Arizona State falls to Arizona

Wildcats claim PAC-12 South Title

  A sign outside the Arizona State football locker room at Arizona Stadium in Tucson read “Warning! The temperature on the field is 109° F.”

  The temperature on the field became the least of the Sun Devils worries during the team’s first offensive series last Friday when Arizona’s star linebacker Scooby Wright III hacked scrambling ASU quarterback Taylor Kelly, causing a fumble. Arizona Safety Anthony Lopez scooped up the ball and ran 25 yards to the end zone for a touchdown just 44 seconds into the game.

  It was not the start Arizona State wanted. The ultimately lost 42-35.

  At stake in the ASU-UA game was a possible PAC-12 South title and an opportunity to play Oregon for the PAC-12 Championship. A loss by UCLA meant the winner of the ASU-UA game would clinch the PAC-12 South title.

Scooby Wright III

  Arizona State (9-3) returned the favor with a defensive touchdown of its own when Wildcat quarterback Anu Solomon lost the ball inside Arizona’s 5-yard line. Sun Devil defensive lineman Demetrius Cherry grabbed the ball and dived 2 yards for the score to tie the game at 7-7 with just less than six minutes to go in the first quarter.

  Arizona (10-2) answered quickly with a 69-yard scoring pass from Solomon to Samajie Grant on the third play of the following drive.

  The teams continue to trade touchdowns with the score even at 21-21 at the break.

  The Wildcats gave themselves some breathing room in the third quarter by scoring twice on rushes by Nick Wilson to widen their margin to 35-21.

  Late in the third quarter Arizona State Head Coach Todd Graham opted to keep starting quarterback Kelly on the sidelines and let Mike Bercovici call the signals for remainder of the game. Bercovici responded and threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter.  The first touchdown got Arizona State to within seven points of the Wildcats, but Arizona again responded when a second Solomon to Grant touchdown pass increased the lead to two touchdowns with the score 42-28.

  As the lead increased, the buzz in the stands among Arizona fans tuned into the internet began to swell as word that Stanford was leading UCLA in Pasadena. If Arizona was able to maintain its lead the team would win the PAC-12 South title.

  Bercovici, however, was not done yet and led the Devils on a 78-yard drive capped by a 9-yard scoring pass to De’Marieya Nelson with just over five minutes remaining.

  Arizona State’s defense stopped the Wildcats on the ensuing possession and forced a punt but the Devils were not able to capitalize and the drive ended with Bercovici throwing three straight incomplete passes allowing Arizona to take possession on downs.

  The Wildcats ran out the clock to win the game and the celebration was on.

  Arizona Fans stormed the field as members of the Wildcat team took possession of the Territorial Cup, the original and newly revived trophy passed to the winning team at the end of each year’s rivalry game.

  Arizona will now face Oregon in the PAC-12 Championship game in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday.  Both teams have incentive to perform well and win that game as Oregon is hoping to maintain its position in the top four schools eligible for the NCAA National Championship playoffs.  Arizona must win to be considered a candidate for one of the top four spots.