NFL.com: Arizona State and Arizona have one of NCAA’s top rivalries
May 28, 2015, 1:08 PM | Updated: 1:09 pm
It’s safe to say anyone who lives in Arizona, or who attended either Arizona State University or the University of Arizona, knows about the Territorial Cup Rivalry.
It dates back to 1899, when the UA took on the Normal School of Arizona in Tempe (which would later become ASU), and has featured 88 matchups. The Wildcats lead the all-time series 48-39-1, but each school has had its dominant stretches.
Last season, the Wildcats earned a 42-35 victory that not only gave them bragging rights, but the Pac-12 South title as well. It was a new and exciting wrinkle to the game — higher stakes than just bragging rights — and is something that, if a semi-annual occurrence, would only enhance the rivalry. As it stands now, though, it’s one of the country’s better matchups.
Over at NFL.com, Bryan Fischer ranked college football’s 15 best rivalries, with the Territorial Cup coming in at No. 12.
People outside the Copper State might not realize just how nasty this rivalry is — and not just on the field. Both teams have been pretty competitive in the series and, while the game hasn’t meant much to the national college football picture, it means plenty for bragging rights inside the state. The winner gets the Territorial Cup, one of the oldest rivalry trophies in college football.
The top rivalry on the list is the Iron Bowl, which features Alabama and Auburn, with Michigan and Ohio State coming in at No. 2.