Arizona-ASU Game 13: Arizona overwhelms Tempe with second-half rally

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.

Cats Beat Tempe, 26-7, by Rousing Second Half Rally

Matchup: Game 13

Date: Nov. 18, 1933

Where: Phoenix

Winner: Arizona, 26-7

What was reported at the time: 

By PAT O’BRIEN

(Special to The Arizona Daily Star) — Arizona moved back into the full glare of the state football spotlight before a crowd of 6,000 persons in Phoenix Stadium.

Playing with the drive and punch of a great gridiron machine, the Wildcats surged to the football supremacy of the state over as courageous an eleven as Arizona State Teachers of Tempe or any other college ever sent to the starting line, 26 to 7.

Tempe scored first, and topped Arizona by a one-point margin, 7 to 6, at the halfway mark, but in the third quarter the lithe, hard-charging Wildcat machine really got going and put the game on ice.

Once in the second period, twice in the third and once in the final quarter, Arizona's well-drilled eleven tore over the Tempe line and drove through the airways for touchdowns. In between scores, the Wildcats ripped the Bulldog line to pieces with a smooth-functioning series of straight football plays and bewildering pass offensives.

On the basis of the night's performance, the margin between the two teams was a fair one.

Got Goal Posts

More than the mere winning of the game contributed to the glee of the Arizona undergraduates and alumni who danced onto the field at the end and triumphantly ripped up the goal posts. Added to the victory, which following as it did Arizona's 24-0 conquest of Flagstaff of Tempe two weeks ago gave the Wildcats their old position at the top of the state football heap, was the realization that they had turned back a real football team.

The way that Bulldog team struck for the first touchdown of the game in the first quarter, zealously guarded their slight lead, on to the half and then fought back ferociously at every Wildcat thrust through the remainder of the contest moved Tuffy Griffin and his mates into a secure niche in Arizona's football hall of fame.

In the same place must be made room for what is apparently a brilliant Arizona backfield, led by a couple of sophomores, Ted Bland and Andy Rogers, and domineered by "Swede" Carlson. Cleaning the way for the ball carriers there just as it does on the football field, is the Wildcat line.

Tonight, just as it always is when two well-drilled teams get together, it was the Arizona line that carried the day for the Tiger. By the merest fraction of an inch it gained the jump on the Tempe line, and held its advantage, tenaciously, to the end.

The Arizona forwards opened great holes for the Arizona ball-carriers, and on defense they surged through and ruined numerous Tempe plays before they really got started.

The crowd of 6,000 watched with mingled emotions of excitement and admiration as the Wildcats, after a slow start, unreeled one of the most brilliant offensives ever seen on a gridiron here, in the third period.

Many Fumbles

Fumbles prevented Tex Oliver's lads from nearly doubling the score.

Only twice during the entire game did the Bulldogs break into the picture, despite their gallant efforts. On their first drive, which resulted in a touchdown, and again in the last period when a run back of a punt put the ball on the Arizona 17-yard marker, the Bulldogs were close to a score.

Running account of contest

Tempe drew first blood, and relatively early. With neither team able to gain through the line at the outset, there was an exchange of punts, featured by one of 47 yards from Sexton's toe, of which Tempe had a little the better.

Then, as the Wildcats began breaking through to halt runners for small losses, the Bulldogs took to the air. Two passes, both Sexton to Hardesty, were good for 18 yards and 27 yards respectively.

Hardesty took the second one on the seven-yard line, at which point he had passed the Wildcats' safety man, and scored standing up. Laux kicked the extra point.

After another punt exchange, the Wildcats got their initial first down as Bland, starting from his own 22-yard line, made 15 to his 37 on a slash through right tackle, before being nailed. Bland's back at the line, the Wildcats tried one pass which barely failed of completion, before punting again. Tempe followed suit.

Henderson got the Wildcats' second first down, putting the ball on Tempe's 44-yard line, as the quarter ended.

Rogers, who replaced Henderson, got another first down in quick order, but when he lost yardage on his next try, Bland immediately punted. This led to an exchange which ended with the ball exactly in midfield in the Wildcats' possession.

Cats Click

Suddenly clicking, the Wildcats combined just four line plays and a rifle-like pass to score their first touchdown.

Rogers took off from midfield and nailed five yards through right tackle on the first play. He failed to gain on a run wide around left end. Sheffer slipped through right tackle and got away for 10 yards. On his second attempt he made two yards, putting the ball on Tempe's 33-yard line. Bland rifled his pass to Greer on the 16-yard stripe, and although two men were within arm's length of him, Greer got away for the touchdown.

A bad pass from center spoiled the attempt for the extra point.

For the rest of the period, the ball was moved back and forth without noticeable scoring threat on either side. Fumbles were quite frequent.

With time shortening, the Wildcats began a frenzied aerial campaign for another touchdown, but succeeded only in evoking several penalties. Tempe, likewise, took to the air with as little success as the half ended.

The Wildcat offensive opened with full power at the very start of the second half, and two touchdowns came quickly before Tempe's defense was re-established. Line plays were employed exclusively for the first score, while a muffed punt and pass accounted for the second.

Taking the kickoff, Bland of Arizona ran the ball back 49 yards for one of the night's thrilling broken field dashes. It was from the Arizona 10-yard line to Tempe's 41-yard line.

Pickens got five yards through the line, then Bland ripped through left tackle for 10 more. Sheffer picked up three more before Bland went through center like a piledriver to make it another first down on Tempe's 13-yard marker. Bland added three through right tackle, and Carlson three more. It was third down, four to go for first down, and the ball on the seven-yard line. Bland smashed through center for six yards and on the next play pushed over to put the Wildcats ahead for the first time. Nolan's place kick was perfect for the extra point.

An exchange of punts preceded the next score. On the last boot, Carlson's from the Arizona 46-yard line, Pickens of the Bulldogs permitted the ball to hit him as he stood on his own 21-yard line. Carlyle was through and on the ball like a flash, getting it on the 24-yard stripe. Two tries at the line failed, so Bland passed to Robinson, who was run out of bounds on Tempe's eight-yard mark. Carlson cracked through center for the touchdown and Nolan place-kicked for the extra point.

Frenzied line-play, or two good runs and a series of punts, filling the remainder of the third period, were futile.

Clark Effective

Wildcat and Bulldog substitutes were poured into the game as the final stanza opened, and it was one of the former, Clark, who went most of the way for another touchdown.

Taking one of Sexton's punts on his 30-yard line, he ran it back five yards. Then he got through right tackle, ran wide, and netted 12 yards. Finding a hole at center, he raced through for 13 more, to the Tempe 40-yard line. He picked up six more through left tackle and the job was turned over to Smith, who hit the same spot, spun away from groping Tempe hands, and tore down to the Tempe six-yard line. Clark slid off right tackle for the touchdown, but Nolan's placement was very wide.

That was all so far as the scoring went, but the game was replete with thrills right to the closing minute. Clark raced through the Tempe line, but several penalties on his mates set him back.

The former Phoenix Coyote star gave a home-town crowd its greatest thrill in the closing minutes of play when he intercepted a pass—Tempe's final desperate scoring attempt—on his own three-yard line and ran 62 yards through most of the Tempe team before the safety picked him out.

A pass from Carlson, attempting to boost the Wildcat total, was intercepted as the final gun sounded.