Sun Devils, Wildcats quickly turn attention to Territorial Cup after losses

Arizona football head coach Jedd Fisch told reporters after Saturday’s 31-20 loss to Washington State that the team usually had a 24-hour rule to get over a game. This week, he said that will be a 24-minute rule given the next game on the slate.

Arizona State and Arizona will battle for the Territorial Cup Friday, and both teams quickly turned their attention to that showdown after their respective defeats on Saturday.

ASU is 3-8 and Arizona is 4-7, so neither team will make a bowl game this year.

The cup is everything at this point.

“Now it’s all for pride,” ASU interim head coach Shaun Aguano said after his team’s 31-7 loss to Oregon State Saturday.

“If both teams don’t go to a bowl game, now it’s all about pride. They have something to prove. We have something to prove … Now it’s mano a mano and who’s gonna be the best team.”

ASU quarterback Trenton Bourguet added: “If people can play with that effort, that emotion, we’ll come out victorious. We got to lock in and play for one another and put on for Arizona State.”

Fisch called the season 11 games long plus the Territorial Cup matchup, noting his team understands the significance of the matchup.

The Sun Devils have dominated the rivalry over the past half decade with five straight wins.

This will be Fisch’s second crack at reclaiming the cup after Arizona’s 38-15 loss last season.

Aguano said he’s honored to a part of the matchup as a head coach for the first time.

“Whatever we have to do to win, they’ll get everything out of me, Aguano said.

Friday’s game will kick off at 1 p.m.

Catch it live on Arizona Sports 98.7, the Arizona Sports app and ArizonaSports.com. 

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