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Arizona State (6-5, 4-4 Pac-10) 23
Arizona (3-8, 2-6 Pac-10) 20
Official Start Time: 1:11 p.m. - Game Time Temp: 73° - Attendance: 67,635
Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Score ----------------- -- -- -- -- ----- Arizona ............ 3 14 3 0 20 Arizona State ...... 5 0 7 11 23
Keeg-On Running: Freshman running back Keegan Herring finished the game with 13 yards on seven carries to bring his season total 784 yards on the ground, the top rushing total for a rookie in school history. Herring broke the previous mark of 775 when he carried for 13 yards in the first quarter to open ASU's second offensive series.
Richardson Returns: Terry Richardson returned a Nick Folk punt 71 yards for a touchdown and, after the ensuing converted two-point attempt, tied the game at 20 following his second punt return for a score this season. He also returned an 84-yard punt against USC earlier this season and tied two other former Sun Devils for the second-most returns for touchdowns in a season at two. The last Sun Devil to do so was Ron Washington in the 1977 season. The single-season record is three returns by Lenny Randal in the 1969 season. For his efforts, Richardson was selected as the MVP of the Big Game and was honored with the Ben Goo Trophy.
Hagan's Hauls: Derek Hagan pulled down four passes for 47 yards in his final home game to bring his season totals to 72 receptions for 1,113 yards. His reception total is the third-most in a single season, behind Shaun MacDonald's 87 in 2002 and Hagan's 83 last season. His yardage ranks as the fourth-most in a season with McDonald (1,405 in 2002), Hagan (1,248 in 2004) and Morris Owen (1,144 in 1973) sitting ahead of Hagan's senior campaign.
Territorial Tussle: Friday marked the 79th time Arizona State and Arizona have met in the Territorial Championship Cup game. The victory for the Sun Devils allowed them to regain the nation's oldest rivalry trophy and improve to 34-44-1 all-time in the series. Overall, the home team has won each of the last three meetings. The three-point difference marked the 14th time the game has been decided by three points or less with the Sun Devils improving to 7-7-1 in those games. The final of the 2005 game was the closest since the Wildcats won 31-28 in 1995 at Sun Devil Stadium.
Safety: With 3:15 remaining in the first quarter of play, the Sun Devil defense forced the Wildcat offense into a punting situation from its own 23 yard line. The snap was high and eventually led to punter Nick Folk kicking the ball out the back of the end zone for a safety and ASU's second lead of the game at 5-3. The safety was the first recorded for the Sun Devils since Riccardo Stewart recorded one against Stanford on Nov. 6, 2004.
Two, Two Ways: The Sun Devils, trailing 20-18 after Terry Richardson's punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, went for two and were successful as Rudy Carpenter hit Zach Miller in the front of the end zone to tie the game. That marked the second time this season ASU has converted on a two-point attempt with the first coming in the fourth quarter of the Sun Devils' 45-35 loss at Stanford. On that play, Matt Miller hauled in the pass from Carpenter after Rudy Burgess scored on a four-yard drive. ASU also attempted a two-point play on its final score of the same game, but the pass failed.
Sayonara Seniors: The annual meeting between Arizona State and Arizona marked the final game/final regular season game for 19 members of the Sun Devil program. Those student-athletes included Stephen Bisnett, Lee Burghgraef, Cornell Canidate, Chad Christensen, Nick Clapp, Quency Darley, Mike Davis Jr., Josh Golden, Derek Hagan, DeWayne Hollyfield, Maurice London, Grayling Love, Matt Miller, Moey Mutz, R.J. Oliver, Dale Robinson, Mike Talbot, Chaz White and Jamar Williams. Of those 19 Sun Devils, nine started the game and eight others saw action during the contest. Grayling Love and Nick Clapp were the lone seniors that did not see action on the field as both are out with injuries.
First of his Career: Playing in his final game at home, DeWayne Hollyfield recorded the first interception of his career as he picked an attempted pass from Willie Tuitama. Hollyfield did try to advance the ball, but was tackled with no gain recorded. He is the seventh different player to record an interception this season for the Sun Devils, who have tallied 11 total in 2005.
Off the Foot: In the first half, Jesse Ainsworth was called in to punt on five occasions. Those five attempts were the second-most in a half this season, tying the five attempted at Oregon State and trailing the six taken at Stanford. For an entire game, ASU punted eight times against the Beavers and Oregon Ducks and six times each against USC and Stanford, the most this season.
Sun Devil Notes: Arizona's 11-play, 68-yard scoring drive in the second quarter spanned 5:55 of possession time, marking the longest drive based on time for an Arizona State opponent in 2005. The previous long was Oregon State's 5:12 drive that covered 51 yards in 15 plays.