ASU Final 2009 Statistics in PDF Format
ASU vs. Arizona Game Book in PDF Format
Nov. 28, 2009
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP)--Alex Zendejas kicked a 32-yard field goal as time expired, and Arizona defeated Arizona State 20-17 on Saturday to retain the Territorial Cup.
Arizona won after ASU's Kyle Williams--who had caught the tying TD pass minutes earlier--muffed a punt to give the Wildcats the ball at the Sun Devils 22-yard line.
Keola Antolin scored on a 67-yard run and Orlando Vargas blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown for the Wildcats, who have beaten the Sun Devils in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1997-98.
Dimitri Nance ran for 115 yards for the Sun Devils.
It was another crusher for the Sun Devils, who also lost to Georgia and California on last-gasp field goals this season.
Down 14-0 at halftime, the Sun Devils rallied and appeared ready to force overtime on a miracle play with 2:02 remaining.
On fourth-and-12 from Arizona's 14, Danny Sullivan rolled out of the pocket and fired a strike to a diving Williams in the back of the end zone. It was their second scoring connection of the quarter, following a 44-yarder with 11:54 to go.
Then came disaster for ASU.
Williams muffed a punt, and Arizona's Mike Turner recovered at ASU's 22-yard line. Four plays later, Zendejas trotted on and nailed the game-winner, hitting it straight down the middle.
The Wildcats struck first. Antolin took a handoff, broke through the line and outraced the secondary for a 67-yard score that put Arizona up 7-0 late in the first quarter. It was Arizona's longest scoring run of the season.
Arizona State's defense, ranked second in the Pac-10, kept the Sun Devils in the game.
The Wildcats made it 14-0 late in the first half when Vargas blew through the line and blocked a punt by Trevor Hankins, scooped it up and ran it back 23 yards for a touchdown.
Midway through the third quarter, Williams made a big special teams play, returning a punt 53 yards to set up ASU's first points, a field goal by Weber to pull within 14-3.
The Sun Devils made it 14-10 with 11:54 remaining on a seven-play, 96-yard drive, capped by a 44-yard strike from Sullivan to Williams.
The Wildcats responded with an 11-play, 63-yard march, capped by a field goal by Zendejas to take a 17-14 lead with 7:50 to play.