Arizona-ASU Game 56: Arizona stuns No. 6 ASU to dash Sun Devils’ Rose Bowl dreams

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 56

Date: Nov. 27, 1982

Where: Tucson

Winner: Arizona, 28-18

What was reported at the time: 

By Greg Hansen

The Arizona Daily Star

This is one football season the University of Arizona came out of smelling like a rose.

And Arizona State, beaten 28-18 by the Wildcats last night, probably doesn't like the smell of it at all.

In a performance of big-play football, the UA beat the Sun Devils for only the third time in 18 seasons.

As a result, Arizona State's opportunity to win the Pacific 10 Conference championship and go to the Rose Bowl vanished. The Sun Devils will play in the Fiesta Bowl Jan. 1. Arizona ends its season with a 6-4-1 record.

Before an Arizona Stadium-record crowd of 58,515, the UA wasn't just a backdrop or a guinea pig or ASU's ticket to Pasadena, Calif.

The Wildcats upstaged the sixth-ranked Sun Devils by taking a 26-0 lead early in the third period, scoring on pass plays of 92 and 65 yards, and twice tackling ASU runners in the end zone for safeties.

Both goal posts were torn down and carried out of the stadium by fans, celebrating only the second victory of the UA over ASU in Tucson since 1964.

"It wasn't anything fancy. It was just running, hitting, catching, blocking, throwing and kicking," UA coach Larry Smith said. "It was our best game of the year — offensively, defensively and in the kicking game."

The outcome, however, was anything but a foregone conclusion.

Arizona's 26-0 lead was cut to 28-18 with 4:43 remaining, and the Sun Devils were to get the ball back with 3:29 left.

But punt-returner Scott Kegans fumbled, Arizona's Lamonte Hunley recovered and ASU's chance to win the Pac-10 came tumbling down.

Arizona has probably upset more formidable teams in three seasons under Smith — USC, UCLA and Notre Dame — but this was probably the most satisfying, in view of ASU's domination of the series the last 17 years.

The victory enables the Wildcats to improve on last year's 6-5 record. ASU takes a 9-2 record into the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma.

UCLA, idle yesterday, goes to the Rose Bowl on the strength of a 5-1-1 conference record. ASU finished 5-2 in the Pac-10. Arizona was 4-3-1 in league play, fifth place.

"UCLA will be a great representative of the Rose Bowl," Smith said. "They deserve it, and we are just happy to have helped them."

Against the nation's team leader in total defense, pass defense and scoring defense, Arizona scored 11 more points than anyone else had on the Sun Devils this year.

And UA quarterback Tom Tunnicliffe intercepted 10 times in the last three games, completed 12 of 19 throws for 270 yards and two touchdowns.

He was not intercepted, and in the process established yearly and career school records for passing yards and total offense.

"Our game plan worked perfectly," Tunnicliffe said. "All four things we planned worked — quick reads, primary receivers, check-offs and quick throws."

His view of ASU's blitz: Was it effective?

"I wasn't sacked, was I?" he asked. "There was no part of their defense I couldn't figure out."

As much as Arizona's quick-passing game plan negated ASU's much-publicized blitz, the UA defense probably set the tone for the game.

It wasn't until the UA appeared safely ahead, 26-0, that the Sun Devils got any closer than Arizona's 47-yard line.

ASU had more total yards, 359 to 351, but much of it was after the fact; Arizona had a 284-to-104 edge in total offense when it led 26-0.

Arizona exceeded ASU's nation-leading defensive yield by 135 yards.

The Wildcats were a picture of health at halftime, leading 10-0 by virtue of two of the "big plays" ASU coach Darryl Rogers said he feared.

Sun Devil punter Mike Black had the Wildcats backpedaling in a game of field position, pinning the UA to its five, seven and 19 midway through the second period.

But Arizona weathered the punts and, in fact, upstaged them with two big plays.

Starting at its five to open the second period, Arizona faced a third-and-eight at its eight-yard line. Tunnicliffe, reading an ASU blitz, lobbed a pass to tailback Brian Holland, who was matched one-on-one against 225-pound outside linebacker Mark Hicks.

Holland had a step on Hicks when he caught the ball at about the 25, and ran the final 75 yards uncontested, although wide receiver Brad Anderson blocked cornerback Mario Montgomery from pursuit.

"Brian was not our lead receiver on the play," Tunnicliffe said. "He was a quick dump receiver in case ASU blitzed, which they did."

The 92-yard touchdown not only equaled the longest pass play in UA history, but gave Tunnicliffe Arizona's season passing yardage record.

Tunnicliffe wasn't even hurried by ASU's blitzing tactics in the half, and completed six of 12 throws for 143 yards.

Meanwhile, the Sun Devils had limited success against the UA defense, gaining 101 yards in the half and punting seven times.

ASU only once crossed midfield in the half. That penetration, however, died at the 43.

Arizona's second "big play" of the half came after its punter, Craig Schiller, shanked a punt for 17 yards, giving ASU possession at its 33.

On fourth down, punter Black was rushed heavily by about four Wildcats and had to flee the pocket and kick on the run.

The kick wobbled and lost six yards from scrimmage; Arizona got possession at the ASU 28.

Unable to get a first down, Arizona opted for a 37-yard field goal attempt, made good by Max Zendejas two minutes before halftime.

If ASU had plans to overcome the Wildcats' first-half momentum, it didn't get a chance to execute them.

ASU opened the second half on its four-yard line after a personal foul penalty. On second down, UA noseguard Joe Drake tackled Darryl Clack in the end zone for a safety.

Subsequently, Arizona got the ball on a free kick and took three plays to broaden its lead to 19-0.

A 65-yard pass from Tunnicliffe to Brad Anderson took advantage of ASU's blitzing defense; Anderson tipped the pass above his head, caught it and outran cornerback Mario Montgomery the final 50 yards for a touchdown.

"Brad was the primary receiver," Tunnicliffe said, "we read the blitz and beat it."

Suddenly, Arizona led 19-0.

More suddenly, the Wildcats extended their lead to 26-0.

Alvin Moore fumbled on the ensuing series and Arizona safety Bubba Gross recovered at the ASU 29. From intent down, Tunnicliffe beat the blitz again, throwing a 26-yard pass to Kevin Ward at the three-yard line.

Holland later scored on a one-yard run.

The damage was done; ASU had yielded 16 points in a span of 4:45, one point less than any team had scored on them in a game this year.

The Devils scored with 3:06 left in the third period on a two-yard run by Clack, and got three more points on Luis Zendejas' 38-yard field goal in the opening moments of the fourth period.

Arizona was unable to move the ball, but Schiller punted 56 yards to the ASU one. On first down, Dwaine Wright was tackled in the end zone for a safety by Glenn Perkins. That gave Arizona a 28-10 lead with 10:43 left.

Vance Johnson fumbled and ASU recovered at the UA 34 on the next series. But the Wildcats bought some time by stopping Clack on a fourth-down play at the 26-yard line with 9:31 left.

The Sun Devils got their last points with 4:43 to play on a one-yard run by Clack, and a two-point conversion run by Wright.

But there wasn't enough time, especially after Kegans fumbled and lost a punt.