Editor’s note: This year, UA and ASU football will face off for the 100th time in what has come to be known as the Territorial Cup game. Leading up to that Nov. 28 matchup, which will be played right here in Tucson, we will be republishing the Arizona Daily Star’s coverage of each rivalry game — one a day — going back to their first meeting in 1899. Tune in daily for a blast from the past.
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 49
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Date: Nov. 29, 1975
Where: Tempe
Winner: ASU, 24-21
What was reported at the time:
By TOM FOUST
Star Sports Editor
TEMPE — The University of Arizona Wildcats saw their fondest dream turn into a nightmare for the third year in a row here last night as Arizona State came back twice in the second half for a 24-21 Western Athletic Conference football victory that snatched the Fiesta Bowl from under the Wildcats' noses.
The victory gave ASU the third undefeated season in the school's history, its sixth WAC title in seven years and put the Sun Devils in the Dec. 26 Fiesta Bowl here against Big Eight co-champion Nebraska.
The Devils finished their season 11-0 overall and 7-0 in the WAC. Arizona finished 9-2 and 5-2, which was a bitter disappointment for 19 UA seniors who have turned the Wildcat program around but could never reach the goal they really wanted.
The crowd of 51,388 in Sun Devil Stadium — the second largest ever to see a football game in Arizona — plus another 7,913 who watched on closed circuit in McKale Center in Tucson and in the ASU Activity Center here, saw what was probably one of the best and hardest-fought battles in this long series, which had its 49th renewal last night.
Taking advantage of three ASU fumbles, the Wildcats took a 14-10 first-half lead after falling behind early. The scores came on a 10-yard Bruce Hill to Scott Piper pass and a 10-yard run by Hill, plus two Lee Pistor extra points.
Arizona State had taken an early lead on a 32-yard field goal by reserve quarterback Fred Mortensen, who was pressed into kicking duty with Coach Frank Kush's son, Danny, out with a pulled muscle. ASU pulled to within three points late in the half on an eight-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Dennis Sproul to wide receiver John Jefferson, who barely had control of the ball in the end zone.
The Devils converted a Hill fumble into a touchdown with Sproul again hitting Jefferson early in the third period as ASU pulled to a 17-14 lead.
Arizona took charge again on a 53-yard pass from Hill to Dave Randolph, but the Devils were not to be denied as they came right back with the drive that won the game, with Sproul going a yard for the score.
Sproul, who was named the game's outstanding offensive player, completed 13 of 24 passes for 139 yards and rushed for 45 more. Fast Freddy Williams had 153 yards and junior fullback Stan Robinson 35.
The Devils piled up 384 yards total offense against a UA defense that was tough in spots, but couldn't hold. Arizona managed 299 yards total offense.
Hill, closing out his career as the most prolific yardage producer in the school's history, completed eight of 23 passes for 130 yards and rushed for 74 more. Sophomore fullback Dean Schock gained 45, Randolph 27 and Derral Davis only 20 against the aggressive ASU defense.
Tackle Randy Moore was named the outstanding defensive player. He and Sproul earned two $1,000 scholarships for their school from the Phoenix-Tucson Greyhound Parks, which also established a traveling trophy for this game.
The nasty weather that was expected failed to materialize, but despite efforts to dry the field with a helicopter yesterday afternoon, it was a bit soggy from a steady rain that fell all day and into the night Friday. The temperature at kickoff was in the mid-40s, and there was no appreciable wind.
The Wildcats had the opportunity for good field position at the start when UA sophomore Tom Gallagher caught Mike Haynes at the ASU 12 on the opening kickoff.
But Sproul took the Devils on a 20-play drive that used up nearly nine minutes and wound up with Mortensen kicking a 32-yard field goal with 6:02 left in the first quarter.
Sproul gained 24 yards himself on key keepers and hit tight end Bruce Hardy and Larry Mucker for passes of 10 and 16 yards. The drive stalled when Mucker bobbled the hand-off on an attempted reverse.
Arizona's first three scrimmage plays after the kickoff resulted in a three-yard loss, and Dennis Anderson punted to the ASU 43.
The Devils started toward the Wildcat goal again, but Robinson fumbled after being hit by Mike Dawson and Willis Barrett recovered for Arizona on the UA 30 with 1:46 left in the quarter.
The recovery seemed to switch the momentum to Arizona, and the Wildcats marched 70 yards in 12 plays with Hill passing 10 yards to Piper for the touchdown. Pistor's kick made the score 7-3 with 12:39 left in the half.
Key plays were an eight-yard keeper by Hill, passes of 15 and 12 yards to Piper and a quick burst by Schock over right guard for a gain of 10.
The fired-up Wildcats stopped the Devils in three plays after the kickoff and got the ball back on their own 25 after a Mortensen punt.
On the fourth play, Hill found Piper streaking down the middle by himself and hit him with a pass that went for a 77-yard touchdown, but the Wildcats were offsides.
Anderson was forced to punt on the next play, and Haynes bobbled it, with sophomore Ken Creviston recovering for Arizona at the ASU 20.
"T" Bell went to the 13 on a reverse on second down, but Hill was trapped at the 17 and Pistor missed a 34-yard field goal attempt.
After an exchange of punts pushed ASU back to its own 11, Williams fumbled on a first-down play and Jon Abbott recovered for Arizona.
On third and 12, Willie Scruggs threw Hill for a loss of nine but was called for a facemask penalty, and Arizona had third and three on the ASU 10.
After a perfect fake to Randolph, Hill sprinted right into the end zone and drew a 15-yard penalty for throwing the ball into the crowd. The Wildcats got the 15 yards back when Pistor was roughed while making the conversion kick that made the score 14-3 with 2:08 left in the half.
ASU brought the ball back with a 74-yard, eight-play drive that featured a 28-yard run by Williams to the UA 13. The touchdown came on a diving catch by Jefferson of an eight-yard Sproul pass. The catch was contested because Jefferson appeared not to have good control of the ball and dropped it when he hit the ground, but officials ruled he had possession. Mortensen's kick made the score 14-10 with 30 seconds left in the half.
Arizona State gained 153 yards rushing and 46 passing for 199 total offense against 66-45—111 for Arizona. The Devils controlled the ball 16 minutes, 32 seconds of the first half and Arizona 13:28.
Williams had 71 yards rushing, Sproul 37 and Robinson 34. Hill was Arizona's leading rusher with 31.
Arizona State finally got a break at the start of the third quarter when Moore recovered a Hill fumble on the UA 29 and converted it into a touchdown that came on another Sproul to Jefferson pass, this one good for seven yards. Mortensen added the extra point to make the score 17-14 in favor of ASU with just under 12 minutes left in the third quarter.
After an exchange of punts, Arizona got the ball on its own 20 with 2:27 left in the third period. Schock, breaking tackles along the way, bulled his way 25 yards down the sideline to the UA 47.
Two passes by Hill fell incomplete, and on third down Hill pitched a little screen pass to Randolph, who broke a couple of tackles to get into the clear and then took off for the goal line with Bell running ahead of him, harassing the only tackler who had a shot. The play covered 53 yards and made the score 21-17 in favor of the Wildcats after Pistor's kick, which came with 1:15 left in the quarter.
Arizona State came right back with an 80-yard, 13-play drive to regain the lead on a one-yard plunge by Sproul with 12:18 left in the game.
Sproul started the drive with a 24-yard pass to Jefferson. Mucker grabbed a key third-down pass for a first down at the UA 30 and Williams dashed to the 15 and Sproul hit Mucker again at the four. It took three plays to get it in from there.
With 9:30 left, Arizona got good field position on their own 40 after an exchange of punts and they moved into ASU territory with Hill going 14 yards on a keeper. But with first down on the ASU 33, Hill was sacked twice and the Wildcats had to punt.
The Sun Devils picked up one first down before the Wildcat defense forced them to punt and Arizona started again from its own 40 with 3:28 left.
Hill hit Dan Howard and Bell for passes of 13 and 14 yards to move the ball to the ASU 33. Attempting to pass again, he was rushed, and Harris intercepted on the ASU 14 with 2:50 left. It was only Hill's third interception all season.
ASU was unable to run out the clock and had to punt again, with Arizona getting it at their own 44 with 1:49 left.
On first down, Hill missed Piper with the bomb and on the next two plays he got rid of it just as he was caught by a charging ASU defense. Both times the Devils thought he should have been called for grounding the ball.
With just one play left on fourth down, Hill looked for Bell over the middle and the ball bounced off the UA receiver's fingertips.
The Devils had no trouble eating up the final minute 27 seconds.
Climb into the Arizona Daily Star’s time machine as we revisit every Territorial Cup matchup between U of A and ASU football ahead of the Nov.…
