TEMPE – After spending the last season in Tempe, the Territorial Cup is returning home to Tucson. The No. 25 Arizona Wildcats marched into Mountain America Stadium on Friday night and handed the No. 20 ASU Sun Devils a 23-7 loss. The Wildcats have now won five straight and finish the regular season with nine wins for the second time in the last three seasons.
Arizona was sluggish offensively in the first half, but out-gained ASU with 374 yards of total offense, compared to the Sun Devils’ 214 yards. Noah Fifita completed 28-45 passes for 286 yards and a touchdown, and did not turn the ball over. Kris Hutson once flashed as Fifita’s go to target, hauling in seven receptions for 95 yards, while tight end Cameron Barmore had three grabs for 28 yards and the lone passing score.
On the ground, Ismail Mahdi led the Wildcats with 53 yards on 14 carries, while Kedrick Reescano carried the ball 11 times for 24 yards and a touchdown. Arizona went 10-of-20 on third down and converted both 4th down attempts.
The defense held ASU to 114 yards through the air and 100 yards on the ground, while taking the ball away five times. Danny Gonzales’ crew snared three interceptions, including a highlight reel worthy grab by Phoenix-native Treydan Stukes, while forcing another two fumbles, all of which came at the hand of ASU quarterback Jeff Sims.
Too much Thanksgiving turkey leads to sluggish start
The first quarter was an offensive disaster for both teams in the respective regards. The Sun Devils amassed just 15 yards of total offense after the Wildcats’ defense forced back-to-back three and outs, while Arizona squandered an early red zone opportunity when Quincy Craig fumbled on first and goal at the six-yard line after a methodical 13-play, 65-yard drive.
With 30 seconds left in the first quarter, Arizona had a chance to put points on the board, but failed, after kicker Michael Salgado-Medina’s 45-yard field goal attempt was no good.
Things weren’t much better in the second quarter. Michael Dansby came away with Arizona’s first takeaways of the game in plus territory, but the Wildcats couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity, going three and out.
ASU had more success on the following drive than it did the rest of the night. The Sun Devils marched 90 yards down the field in eight plays, with a 28-yard scamper by running back Raleek Brown and a 27-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jeff Sims. Star wide receiver Jordyn Tyson was injured on the drive and did not return in the game.
Following ASU’s scoring drive, the special teams woes continued for both sides. Michael Salgado-Medina had a field goal blocked with 4:06 to play in the first half, before Sun Devil kicker Jesus Gomez’s lone field goal attempt of the night missed off the right upright.
Arizona was able to take advantage of the Gomez miss, marching down the field for a Salgado-Medina 47-yard field goal with 0:01 to play in the half, as the Wildcats trailed 7-3 going into the locker room.
Cats scratched back in the second half
Things were back and forth to start the third quarter, before Arizona was able to open things up. The Wildcats went three and out on their first possession of the second half, but a 62-yard punt by Isaac Lovison pinned ASU deep at its own 6-yard line. Linebacker Taye Brown recovered a fumble on the bobbled exchange and two plays later, Cameron Barmore hauled in his first touchdown reception as a Wildcat, giving Arizona a 10-7 lead with 11:36 to play in the third.
Salgado-Medina’s third miss, a 48-yard attempt, came at the 8:32 mark of the third quarter, before knocking a 49-yard try through with 1:17 to play in the third, extending Arizona’s lead to 13-7. The 49-yard field goal was set up by Treydan Stukes, who came down with one of the most spectacular interceptions in Territorial Cup and Arizona program history.
The Wildcats hunkered down on in all three phases in the fourth quarter. Salgado-Medina atoned for his early misses with a 29-yard field goal, giving Arizona a 16-7 lead with 12:05 to play. Dalton Johnson and Genesis Smith combined for a fumble on ASU’s next possession, then the offense used a methodical 14-play, 87-yard drive that consumed 6:15, capped off by a one-yard Kedrick Reescano touchdown with 1:56 to play, giving Arizona a 23-7 lead.
In case that wasn’t enough, Dalton Johnson hauled in Arizona’s third interception of the night with 1:24 to play, shutting the door on any hopes of an ASU rally.
The Wildcats now have a chance to rest and recover before learning their bowl game fate on Sunday, December 7. Arizona’s has significantly improved its chances to play in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego, after entering the night as favorites for the Sun Bowl in El Paso.