TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona needs a win against visiting Arizona State in the annual Territorial Cup on Saturday in its Pac-12 finale to become bowl eligible for a second straight season. The Wildcats had a chance last week at No. 7 Washington State, but were handily defeated 69-28 in the 29-degree weather, fumbling the ball six times and losing three.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1. LINE: Arizona -1.5
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Arizona State was eliminated from Pac-12 championship game contention with a 31-29 loss at Oregon on Saturday, which made Utah the South Division champion. Many eyes will be on Arizona State running back Eno Benjamin, who needs 121 rushing yards to break the single-season school record of 1,565 set by Woody Green in 1972. He rushed for 149 yards on 29 carries against Oregon for his eighth 100-yard effort of the season, tying the school record, and the sophomore should be fired up for his first game against his in-state rival. The Wildcats have a superb running back as well in J.J. Taylor, but look for speedy quarterback Khalil Tate to take over the game after throwing for 12 touchdown passes in the past three games with only three interceptions.
ABOUT ARIZONA STATE (6-5, 4-4 Pac-12)
The Sun Devils can stretch plays out through the air as well, and they have one of the top wide receivers in the conference in junior N'Keal Harry, who has posted three straight 100-yard receiving games for the first time in his three-year career. Harry has combined for three touchdowns catches in his first two meetings against Arizona, including a 9-yarder with 4:51 left that clinched the 42-30 win last season. Arizona State quarterback Manny Wilkins will certainly look to improve over last week, when he completed less than 50 percent of his passes for the first time in two years.
ABOUT ARIZONA (5-6, 4-4)
Taylor is also moving up on the list of best seasons by a ball carrier in Arizona history. He enters this game 86 yards short of moving to No. 5 on the all-time single season list (1,375), and 122 yards shy of catching Tate's mark of 1,411 yards set last season. Tate was slowed by an ankle injury earlier in the season and hasn't rushed for more than 40 yards in a game yet, but don't be surprised if he tucks the ball away a few times against Arizona State, a team that held him to 28 rushing yards last season.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Arizona owns a 49-41-1 lead in this series.
2. The winning team has scored at least 41 points in each of the past six games of the series.
3. Tate is five TD passes shy of the school record of 28 shared by Anu Solomon (2014), Nick Foles (2011) and Willie Tuitama (2007).
PREDICTION: Arizona State 48, Arizona 45