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 35
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Date: Nov. 25, 1961
Where: Tempe
Winner: Arizona, 22-13
What was reported at the time:
By ABE CHANIN
Star Sports Editor
SUN DEVIL STADIUM, Tempe, Nov. 25 — Arizona's Wildcats rode the comeback trail for the fourth straight week to defeat rival Arizona State, 22-13, Saturday night and put the cap on the greatest football season in the history of the University of Arizona.
Trailing 13-3 at halftime, Arizona struck for three touchdowns in a brilliant come-from-behind performance before 40,164 fans—the largest crowd ever to see a football game in the state.
Eddie Wilson, contained by a charging Sun Devil line in the first half, passed 31 yards to Walt Mince for Arizona's third-period touchdown. Then the Chandler quarterback, playing his final collegiate football game, led a downfield march and ran five yards for the lead touchdown.
In the fourth quarter, Bobby Lee Thompson got off a spectacular 67-yard touchdown run. Stopped three times at the line of scrimmage, the Wildcat halfback twisted and spun until he broke away. The touchdown fittingly gave him a score in every game this season as the 1961 Arizona club completed an 8-1-1 record — a mark never equaled in 62 years of Arizona football.
That mark topped the 8-2 season posted by Tex Oliver's 1937 team. Arizona State, bidding furiously for an upset with a great first-half performance, had to settle for a 7-3 season.
In the first half, the Sun Devils, led by a charging line that pressed Wilson almost every time he tried to pass, beat Arizona to the punch.
The Wildcats, one of the nation's leading ground-gaining teams, were held to only 37 yards rushing.
The Wildcats could manage only a 26-yard field goal. Jones kicked a 37-yard field goal in the second period, and the Devils scored their only touchdown of the game on Dornel Nelson's six-yard run.
Arizona State, opportunists throughout the first half, took advantage of Jones' interception of a Wilson pass and then a fumble by Thompson on the Arizona 23 to take the lead.
But it was Thompson, held to only three yards in the first half, who led Arizona's surge to victory.
His 25-yard run in the third period started Arizona's first touchdown drive that culminated in Wilson's brilliant pass to Mince for 31 yards. With the score at 13-9 still in favor of the Sun Devils, a strange twist helped Arizona to its lead touchdown.
Arizona State quarterback Joe Zuger, the nation's leading punter with a 42.7-yard average, got off a poor 22-yard kick that gave Arizona the ball on the Sun Devil 48. A strong wind had come up and Zuger had to boot into it.
From there Wilson engineered the TD drive, running five yards around right end for the score.
Thompson's great 67-yard romp was added tinsel on the victory tree.
Arizona State, running up 119 yards rushing in the first half, was slowed to a walk by Arizona, led by senior center Bob Garis in the second half. The Devils gained only 31 yards rushing in the second half.
And for the game, Arizona came away with 365 yards total offense to the Devils' 166.
Thompson, one of 16 Arizona seniors, was the game’s top ground-gainer with 100 yards net on eight carries for an average of better than a first down every carry. Wilson completed 9 of 19 passes for 116 yards to clearly outduel Zuger, who completed only 5 of 13 for 18 net yards.
Here is how the game went:
First Quarter
State won the toss and elected to receive. Clay Freney ran the kickoff back from his one to the State 24. The Devils gained only seven yards and were forced to kick. Nolan Jones intercepted a Wilson pass and stepped out on the Arizona 45. Jones got off a driving 16-yard run to the 25. Arizona held the Sun Devils, and on fourth down Jones kicked a 35-yard field goal. There was 8:38 left in the quarter.
Arizona State 3, Arizona 0
The rain came down heavier as Arizona went on the offensive. A Wilson-to-Thompson pass carried 13 yards to put Arizona at the Sun Devil 46. Another Wilson pass to Larry Williams put Arizona at the 30. On third down, Wilson hit Hernandez for a first down at the 17. Another Wilson-Hernandez pass went to the 10, where it was fourth down and three to go. Wilson booted a 26-yard field goal with 2:51 left in the quarter.
Arizona State 3, Arizona 3
Just before the quarter ended, Thompson fumbled, and Larry Reaves recovered for the Devils at the Arizona 23.
Arizona State 3, Arizona 3
Second Quarter
Dornel Nelson carried for the first down at the 12 and then Ossie McCarty went to the six. On the next play, Nelson exploded for the touchdown with 12:54 remaining. Jones kicked the point.
Arizona State 10, Arizona 3
After the kickoff, Arizona was within a yard of first down but was set back by an illegal procedure penalty and was forced to kick from its 33. The rain slackened. The teams traded punts and Arizona started again from its 18. But the Wildcats were stopped at the 25 and forced to punt. Charlie Taylor took Wilson's punt on the Devil 41 and ran to the Arizona 43.
The Devils moved to fourth down with two to go on the Arizona 35 and Zuger rolled right end to the nine. The Devils moved to the six, but illegal use of the hands pushed the ball back on the 22. On fourth down, Jones kicked a 37-yard field goal with 1:36 left in the half.
Arizona State 13, Arizona 3
A clipping penalty on the kickoff return put the Cats at their own 10. And time ran out with the Cats at the 24.
Halftime score:
Arizona State 13, Arizona 3
In the first half, Arizona State's furious defensive play permitted Arizona's running game only 37 net yards. The Wildcats added 48 more on five completed passes for a total offense of 85 yards.
Arizona State had 120 yards total offense and led in first downs, 6 to 5.
Third Quarter
The Wildcats were stalled on their first series of plays and Wilson had to punt on fourth down. The Sun Devils quickly moved into Arizona territory with Jones going 11 yards to the Cats’ 45. On fourth down with three to go, the Devils gambled and Jim Faulks intercepted Zuger's pass on the Arizona 36. Arizona again was stopped and was forced to kick.
State was held, and Zuger lofted a tremendous punt that went into the Arizona end zone. On the first play, Thompson exploded for 25 yards to the Arizona 45. Dave Knott carried into Sun Devil territory. On one run he lost a shoe, but went for 10 yards to the Devil 31 for a first down.
Wilson executed a great fake and passed to Mince at the goal line for 31 yards and the touchdown with five seconds left in the quarter. Wilson's pass for two points was behind Thompson and incomplete.
Arizona State 13, Arizona 9
Fourth Quarter
Arizona State was held and Zuger tried a quick kick into the stiff wind that had suddenly come up along with more rain. The nation's leading punter got off a boot of only 22 yards as the ball took a backward bounce. Arizona got the ball on the Devils' 48.
Wilson completed a 20-yard pass to Renner at the Devil 26. Hernandez sped to the 15, but Arizona was called for clipping and the ball went to the 27.
The Wildcats moved to the 17 with third and one to go. George Flint broke through to drop Ted Christy for a loss of one yard. On fourth down, Thompson raced to the 11 for first down. Hernandez picked up two and Christy made four yards to put the ball at the five. On third down, Wilson raced around right end to score with 8:50 left in the game. Wilson kicked the point.
Arizona 16, Arizona State 13
With 8:30 left in the game, Arizona State started from its own 27. The Devils were stopped just short of midfield and Zuger punted out of bounds on the Arizona 21.
The Wildcats took over with 7:11 remaining to play. On Arizona's fourth play, Thompson hit the middle of the line, was stopped at least three times and then spun away on a brilliant 67-yard touchdown run. He outran the Devils' Nolan Jones for the last 45 yards. There was 5:48 left to play when Wilson's kick for point missed.
Arizona 22, Arizona State 13
Kenley kicked over the goal line and the Devils had the ball at their 20 with 5:46 left in the game. A pass and a lateral from John Jacobs to Lorick to Jacobs lost 11 yards to the nine for the Devils. The Devils were forced to punt. Zuger’s kick rolled dead on the A-State 49, where Arizona took over with 4:34 left. Wilson hit Williams on the 35 for a first down to keep control of the ball with 3:12 left.
Zuger intercepted Wilson's pass at the Arizona six and ran to his 34 with 55 seconds left to play.
Pollard intercepted Zuger's pass at the Arizona 34. On the next play, Zuger was thrown out of the game for throwing an elbow. The ball went to the Devils' 30 with 24 seconds left.
Final score: Arizona 22, Arizona State 13.
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.…
