TEMPE – Having scouted a Sun Devil Football offense that has produced near-record-breaking rushing statistics over recent weeks, the Arizona Wildcats opted to play keep away from the Arizona State offense throughout Friday night’s Territorial Cup meeting in Tempe.
Over the course of the 60-minute contest, Arizona (9-3, 6-3) held the football for 40:01 (or 67 percent) while posting 374 offensive yards on 89 total plays en route to a 23-7 win. The 25th-ranked Wildcats had seven offensive drives that lasted two minutes or longer, with four lasting more than five minutes. UA’s average time of possession was 3:20 with an average of eight plays per drive.
On the flip side, the Sun Devils (8-4, 6-3) ran just 52 plays in 19:59 and had just three offensive series lasting two or more minutes, two of which occurred during the second quarter. ASU averaged just four plays per drive and 1:39 per possession.
After the two teams played the first scoreless first quarter of a Territorial Cup matchup since Nov. 30, 2019, it was 20th-ranked Arizona State that found the end zone first when quarterback Jeff Sims rushed for his third touchdown this season when he hit pay dirt from 27 yards out with 10:33 remaining in the second quarter.
The Sun Devils were on the verge of pitching their second consecutive scoreless first half against Arizona, which would have marked the first time this millennium ASU recorded scoreless first halves against the Wildcats in back-to-back Territorial Cup meetings - but UA’s Michael Salgado-Medina pushed through a 47-yard field goal attempt with one tick remaining in the first half.
Salgado-Medina - despite missing three field goal attempts on the evening, including getting one blocked by Keith Abney II midway through the second quarter - went on to connect for two more field goal attempts over three minutes during a 20-0 second half by the Wildcats.
With Friday night’s contest representing the regular season finale for the Sun Devils, Arizona State will now wait until Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025 to find out its bowl destination.
8 wins with a game remaining
Since 1987 (39 seasons), ASU has had 12 eight-win seasons. Kenny Dillingham has done it twice in his three years, joining Herm Edwards (two in five years), Todd Graham (his first three seasons in his six seasons), Dennis Erickson (10-3 in 2007, his first of five seasons), Dirk Koetter (twice in six seasons) and Bruce Snyder (twice in nine seasons).
19 wins in two seasons with one game left
After going 3-9 in back-to-back seasons (2022 and 2023), ASU has gone 19-7 in the past two seasons. That is the most Sun Devils have won in back-to-back seasons since ASU went 20-7 under Todd Graham in 2013-14, as it also went 18-9 in 2012-13. Before that, the most wins over two seasons is 17 (7-6 under Dirk Koetter, 7-6 in 2006, and Dennis Erickson, 10-3 in 2007). ASU went 20-4 under Bruce Snyder in 1996 (11-1) and 1997 (9-3).
Most Sun Devil wins over two seasons
20 (10 in 2013, 10 in 2014)
20 (11 in 1996, 9 in 1997)
19 (8 in 2025, 11 in 2024)