Arizona vs. ASU Territorial Cup football game rewind: Sun Devils pull away from Wildcats
Jeremy Cluff
The Arizona State football team hosted rival Arizona on Saturday in the latest installment of the Territorial Cup.
Look back at our updates on the game, which was held at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe.
More:Herm Edwards now expected to return as Arizona State football coach?
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ASU football pulls away from Arizona in Territorial Cup
The Arizona State football team pulled away from the Arizona Wildcats in the second half of the Territorial Cup on Saturday in a 38-15 win at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe.
ASU outscored Arizona in the second half, 24-6.
The Sun Devils conclude the regular season with an 8-4 record and now await a bowl invitation.
Arizona finished Jedd Fisch's first season 1-11.
Jayden Daniels went 10-for-14 passing for 86 yards and two touchdowns for ASU, and ran for 86 yards and one touchdown.
Rachaad White rushed for 98 yards and a touchdown for ASU and told the Pac-12 Network postgame show that he would not play in the Sun Devils' bowl game as he "passed the torch" to ASU's other running backs.
Ricky Pearsall had two touchdown catches for ASU.
Will Plummer went 28-for-38 for Arizona for 346 yards and a touchdown, with one interception, a pick six for ASU. He also lost a fumble that ASU recovered at the one-yard line and punched in for a touchdown.
Stanley Berryhill had 10 catches for 104 yards for Arizona.
ASU didn't have any turnovers while Arizona had two.
Arizona had 12 penalties for 102 yards and ASU had 10 for 119 yards.
ASU defense adds a touchdown with pick-six
The Sun Devils' defense stepped up again against Arizona, this time with a Jack Jones interception for a touchdown for Arizona State.
Jones stepped in front of the Arizona receiver and hustled down the sideline to extend ASU's lead.
Arizona had first and 10 at ASU's 22 on the play. There is 9:49 left in the game.
ASU has outscored Arizona 24-6 in the second half.
The crowd went nuts at Sun Devils Stadium with the play by Jones (who was penalized along with another teammate for unsportsmanlike conduct after the play).
Score: ASU 38, Arizona 15
ASU's defense extends lead vs. Arizona
The ASU football team's defense scored two points when Arizona was called for a safety in the end zone on a punt attempt, extending ASU's lead to 16 with 1:44 left in the third quarter.
The Sun Devils couldn't do anything after getting the ball back after the safety, however, and was set to punt the ball back to Arizona as the third quarter concluded.
Score: ASU 31, Arizona 15
Jayden Daniels finds Ricky Pearsall for another touchdown
ASU had an answer for Arizona's touchdown with another touchdown of its own.
Jayden Daniels found Ricky Pearsall for a 14-yard touchdown with 4:50 left in the third quarter. ASU converted its two-point conversion, something Arizona wasn't able to do, to stretch the lead to 14 points.
ASU's drive was for 10 plays and 78 yards and took 4:38 off the clock.
Score: ASU 29, Arizona 15
Arizona gets into end zone this time
The Wildcats were not going to settle for a field goal for the fourth time in the red zone.
Jedd Fisch's team converted a fourth-and-2 at the ASU 13 and then scored on a 5-yard pass from Will Plummer to Michael Wiley to answer ASU's touchdown that opened the second half.
Arizona's drive took nine plays and went for 54 yards. It took 3:27 off the clock.
Arizona did not convert a 2-point conversion attempt after the touchdown. There is 9:35 left in the third quarter.
Score: ASU 21, Arizona 15
Jayden Daniels delivers for ASU football
ASU quarterback Jayden Daniels started the second half with a bang for the Sun Devils, rushing for a 48-yard touchdown with 13:07 left in the third quarter.
Daniels' run capped a 4-play, 67-yard drive that took just 1:46 off the clock.
Score: ASU 21, Arizona 9
Skirmish at end of first half of ASU vs. Arizona game
There was a skirmish at the end of the first half of the Territorial Cup game Saturday as the Arizona Wildcats and Arizona State Sun Devils headed to the locker room with ASU clinging to a 14-9 lead.
Arizona was assessed a 15-year penalty for the incident on the kickoff for the second half.
First half ASU vs. Arizona thoughts
Some thoughts on the first two quarters of the Territorial Cup from Arizona sports media personalities:
Sun Devils cling to lead over Wildcats at half
The Sun Devils lead the Wildcats at the half, 14-9.
ASU's defense held Arizona to 3 field goals in the first half.
Arizona QB Will Plummer is 15-for-19 for 215 yards passing. ASU QB Jayden Daniels is 5-for-9 for 48 yards passing with a touchdown.
ASU has 80 yards rushing and has held Arizona to just one yard on the ground.
Arizona has the total yard advantage, 216-128.
The game's lone turnover was the fumble by Plummer, which looms large with ASU clinging to the 14-9 lead.
Arizona has had the ball for 18:53. ASU has had it for 11:07.
Arizona held to a field goal, again
The Wildcats had another drive stall in ASU territory, having to once again settle for a field goal by Tyler Loop.
This one was a 32-yarder. Arizona's drive was for eight plays and 81 yards and took 3:14 off the clock.
There is 2:19 left in the first half.
Score: ASU 14, Arizona 9
ASU defense steps up, sets up ASU's offense
ASU's Jack Jones forced a fumble by Arizona QB Will Plummer and defensive lineman Tyler Johnson landed on it on the one-yard line of the Wildcats to set up a touchdown for the Sun Devils.
Rachaad White ran the ball in from the one-yard line for the touchdown with 12:12 left in the first half.
Arizona might have outsmarted itself on that play. It lined up in a vertical line formation before branching out quickly to the line of scrimmage before the ball was snapped.
No one picked up Jones as he ran to the quarterback unimpeded to strip Plummer.
Score: ASU 14, Arizona 6
ASU holds Arizona to another field goal
The Wildcats marched down the field on their second possession of the game, but once again had to settle for a field goal deep in ASU's territory after their offense stalled.
The key play on the drive? A one-handed 36-yard catch by Dorian Singer that put Arizona deep in Sun Devil territory.
Tyler Loop's field goal this time was from 26 yards. Arizona's drive took 12 plays and went for 67 yards and took 6:19 off the clock.
The score came just five seconds into the second quarter.
Score: ASU 7, Arizona 6
ASU answers, takes lead vs. Arizona
It didn't take long for Arizona State to answer against Arizona.
Jayden Daniels threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Pearsall to give the Sun Devils the lead against the Wildcats with 6:14 left in the first quarter.
ASU's drive was nine plays for 75 yards over 4:23.
Score: ASU 7, Arizona 3
Wildcats strike first vs. Sun Devils in Territorial Cup
The Wildcats won the toss and received the ball to open the game and got on the scoreboard first with a 32-yard field goal by Tyler Loop with 10:37 left in the first quarter.
Arizona had 1st & 10 at the ASU 13 before having to settle for the field goal.
The drive included a trick play pass from wide receiver Jamarye Joiner, who had lined up under center, to starter Will Plummer, who then threw it complete deep to Dorian Singer for 44 yards.
Score: Arizona 3, Arizona State 0
Arizona football players damage ASU field with cleats
It wouldn't be a rivalry without some pregame shenanigans, right?
Arizona football players evidently created some damage to ASU's Sparky logo at midfield with their cleats before Saturday's Territorial Cup game.
The logo was done by ASU groundskeeper Brian Johnson, who is retiring soon after 37 years in the role at Sun Devil Stadium.
The ASU Grounds Crew is attempting to fix the damage before the game.
Billboard material for Arizona vs. Arizona State
Some teams use material on a bulletin for extra motivation entering a big game.
The Arizona Wildcats didn't need bulletin-board material, however, for their Territorial Cup game Saturday against ASU.
They have something much bigger. They have billboard material.
A billboard showed up on I-10 near Casa Grande last season celebrating ASU's win over Arizona in the 2020 Territorial Cup.
It is maroon and gold with the message "No Pity for the Kitty" and not one, but two references to the score of that game on Dec. 11.
70-7.
70-7.
Sun Devil Source reported the billboard was "paid for by VIP members of our community, the Devils’ Sanctuary, who wanted to remind Arizona fans of the most lopsided game in Territorial Cup history."
The billboard is still there as a reminder of the lopsided ASU win.
The Arizona football team hasn't forgotten about it.
The Arizona Daily Star's Michael Lev wrote this week: "While UA players refused to talk about that debacle of a game whenever asked about it during the offseason, they didn’t have to look far to be reminded of it when they showed up for work this week. The billboard was displayed on the video monitors inside the weight room at the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility. Along with a two-word rebuttal: 'NEVER AGAIN.'"
“I haven’t seen anything like that before,” Arizona coach Jedd Fisch said amid preparations for the game at Sun Devil Stadium Saturday. “But hey, it is what it is. We understand what the game looked like last year. We had a lot of players on our team that were part of that game. They recognize it too. It’s a bitter taste in everybody’s mouth. We understand that we have to do everything we can to get rid of that taste.”
He continued: “They wanted to go with a billboard with the way it went last year. I understand it. We’re gonna do everything we can to prevent that from happening. Every opportunity that we have to play that team up north, they’ll get our best shot. It’s a one-game season.”
More:ASU football billboard celebrates huge win over Arizona
How hot is Herm Edwards' seat at Arizona State?
ASU coach Herm Edwards' job security with the Sun Devils has been a hot topic in recent weeks and it isn't going away entering Arizona State's game against Arizona.
The Arizona Republic's Kent Somers broke down why ASU should fire Edwards as coach earlier this week in a column that you can read here.
Some college football writers have speculated that this could be Edwards' last regular season game at ASU.
You can read their speculation, including one headline that says "Edwards has to be toast", here.
Interestingly, another ASU coach, defensive coordinator Antonio Pierce, showed up on a list of candidates for the Arizona Wildcats defensive coordinator position earlier this week. Click here to get the details on that list.
More:Herm Edwards' future at ASU football coach questioned ahead of Territorial Cup vs. Arizona
Arizona vs. Arizona State predictions: Who wins the game?
Arizona Republic ASU reporter Michelle Gardner and columnists Kent Somers and Greg Moore previewed and predicted the game in a video earlier this week.
All three had the Sun Devils winning the game, but they appeared to have different levels of confidence in their picks.
Michelle Gardner: ASU 32, Arizona 14
She said: "I don't see how ASU loses this game. That could come back to bite me. But, I still think ASU wins this game. I'd say 32 to 14. I just think ASU does have offensive forces at least in the running game and that should be able to get them by."
Kent Somers: ASU 24, Arizona 10
He said: "The over/under is really generous after watching both of these teams try to play offense in recent weeks. I think that is a huge line. If ASU is paying attention. If it is ready for this game, it'll win and I don't know that it will be by a lot, but I think ASU wins it like 24 to 10."
Greg Moore: ASU 20, Arizona 0
He said: "I don't gamble on sports, right? But a over/under at 52, you mean to tell me that both teams together have to score than 52 points for it to be over, there is no way that over. That is not going to happen. So I am going under."
You can read picks and predictions from other sites for the Arizona State vs. Arizona game here.
More:Arizona vs. Arizona State picks, predictions: Who wins Territorial Cup football game?
How to watch the Arizona vs. ASU game
The Territorial Cup football game on Saturday between Arizona and Arizona State will be televised on Pac-12 Networks.
The game, at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, is set to begin at 2 p.m.
Ted Robinson will have the play-by-play of the game and Yogi Roth will provide analysis.
For information on TV providers that carry Pac-12 Networks, as well as radio information for the game, click here.
Arizona and ASU fans don't often agree, but many recently sounded off together on the fact that Saturday's game had been relegated to the Pac-12 Network.
You can read their takes on it here.
More:Arizona football vs. Arizona State TV information: How to watch Territorial Cup game
ASU football uniform for game draws rave reviews
The Arizona State football team has decided to go with a traditional look for the Territorial Cup game against Arizona on Saturday.
Fans are pleased with that decision.
They took to social media to thank the Sun Devils for going with the maroon and gold look for the rivalry game against the Wildcats.
You can see ASU's uniform for the Territorial Cup, and read reaction to those uniforms, here.
More:Arizona State football uniform combo for Territorial Cup vs. Arizona draws rave reviews
More pregame reading for ASU vs. Arizona game
- Arizona-Arizona State scouting report: Devils going for fifth straight Cup win
- Arizona State CB Chase Lucas capping off stellar career with hometown team
- ASU's Rodriguez looking to set example for other Hispanic football coaches
- Out-of-state players quickly learn about intensity of Territorial Cup contest
- As Arizona State's offense struggles, passing game remains key issue
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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