If you’ve ever stood on the sidelines in Tempe or Tucson late in November, you know it’s not just about the heat. There is a specific kind of electricity that hums through the air when the Sun Devils and Wildcats meet. It’s a tension that dates back long before Arizona was even a state. Seriously. People talk about "tradition" in college football all the time, but the ASU vs UArizona football rivalry—better known as the Territorial Cup—actually has the receipts to prove it’s the oldest in the game.
Honestly, though, most national pundits miss the point. They see two desert schools and assume it’s a standard "state bragging rights" thing. It’s not. It’s a blood feud fueled by academic snobbery, geographical resentment, and a silver-plated trophy that once spent decades lost in a basement.
The Cup That Went Missing
Let’s talk about that trophy for a second because the story is wild. The Territorial Cup was first awarded in 1899. That’s thirteen years before Arizona achieved statehood. The "Normals" of Tempe (which became ASU) beat the University of Arizona 11-2 in that first game. Then, for some reason, the cup just... vanished.
For nearly 80 years, nobody really knew where it was. It wasn't until 1980 that a staffer found it tucked away in the ASU Alumni Association’s basement. In 2001, the NCAA officially certified it as the oldest rivalry trophy in college football.
You’ve got to love the irony. A rivalry this heated, and the physical prize was essentially a doorstop for the better part of a century. Today, the Wildcats hold a slight edge in the all-time series—52-45-1 following the 2025 season—but those numbers don’t even begin to cover the chaos of the last few years.
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Recent History: A Tale of Two Blowouts
If you want to understand the current state of ASU vs UArizona football, you have to look at the scoreboard from 2020 and 2024. In 2020, the Sun Devils absolutely dismantled the Wildcats 70-7. It was a humiliating night for Tucson, one that basically forced a total program reset and led to the hiring of Jedd Fisch.
But football is a fickle beast.
Fast forward to 2024, and the script flipped in a way nobody expected. ASU, under Kenny Dillingham, had been riding high with a 10-2 regular season. They were the talk of the Big 12. Then they walked into Tucson and got walloped 49-7. It was a mirror image of the 70-7 game, a reminder that in this rivalry, rankings and momentum mean exactly zero once the ball is kicked.
The 2025 Defensive Masterclass
The most recent chapter in 2025 saw the Wildcats reclaim the trophy in Tempe with a 23-7 victory. It wasn't a flashy game, but it was a statement. Arizona’s defense, led by a breakout 18-tackle performance from Dalton Johnson, kept the Sun Devils out of the end zone for almost the entire night. Noah Fifita, who has basically rewritten the Arizona record books with over 8,600 career passing yards, played a steady, veteran game to secure the win.
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Why the Big 12 Move Changed Everything
For decades, this game was the "Pac-10/12 finale." It was a West Coast tradition. But the move to the Big 12 in 2024 changed the stakes. Suddenly, the ASU vs UArizona football game isn't just about the state; it’s about positioning in a massive, 16-team conference where every win is a slog.
The 2025 season was a perfect example. Both teams entered the game with eight wins—the first time that had happened since 2014. The Territorial Cup wasn't just a trophy game; it was a high-stakes battle for bowl positioning and Big 12 hierarchy.
- ASU's Identity: Under Dillingham, the Sun Devils have leaned into a "raucous, hometown hero" vibe. They went undefeated at home in 2024, a feat they hadn't pulled off in 20 years.
- Arizona's Identity: The Wildcats have leaned into high-octane passing and a surprisingly gritty defense. They’ve managed to maintain stability even through coaching transitions, keeping stars like Tetairoa McMillan and Fifita in the fold when other programs would have lost them to the portal.
The 1958 Turning Point
If you want to sound like an expert at the tailgate, you need to know about Proposition 200. This is the "hidden" reason why the schools hate each other. In the late 50s, ASU was still "Arizona State College." They wanted to become a university.
The University of Arizona fought it. Hard. They didn't want the competition.
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In 1958, the same year the name change was on the ballot, some UA fans allegedly snuck into Sun Devil Stadium and burned "No on 200" into the grass. ASU responded by crushing the Wildcats 47-0 on the field. The proposition passed by a 2-to-1 margin shortly after. That specific moment transformed a friendly athletic competition into a genuine cultural divide between the two biggest cities in the state.
Looking Ahead to 2026
What’s next? The 2026 game is already circled on every calendar in the 48th state. ASU will be looking for revenge after dropping the 2025 contest at home. The game is scheduled to return to Tucson, where the "Blue Out" crowds have become legendary for making life miserable for visiting quarterbacks.
Key things to watch:
- Quarterback Transitions: With the 2025 stars moving toward the NFL, who steps into the spotlight? Sam Leavitt has shown flashes of brilliance for the Sun Devils, but he'll need to find more consistency in hostile environments.
- The Big 12 Grind: By late November, both these teams will have played a gauntlet of physical teams like Utah, Iowa State, and Kansas State. Injuries will be a factor. They always are.
- Recruiting War: Both schools are fighting for the same four-star talent in the Phoenix metro area. Winning the Territorial Cup is the single best recruiting tool for either head coach.
The ASU vs UArizona football rivalry isn't slowing down. It's getting weirder, louder, and more important. Whether it’s a 70-point blowout or a 23-7 defensive grind, the Territorial Cup remains the most chaotic Saturday in the desert.
If you are planning to attend the next matchup, buy your tickets early. The 2025 game saw a massive spike in secondary market prices as both teams surged into the top 25. Check the official athletic sites—TheSunDevils.com and ArizonaWildcats.com—for the most accurate kickoff times and "color out" schedules. If you're traveling, remember that the Tempe-to-Tucson drive on I-10 is a nightmare on game day; give yourself at least three hours to make the trip safely.