Arizona-ASU Game 21: UA’s late surge sinks Tempe in heated 1947 rivalry game

For Arizona fans, the 1947 Territorial Cup game offered a familiar kind of rivalry drama: a strong start, a sudden Tempe comeback, and a late Wildcat surge that settled everything. Arizona defeated the Tempe Sun Devils 26 to 13 on Nov. 15 at Goodwin Stadium in Tempe, winning the 19th meeting between the two Arizona state schools. A record crowd of 16,000 watched the game, which ended with Arizona students pulling down the goalposts at both ends of the field.

The victory came because Arizona recovered after Tempe seized control in the middle portion of the game. The Wildcats scored once early, fell behind 13 to 6 after Tempe’s opening second half drive, then answered with three touchdowns in the second half. Quarterback Freddy Enke’s passing, Charlie Hall’s running and a key defensive play by Hall helped Arizona finish the game with authority. Arizona’s final points came on a 39 yard quarterback sneak by Bill Peterson.

The Wildcats took the first advantage almost immediately. After Tempe was forced to punt from deep in its own territory, Hall received a pitchout and raced around the left end for a 30 yard touchdown, just three minutes after the opening kickoff. Arizona’s extra point attempt failed, leaving the Wildcats ahead 6 to 0. Arizona continued to control much of the opening quarter, and another apparent touchdown, a 31 yard run, was erased by an offside penalty.

Tempe’s response centered on fullback Morrison “Dit” Warren, who gave the Sun Devils a dangerous running attack throughout the night. After Arizona stopped Tempe near the goal line, Warren broke loose on an 82 yard pitchout and reached the Arizona eight yard line before being forced out. The Wildcats held again for a time, but Warren and Whizzer White eventually led Tempe on a 55 yard scoring drive. Warren carried the ball across the goal line, and White kicked the extra point, putting Tempe ahead 7 to 6 by halftime.

The Sun Devils increased their lead after the break with a 90 yard possession that featured Warren’s running and Charlie Beall’s passing. The scoring play included a pass from Beall to Jim Montgomery, who lateraled to Garner Barnett. With Arizona apparently caught off guard, Barnett ran 31 yards untouched for the touchdown. White’s conversion attempt missed, but Tempe had built a 13 to 6 lead and appeared to have the momentum.

Arizona answered almost instantly. Two plays after the Tempe kickoff, Enke connected with Smith on a 48 yard touchdown pass. Arizona missed another conversion, keeping Tempe in front 13 to 12, but the play began the Wildcats’ decisive second half run. The next Arizona score was set up by a defensive play from Hall, who made a diving interception of a Beall pass on the Tempe 32 yard line.

Enke then moved Arizona downfield with a combination of passing and hard running. Near the goal line, he fired a pass to Goff, who made a difficult catch despite close coverage. This time the extra point was good, and Arizona moved ahead 19 to 13 before the quarter ended. The Wildcats added their final touchdown in the fourth quarter, when Peterson broke through on a 39 yard sneak. Goff converted again, giving Arizona its final 26 to 13 margin as the Wildcats continued moving toward Tempe territory when the game ended.

Although the rivalry had a reputation for intensity, the contest itself remained orderly. The report described few flare-ups, with no violence on the field and no disorder in the stands. The goalpost celebration by Arizona students was the main exception. Tempe’s players had provided a serious challenge, particularly through Warren, whom the account identified as the central figure in the Sun Devils’ offense. Arizona’s line, led by Harry Varner and Fred Knez, generally made Tempe’s attack difficult to sustain, while Arizona’s late offensive execution proved decisive.

The 1947 result added another chapter to a series that would eventually become known as the Territorial Cup rivalry. The teams did not meet every year, so the 1947 game was the 19th renewal rather than the 19th consecutive season matchup. In the broader series, Arizona held a 52 to 46 to 1 advantage before the planned 100th meeting. That milestone refers to the number of games played, not the age of the rivalry, and the 100th matchup was scheduled to take place in Tucson on Nov. 28.