
Said UA senior center Kyle Quinn about facing Sutton a week after facing Utah strong man Star Lotulelei: “I don’t care who lines up across from me. Let’s just go out there and play.”
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Here is what former Arizona quarterback Keith Smith told me this week about the rivalry against Arizona State. He played his last game in the series in 1999:
“It’s a game those kids are going to remember forever for the rest of their life. I can go year by year and remember almost every single play.”
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Arizona has had trouble defending opposing tight ends, and he comes another good one. ASU’s Chris Coyle doesn’t get as much recognition as other standout Pac-12 tight ends — Washington’s Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Stanford’s Zach Ertz and UCLA’s Joseph Fauria — but not because of a lack of numbers.
Coyle has a team-high 51 receptions for 639 yards and five touchdowns.
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Some pregame reading:
All in: Seniors help Rich Rodriguez find success in first season at Arizona
RichRod vs. Todd Graham, Round 1
Ex-Cat Trung Canidate ‘amazed’ at record-setting Ka’Deem Carey
My prediction for the final score
Arizona Republic: Scouting report and prediction
Arizona Republic: Hood brothers set to square off
Arizona Daily Star: Greg Hansen’s Mr. Football column
Steve Rivera, FoxSportsArizona.com: Wildcats’ sole focus: Keep the Cup in Tucson
Javier Morales, WildAboutAZCats.net: The 10 games in the Arizona-ASU rivalry