Arizona-ASU Game 68: Arizona triumphs — by inches — in 1994 Territorial Cup

Some important things to keep in mind: This isn’t the 100th anniversary; the upcoming meeting will be the 100th time the teams have gone head-to-head. There were a number of years that they didn’t compete against one another. The Wildcats lead the all-time series vs. the Sun Devils, 52-46-1.

Matchup: Game 68

Date: Nov. 25, 1994

Where: Tucson

Winner: Arizona, 28-27

What was reported at the time:

By Anthony Gimino

The Arizona Daily Star

Arizona offensive lineman Warner Smith couldn't watch, just couldn't bear to see the 47-yard field goal that would mean the difference.

"I was walking the other way," he said. "I watched the one at Miami two years ago, and I haven't watched one of those since."

As Smith avoided the moment, the 58,810 at Arizona Stadium fixed their eyes on Arizona State kicker Jon Baker. He lined up for the field goal with 28 seconds left ... and then snap, hold, kick.

"I got a good look at it," said Arizona's Tedy Bruschi.

"It was off to the right when it started, and it looked like kind of a straight shot. So I knew it was going to be no good. I didn't even look for the official's signal."

The kick was actually oh so close, but Bruschi was right. As was the kick. The ball sailed inches outside the goal post, leaving Arizona with a thrilling come-from-behind 28-27 victory to end the regular season.

As the UA ran out the clock, ASU punter Lance Anderson approached Baker on the sideline, asking if he thought the kick was good.

"I don't know," Baker told him. "I couldn't tell."

Bruschi's smile told all.

"Whew. What a game," said Bruschi, breaking into a huge grin. "Holy smoke."

Baker wouldn't have been in position to win the game if Arizona hadn't rallied for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, riding the right arm of Dan White and the elusiveness of backup tailback Gary Taylor.

"We did put the ball up in the air a lot, keep the defense off balance," said White, who completed 23 of 34 passes for 268 yards despite playing the second half with a sprained right shoulder. "A lot of people made big plays."

The comeback started with 13:31 left.

Taylor capped a nine-play, 79-yard drive with a 6-yard dash up the middle. That made it 27-22, ASU.

The UA came up with a key defensive stand, stopping ASU on three downs – helped by a Bruschi sack. Arizona got the ball back and started driving.

The UA needed a fourth-and-1 conversion from the ASU 40 and got it on Taylor's 2-yard run. Arizona eventually reached the ASU 4, but without its top four running backs.

Carter was out. Taylor had just sprained an ankle. Fullback Charles Myles had sprained a knee, and Jason Patterson did not play because of a violation of team rules.

White rolled out to his right on a play-action pass, eluding Lee Cole, who charged from the end. White spun away, kept his poise and spotted tight end Lamar Harris in the back of the end zone.

"We've practiced that the last couple of weeks," White said. "We haven't used it. Ever."

ASU's last drive was kept alive by a roughing-the-passer penalty on fourth down, but ultimately the UA held, overcoming a bizarre first half and a 20-12 halftime deficit.

"Coach (Dick) Tomey said it was really a check on what kind of (guts) we had," Bruschi said.

"He wanted to know if we were going to drive them off the ball, stop them on defense and come back and win this thing to give our seniors a good feeling leaving Arizona Stadium, or if we were just going to roll over with our tails between our legs.

"We took option No. 1."

It all looked so easy in the first 6 minutes.

Arizona drove 80 yards on its first possession, mixing passes and runs, moving so effectively that it never got to third down. Myles' 1-yard run ended the drive.

ASU ran three plays and was forced to punt. That's when the craziness began. Jason Kyle snapped the ball over Anderson's head and through the end zone for a safety. The Wildcats led 9-0, had all the momentum and were even getting the ball back.

So easy.

If not for Cary Taylor's fumble on the ensuing kickoff.

Jeffrey Foster knocked the ball loose, and Traivon Johnson pounced on it at the UA 30, setting up Baker's 29-yard field goal.

"I've never seen momentum change so fast," Harris said.

Kyle injured White on the next series. UA was forced to go with backup Ryan Hesson – who hadn't taken second-string snaps in practice until this week – for the next two series.

That second drive ended with Matt Peyton punting from about the UA 6. Foster came unblocked through the middle of the line, smothering the ball as it came off Peyton's foot. Damien Richardson recovered, running 8 yards for a touchdown.

An Arizona opponent hadn't blocked a punt since 1991, and hadn't returned a blocked punt for a touchdown since 1980, when ASU's Vernon Maxwell did it.

The Sun Devils made it 20-9 – highlighted by Keith Poole's 54-yard catch – before a late-half miscue gave the UA an opportunity.

Trying just to run out the clock, ASU sent Chris Hopkins between the tackles, instead of safely and simply having Jake Plummer take a knee. As Hopkins was being tackled, Brandon Sanders ripped the ball loose; Bruschi recovered.

With only 7 seconds left, Steve McLaughlin drilled a 48-yard field goal for a 20-12 halftime deficit.

"Believe it or not, I was getting ready to kick a field goal because I really felt something could happen," McLaughlin said. "Anything can happen.

"I was loose. I had just kicked a couple of balls about 10 seconds before the fumble. If I wouldn't have been ready, who knows what would have happened?"

Nobody could have expected this game to come out like it did, but it will leave UA fans with a warm feeling for quite some time.

And for Smith, who couldn't watch?

"This feels as good as anything in my whole life," he said.