Arizona-ASU Game 85: Wildcats bounce back for a Territorial Cup stunner in 2011

For Arizona fans in Tucson, the 2011 Territorial Cup offered a rare moment of relief during one of the Wildcats’ most difficult football seasons. Arizona entered the Nov. 19 game with a 2-8 record, had lost its previous five road games, and was facing an Arizona State team still in contention for the Pac-12 South title. Instead of ending the season quietly, the Wildcats stunned the Sun Devils in Tempe, winning 31-27 after rallying with two touchdowns in the final 10 minutes and defending their lead through the final seconds.

The victory was Arizona’s first road win since the Wildcats defeated UCLA at the Rose Bowl on Oct. 30, 2010. It also gave the team a meaningful finish after a season that had included more disappointment than celebration. Arizona State entered the game at 6-4 overall and 4-3 in Pac-12 play, while Arizona was 2-8 and 1-7 in conference competition. The result cost the Sun Devils an important opportunity in the division race and gave Arizona seniors a rivalry victory they would remember long after the season ended.

Arizona’s comeback began with starting quarterback Nick Foles directing a 94-yard scoring drive. Foles completed a pass to Gino Crump that turned into a 33-yard touchdown, cutting Arizona State’s advantage to 27-24 with 10:25 remaining. Crump, a senior transfer from West Virginia, made the play himself after catching the ball, avoiding or breaking several tackles before cutting back toward the middle of the field and racing into the end zone.

Foles had been excellent throughout his final Territorial Cup appearance. He completed 35 of 51 passes for 370 yards and two touchdowns, connecting repeatedly with Juron Criner, the Wildcats’ leading receiver. Criner finished with nine catches for 134 yards and a touchdown. Crump added six receptions for 69 yards and a score, while running back Ka’Deem Carey contributed 92 rushing yards, four catches and a receiving touchdown. Arizona finished with 494 yards, fewer than Arizona State’s 548, but the Wildcats controlled possession and forced three turnovers.

The decisive sequence took an unexpected turn when Foles hurt his back while handing the ball to Keola Antolin. He remained on the field for several minutes, forcing little-used backup Bryson Beirne into the game. Beirne’s initial assignment was simple: hand the ball to Antolin. On the next play, he threw a screen to Criner, who turned a short reception into a 23-yard touchdown through his usual combination of quick moves and evasive running. That score put Arizona ahead, 31-27, with 5:18 remaining.

Beirne, who came to Arizona from Honolulu, was not asked to carry the offense in that moment. He later described his role as catching the opportunity and getting the ball to Criner, who did the rest. The touchdown became one of the defining plays of an unlikely victory, particularly because Arizona had spent much of the season searching for consistency. Coach Tim Kish, who was guiding the Wildcats at the time, called the result a major win for both the university and Tucson and said it could provide a foundation for the following season.

Arizona State quarterback Brock Osweiler had produced big plays but also made costly mistakes. In the first quarter, Arizona defensive back Shaquille Richardson intercepted him and returned the ball 40 yards to midfield. A second potential interception by Arizona’s Jourdon Grandon just before halftime was overturned after video review. Grandon eventually got another chance late in the fourth quarter, and this time the play counted. With Arizona State driving and about two minutes left, he intercepted Osweiler at the Arizona 14-yard line and returned the ball to the Sun Devils’ 46, taking precious time off the clock.

The Wildcats still had to survive the final moments. Arizona State moved back into position, and Osweiler threw twice toward the end zone in the closing minutes. Jamal Miles could not make a catch on one late attempt, and on the final play Osweiler tried to find Mike Willie. Richardson broke up the pass, ending the threat with Arizona still ahead. Richardson’s last-second defense, combined with Grandon’s interception, prevented the Sun Devils from completing what would have been a crushing finish for the Wildcats.

Arizona had also overcome its own special teams problems. John Bonano missed two of his three field goal attempts, and Kyle Duganzic later punted the ball through the back of the end zone when the Wildcats were trying to pin Arizona State deep. Those mistakes did not matter in the end because Arizona’s offense delivered late and its defense created enough turnovers to protect the lead. After the final stop, Wildcats players rushed onto the field, waving the Block A flag and celebrating near their supporters. Some players also became involved in a brief confrontation with Sun Devils before several Arizona players moved toward the corner where their fans were gathered.

The win was especially important to the seniors, who had endured a season with few positive moments. Grandon said that regardless of the team’s overall record, defeating Arizona State was the central goal and that the victory finished the season properly. Center Kyle Quinn similarly emphasized that the Wildcats had competed for all 60 minutes and that winning the rivalry game on the road made the result even more meaningful. In a series that would eventually reach its 100th meeting, Arizona’s 2011 comeback stood out as one of the rivalry’s most improbable road victories, a night when a struggling Tucson team delivered a Territorial Cup stunner just when its season seemed to have nothing left to offer.