Wildcats Travel North for 99th Territorial Cup

TUCSON, Ariz. — The Arizona Wildcats (8-3, 5-3) wrap up their regular season with a road matchup against ASU (8-3, 6-2) in the 99th Territorial Cup this Friday, Nov. 28. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. MST.

Friday's game will be nationally televised on FOX with Tim Brando (play-by-play) and Devin Gardner (analyst) on the call. The game will also be broadcast live on Wildcats Radio 1290 AM featuring play-by-play from the Voice of the Wildcats, Brian Jeffries.

The Territorial Cup is the nation's oldest rivalry trophy game, and the Wildcats hold a 51-46-1 edge in the all-time series. Arizona looks to swing back into the win column following a pair of victories in 2022 & 2023 and a defeat last season.

This year's iteration of the in-state rivalry features a pair of programs boasting 8 wins for the first time since 2014.

For more news and notes on Friday's game, continue below.

Arizona Notes & Numbers

• The Arizona Wildcats polish off their regular season schedule with a matchup against the Arizona State Sun Devils in the 99th iteration of the Territorial Cup.
• Saturday’s game will be nationally televised on FOX with Tim Brando (play-by-play), Devin Gardner (analyst) and Josh Sims (reporter) on the call.
• It will also be broadcast live on Wildcats Radio 1290 AM featuring play-by-play from the Voice of the Wildcats, Brian Jeffries.
• Arizona and Arizona State have faced off 98 times previously, with games dating back to 1899 and the Wildcats holding a 51-46-1 edge in the all-time series.
• The Wildcats have won two of the last three meetings in the Territorial Cup, including the most recent matchup in Tempe in 2023. The Sun Devils won last year’s contest, 49-7, in Tucson.
• Arizona and ASU play for the nation’s oldest rivalry trophy. In summer 2001, officials at Arizona and Arizona State received NCAA Division I-A designation for the 1899 Territorial Cup as the oldest trophy for a rivalry game in America.
• The annual Territorial Cup winner obtains possession of the Cup for their Hall of Fame; a replica goes to the winning school’s president’s office, while the two newer trophies in the hard-fought rivalry are awarded to the winning coach and the Most Valuable Player as voted on by the media.
• QB Noah Fifita’s 69 career touchdown passes are the most in program history; his 68th TD pass at Cincinnati two weeks ago broke the record previously held by Nick Foles and Willie Tuitama.
• Arizona’s defense is among the top 25 units in the nation in total defense (21st), turnovers gained (6th), team TFL (14th), team pass efficiency defense (2nd), scoring defense (24th), passing yards allowed (6th), interceptions (6th), and first downs defense (18th).

SOME GAME THEMES: The Arizona Wildcats (8-3, 5-3) head north to face the Arizona State Sun Devils (8-3, 6-2) in the 99th iteration of the Territorial Cup, the nation’s oldest rivalry trophy game…Saturday’s game will be nationally televised on FOX with Tim Brando (play-by-play), Devin Gardner (analyst), and Josh Sims (reporter) on the call…The game will also be broadcast live on Wildcats Radio 1290 AM and KHYT 107.5 FM featuring play-by-play from the Voice of the Wildcats, Brian Jeffries…Arizona and Arizona State have faced off 98 times previously, with games dating back to 1899 and the Wildcats holding a 51-46-1 edge in the all-time series...The Wildcats have won two of the last three meetings in the Territorial Cup, including the most recent matchup in Tempe in 2023...The Sun Devils won last year’s contest, 49-7, in Tucson…The Wildcats dominant win last week over the Baylor Bears secured a winning conference record for Arizona, their first in the Big 12…Arizona has reached the eight-win mark for the 19th time in program history; it is the first eight-win season for Head Coach Brent Brennan.

THE NATION’S OLDEST RIVALRY TROPHY: In summer 2001, officials at Arizona and Arizona State received NCAA Division I-A designation for the 1899 Territorial Cup as the oldest trophy for a rivalry game in America. The annual Arizona–Arizona State winner obtains possession of the Cup for its Hall of Fame, a replica goes to the winning school’s president’s office, and two later trophies used over the years in the hard-fought rivalry are awarded to the winning coach and the Most Valuable Player. On Thanksgiving Day in 1899, then Arizona Territorial Normal School defeated Arizona 11-2 in front of a reported 300 fans, and the Cup had its first curator. But over the years, the silver-plated antique prize was misplaced and supplanted by various other awards for the Big Game: the Governor’s Trophy (1953-1979), a “Victory” sculpture by artist Ben Goo, and a Saguaro Trophy, among others. Now, to ensure the safety of the original trophy, the actual Territorial Cup moves from one school to the other only under escort and the supervision of gloved archivists. Each year, members of the media vote on the Most Valuable Player at the conclusion of the game. Since 2008, the honor has been named the Bob Moran Most Valuable Player Award, named after the longtime East Valley Tribune sports reporter who also worked at the Arizona Daily Star for 13 years and covered both schools as a beat writer and columnist. The Ben Goo Trophy, awarded from 1979 to 1998 as the game trophy, has become the physical award given to the game’s MVP. The Saguaro Trophy, a smaller bronze piece commissioned from artist Dora Perry in 1998, is presented and kept each year by the winning coach.

LAST TIME OUT: The Wildcats defense posted a second half shutout while the Arizona offense scored 21 points to pull away from Baylor for a come-from-behind victory. Saturday’s win secured a 6-1 home record for Arizona this season. Additional highlights from the Baylor game includes…

Notable Postgame Notes

• Arizona improved to 8-3 on the year with a 5-3 record in Big 12 Conference play. The Wildcats are now guaranteed to have a winning record in conference play. This marks the 19th time that Arizona has boasted a winning record in conference play since the Wildcats joined the Pac-12 Conference in 1978.
• The Wildcats finished their home slate with a record of 6-1 in seven home games, tying the program record for home wins in a season. Arizona has won six home games seven times, with this season being the first time since 2014.
• The Wildcats defense pitched a shutout in the second half while limiting Baylor to only 135 yards. Arizona has now posted 15 scoreless quarters this year. Arizona’s defense has allowed just 84 points in the second half and 36 in the fourth quarter this year.
• DB Dalton Johnson led the Wildcats defense with a career-high 18 tackles, the most by a Wildcat since Scooby Wright has 19 at UCLA on Nov. 1, 2014.
• RB Kedrick Reescano paced the offense with a trio of touchdowns, giving him eight rushing touchdowns on the year. It was the first three rushing touchdown performance by a Wildcat since Quali Conley accomplished the feat against New Mexico in the 2024 season opener.

DALTON JOHNSON VOTED AS BIG 12 DPOTW: Arizona Football defensive back Dalton Johnson has been selected as the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week, the Big 12 Conference announced on Monday morning. For Johnson it is the first conference weekly award of his career, and for Arizona it marks the program's first Defensive POTW honor since DB Genesis Smith earned the recognition last November. Johnson led the Wildcats with a career-high 18 tackles and 0.5 TFL on Senior Day against Baylor, logging the most total tackles by a Wildcat since 2014. The fifth-year standout led the Wildcats secondary as they limited the nation's top passer to just 162 yards and only 40 in the second half. Johnson and the Wildcats defense held Baylor to just 343 total yards, their second lowest output of the season.

NOAH'S ARC: Redshirt junior quarterback Noah Fifita, one of the most prolific passers in program history, returns behind center to lead the Wildcats offense in 2025. The California native has logged three-plus seasons and 38 games with the Wildcats since his true freshman campaign in 2022. Over that span he has etched his name into the Arizona record books and looks to cement his legacy even further this season. Fifita currently sports 69 career passing touchdowns and 8,632 career passing yards, marks that rank first and third in program history, respectively. Fifita broke the Wildcats career passing touchdowns record in a ranked road victory at Cincinnati on Nov. 15; his 15-yard pass to WR Gio Richardson rewrote the Arizona record books. The fourth-year signal caller was selected to a trio of watch lists this preseason, earning national recognition from the Maxwell Award, the Polynesian Player of the Year Award, and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. He was also added to the Manning Award watch list last month and has earned a pair of Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week nods.

GRAB YOUR BOWLING SADDLE SHOES: With their comeback win over Kansas two weeks ago, the Wildcats are now bowl eligible for the first time under head coach Brent Brennan. This marks the first time that Arizona is bowl eligible since 2023, and just the third time in the last nine seasons (also: 2017). The Wildcats have played in 22 bowl games in program history, with a record 10-11-1 in those games. Arizona’s most recent bowl appearance was in the 2023 Valero Alamo Bowl in a matchup against the No. 12 Oklahoma Sooners; the Wildcats won the game, 38-24. Arizona remains tied to the Pac-12 legacy bowl affiliations: Alamo Bowl, Holiday Bowl, Las Vegas Bowl, Sun Bowl, LA Bowl. After those selections have been exhausted, they are eligible for Big 12 affiliated bowls: Pop-Tarts Bowl, Texas Bowl, Liberty Bowl, Rate Bowl, Independence Bowl.

NO FLY ZONE: Arizona’s defense, in particular their pass defense, has led the charge for the Wildcats turnaround this season. While the Arizona defense as a whole ranks 21st nationally, the Wildcats ability to defend the pass has truly impressed. The Cats have allowed the sixth-fewest pass yards per game in the nation, while their pass efficiency defense mark ranks second among all FBS programs. A large part of their success is the secondary feasting on interceptions, with their 16 picks leading the Big 12 Conference and ranking sixth nationally. It doesn’t stop at interceptions, though; Arizona’s lockdown pass defense has held seven consecutive opponents to under 200 passing yards, the longest active streak in the FBS. The last Big 12 team with a longer run was Missouri’s eight-game stretch during the 2004 season (via Stats Perform). Arizona’s defense has allowed opponents to throw for multiple touchdowns just twice this year (at Houston, at Colorado) and has limited all nine remaining opponents to one or fewer. The Wildcats opened the year with five consecutive games without allowing a passing touchdown.

ON THE MARK: In the Wildcats week eight contest at Houston, quarterback Noah Fifita completed 24-of-26 passes for a 92.3% completion rate, tying the Arizona single-game program record. Fifita’s ultra-accurate outing was the fourth best in the FBS this season, and the third best by a road quarterback in the last 30 years (minimum 25 attempts). Fifita is one of only three quarterbacks in the nation this season with a 90%-plus completion percentage in a game with 25 or more attempts.

THE WHOLE 99: The Wildcats retook the lead midway through the third quarter last week at Cincinnati with a 99-yard drive that was capped by a 50-yard rush from RB Kedrick Reescano. The extended march was the Wildcats first 99-yard drive since going the maximum against Texas Tech in September 2019. Prior to that, Arizona’s most recent 99-yard drive came against Northern Arizona in 2009, giving the Wildcats only three 99-yard drives in the last 17 seasons.

UNSHEATH THE SWORD: Arizona’s turnover sword has been busy this season, seeing use in 8-of-10 games so far with multiple uses in six separate games. The Wildcats 20 turnovers forced through 10 games are tied for the 8th most in the nation and the most for the program since creating 25 turnovers across 13 games in 2017. With five turnovers against Colorado and Hawai’i, the Wildcats now boast multiple five-turnover performances for the first time since 2000 (USC & Washington State).

RANKED ROAD KILL: Arizona’s win over then No. 22 Cincinnati last weekend was the Wildcats second win over an AP Top 25 team under the direction of head coach Brent Brennan (also: at No. 10 Utah, 2024). Coach Brennan is now one of only seven coaches in program history with multiple road wins over ranked opponents.

WILDCATS IN THE NFL: The Arizona Wildcats are once again well represented in the NFL, with 11 players currently sprinkled throughout league rosters. Highlighting the group of former Wildcats are a pair of first round picks in Tetairoa McMillan (2025) and Jordan Morgan (2024). With his selection earlier this year, McMillan became the 12th Arizona player to earn a first round NFL Draft pick. He joined a list that includes Morgan (2024; 25th, Green Bay), Antoine Cason (2008; 27th, San Diego), Trung Canidate (2000; 31st, St. Louis), Chris McAlister (1999; 10th, Baltimore), John Fina (1992; 27th, Buffalo), Chris Singleton (1990; 8th, New England), Anthony Smith (1990; 11th, Oakland), Rickey Hunley (1984; 7th, Cincinnati), Mike Dawson (1976; 22nd, Arizona), Bill Lueck (1968; 26, Green Bay), and Walt Nelson (1939; 10th, New York Giants). McMillan was the first of four Wildcats selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, marking the most Arizona picks since 2008.

Current Wildcats on NFL Rosters (as of 11/23/25)

• Jonah Savaiinaea, OL, Miami Dolphins
• Nick Folk, K, New York Jets
• Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Washington Commanders
• Tyler Loop, K, Baltimore Ravens
• Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, LB, New York Giants
• Roy Lopez, DT, Detroit Lions
• Jordan Morgan, OT, Green Bay Packers
• Lucas Havrisik, K, Green Bay Packers
• Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers
• Jacob Cowing^, WR, San Francisco 49ers
• Gary Brightwell*, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

*Practice Squad    ^Reserve/Injured