Out-of-staters learn intensity of state rivalry
Arriving players surprised by seriousness of ASU-UA
Sun Devils defensive end Michael Matus never really understood what the Arizona State-Arizona rivalry was all about. Hailing from Katy, Texas there were rivalries closer to home that piqued his interest.
The redshirt-junior realized once he arrived in Tempe as a true freshman in 2018 just how seriously parties on both sides took the contest.
The two rivals will square off at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Sun Devils Stadium with the contest airing on the Pac-12 Network.
“Being from out of state I never really recognized this rivalry when I was back home until I got here,” Matus said. “I could tell by the tension in the air when everybody’s warmup up, like `Oh crap, this is serious.’ Leading up to the game people kind of show the animosity that builds up. Just the tension in the air. You can cut it with a knife.”
Junior offensive lineman LaDarius Henderson echoed the same sentiment. He’s also from Texas, with his home town of Waxahachie about 230 miles north of Matus’ hometown.
This will be his third Territorial Cup game.
“I’m from Texas and we have so many rivalry games there, I never really heard about this rivalry growing up that much
because you hear about Oklahoma-Texas or people argue about (Texas) A&M and Texas,” Henderson said. “So then you get here and hear about the history and the severity of it, it’s really cool to be part of this. It surprised me how big this is to the people in this city.”
Arizona leads the head-to-head series 49-44-1, although ASU has won the last, which includes a 70-7 blowout in 2020 — the most lopsided in the long series and an outcome that resulted in the end of the Kevin Sumlin era in Tucson.
Neither team has a lot of momentum
coming in.
ASU (7-4, 5-3) is fresh off a 24-10 loss at Oregon State with the offense struggling mightily. It has been a disappointing showing from a veteran team expected to contend for the South Division title.
Arizona (1-10, 1-7) was a 44-18 loser at Washington State last Friday. The Wildcats did snap a 20-game losing streak that spanned three seasons when it defeated Cal 10-3 three weeks ago and it has been more competitive this season with three losses by a touchdown of less.
Matus says one of the memories that sticks out for him came in last season’s rout when he forced a fumble. He also remembers the celebration after the game.
“Last year Connor Soelle and I were working on a pressure, the back bounced out and Connor faced him up and he fumbled the ball,” Matus said. “Then I remember Chase (Lucas) running around with the Cup after the game so that’s always a great thing.”
Henderson singles out the 24-10 win by ASU in 2019, not for something he did but what he saw from a teammate Jack Jones who had two interceptions.
“He had a great game and that was cool to watch,” Henderson said.
Henderson added that the Sun Devils are not taking their opponent lightly.
“They’re a team worth respecting, Its a rivalry game, so even my rivalry in high school, no matter what they did to anybody else that season, we had to play our best game against them. We know this game is going to be physical, it’s going to be tough. It will be dogfight no matter what the score is at the end.”
Jones accepts
ASU senior corner Jack Jones has accepted in an invitation to participate in the East-West Shrine Game Feb. 3 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The event is being held there in conjunction with the NFL’s Pro Bowl.
Jones has played in 23 games in his Sun Devils career. This season he has recorded 36 tackles, two interceptions six breakups and forced two fumbles.