With a slim margin for error, quarterback Matt Scott and the Arizona Wildcats fell short of the mark on Friday night’s Territorial Cup. Scott, playing in his final game in Tucson, turned the ball over four times, leading to 28 ASU points off of turnovers.
His fumble with under nine minutes to play led to ASU’s game-tying touchdown only six plays later. After a blocked punt and another seven points for the Sun Devils, Arizona had a chance to tie the game back up with five minutes remaining.
Yet again, a crucial error by the Wildcat quarterback. After the team made its way into ASU territory, Scott threw another pick (his third on the night), and the Devils scored again to ice the victory.
ASU’s offense was fueled by great field position set up by the defense’s four turnovers, two of which were forced by safety Keelan Johnson (interception, forced fumble).
On the offensive side of the ball, running back Marion Grice led the charge for the Devils. He finished the night with 156 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns, including his game-tying run in the 4th quarter.
Not to be outdone, star running back Ka’Deem Carey put up 172 rushing yards of his own for the University of Arizona. The Pac-12’s leading rusher only scored once, though, and his performance on the ground wasn’t enough to jumpstart the Wildcat offense in the final quarter of play. Although Carey spent a significant portion of the game on the sideline, the Wildcats were still able to move the chains on the ground with 78 additional yards from backup Daniel Jenkins.
In the first three quarters of the game, the game was back and forth until Arizona broke away to a 10-point lead at the end of the 4th with two passing touchdowns from Scott and a 23-yard field goal from kicker John Bonano.
ASU had started the game off trailing by 6 (after Bonano missed an extra point following the Wildcats’ touchdown in the 1st quarter) before turning it around and snagging a 14-9 lead at halftime, after an eruption of 97 total yards and two touchdowns from Grice.
The two teams left the stadium with identical 7-5 records to end the regular season, and now they’ll both await bowl selections in early December.
