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.
ARIZONA WILDCATS BOWL OVER TEACHERS, 20-6
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Matchup: Game 17
Date: Oct. 2, 1937
Where: Tucson
Winner: Arizona, 20-6
What was reported at the time:
By VIC THORNTON
Bronko Smilanich, a fleeting wraith in moleskins, crumpled Tempe’s defenses with amazing ease last night at Varsity Stadium as Arizona’s Wildcats rolled over the Teachers, 20-6, in the opening game of the season.
A capacity crowd of 7,500 saw Tex Oliver’s Cats unleash the full power of their running game against the Bulldogs in the second and third quarters.
Smilanich, unhaltable as an armored tank, ripped off 20 yards through right tackle as the second quarter got underway and sent the Wildcats off on their first pay-dirt strike.
In three more tries he had lugged the pigskin to Tempe’s three-yard stripe, where Walter (Hoss) Nielsen lunged over for the first touchdown. Nielsen’s attempted try from placement failed.
Smilanich Stars
Smilanich accounted for 51 yards of the 58 the Wildcats moved for their first strike.
In the third quarter, Smilanich teamed up with Clarence Ross, a crashing fullback, paving the way for Arizona’s second score. A 15-yard dash by the Chisholm, Minn., youth and a lateral to Ross turned out to be one of the most spectacular plays of the contest. Straight power plays advanced the ball to the one-yard marker. Carl Cooper breezed over the Cats’ second touchdown, and Nielsen split the uprights with a try from placement to add the extra point. The score: Arizona 13, Tempe 0.
Fumble Recovered
George French, left end, recovered a Tempe fumble on the Teachers’ 32-yard line, giving the locals the opportunity to tally again.
On a right end sweep, Smilanich raced 29 yards down the sidelines before being knocked out of bounds on the three-yard line. Nielsen plunged over the third touchdown and added the extra point to wind up Arizona’s scoring for the evening.
The fourth quarter provided the fans with a fist fight, a score by the Wildcats which was disallowed and a 47-yard touchdown dash by Warren Fritsch of the Bulldogs.
Two Banished
Fans cheered wildly as Feriss Hardin, 150-pound Wildcat left half, intercepted a Tempe pass and sprinted down the field for a score. To their amazement, the play was called back, and it was announced that a Tempe man and an Arizona man had been banished from the game for fighting and that Hardin’s efforts didn’t count.
On the next play, Fritsch broke loose from a melee at center, evaded the secondary and safety and romped unhindered over the goal line.
Invaders Weak
Outside of Fritsch’s pay-dirt jaunt, the invaders failed to show a thing at advancing the ball, gaining 89 yards from scrimmage against 34 lost. The Cats, on the other hand, picked up 299 yards from scrimmage and 16 first downs against Tempe’s two.
Smilanich alone accounted for a little over one-third of the entire yardage picked up by the Wildcats by roaming 102 yards. He averaged a little over 10 yards per try, which is mighty fancy hoofing in any football league in the country.
In only one department, punting, did the invaders outshine the home forces. In eight kicks, Tempe averaged 35 and one-half yards, while the Cats averaged 25 and one-half yards in three attempts.
Thirty-eight Cats in Tilt
Thirty-eight men saw action in the contest for the Wildcats, as Oliver used practically every man on the entire bench.
At times during the last quarter, Arizona showed a tendency to fumble and lost two golden scoring opportunities through allowing the pigskin to slip away.
Sid Woods, blonde-haired Yuma youth, who started for the Wildcats at the left half berth, turned in a number of brilliant gains, picking up 28 yards in four tries for an average of seven yards.
Another star was uncovered in Fullback Ross, who alternated at the pile-driving berth with Nielsen. Both averaged five yards per try.
For Tempe, Van Hoorebeke and Fritsch were the outstanding backfield stars, while Kalastro, Rockwell, Setka and Palmer turned in sparkling defensive games.
Erdhaus Shows Promise
Fred Erdhaus, transfer Arizona end, displayed promise of developing into a great wingman. Time and again he knifed through to smear plays, and was a standout on offense.
Ahee, Gray, Rogers, Mann, Greenfield, names well-known to Arizona football followers, performed in grand style on the forward wall for Oliver’s outfit. In fact, never once did the Wildcats’ defense buckle until Fritsch broke loose in the fourth quarter.
Oklahoma Aggie and Texas Tech scouts were on hand for the tussle, busily engaged in diagramming the Cats’ plays from the press box.
Between halves of the game, the Tempe and Arizona bands entertained the throng with music and marching drills.
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.…
