In order for either of the two remaining paths back to the Big 12 Championship to remain open, Arizona State had to take care of business against Arizona in the Territorial Cup on Friday night, and it failed to do so in a 23-7 loss.
Though the Wildcats missed three field goals — including one that was blocked — and failed to find the end zone in the first half, the Sun Devils surrendered 23 unanswered points after quarterback Jeff Sims broke the glass on scoring with a rushing touchdown in the second quarter.
For how Sims ignited an otherwise quiet ASU offense, he also turned the ball over five times on three interceptions and two lost fumbles. Perhaps the most critical turnover was a fumble on a QB-designed run with 8:11 left in the game and ASU trailing 16-7.
In contrast, Arizona protected the ball well following a lost fumble by running back Quincy Craig in the first half, as quarterback Noah Fifita really had the Sun Devils defense gassed behind a 16-play, 63-yard drive in the third quarter.
Fifita threw for 286 yards on 28-of-45 passing and was contained on the ground for 18 yards on 10 carries. He had his biggest pickup of the game (10 yards) to give Arizona a first down with 3:10 that forced ASU to burn its second timeout.
Rather than just settle for a field goal on a proceeding fourth-and-1, Fifita connected with Craig on a screen to make it first-and-goal and effectively seal the outcome.
The Wildcats put icing on the cake with a 1-yard score from running back Kedrick Reescano four ticks under the two-minute mark.
More than just the length of Arizona drives, the Wildcats constantly threatened to score and placed pressure on ASU with 10 drives making it to the Sun Devils’ end of the field.
ASU’s special teams played a part in this, as punter Kanyon Floyd notably shanked one 20 yards to set up Arizona’s Michael Salgado-Media for his third made field goal with 12:05 left in the fourth.
The Territorial Cup loss eliminated ASU from a shot at back-to-back Big 12 titles and now leaves the championship matchup of Texas Tech and BYU on Dec. 6, as Utah defeated Kansas to stay alive Friday but needed an ASU win to begin to maneuver by lost tiebreakers with Tech and BYU.
The Utes also needed a Texas Tech win over West Virginia and BYU loss to UCF to get to AT&T Stadium.
ASU wide receiver Jordyn Tyson left the rivalry contest in the second quarter after an awkward fall and was ruled out as the second half started.
