REAL PRIZE: BRAGGING RIGHTS
For Arizona college-football fans, last week could not have been better. Arizona State University knocked off Pac-12 rival UCLA to win its first-ever Pac-12 South title and a spot in the conference championship game.
The University of Arizona, meanwhile, rose up to utterly demolish Oregon, not so long ago the second-ranked team in the nation.
A great weekend. And one that will not be repeated today, as ASU hosts the Wildcats in Tempe with the Territorial Cup — the oldest rivalry cup in college football, believe it or not — on the line. Someone is going home unhappy.
It is Great Rivalry weekend in college football, when losers and winners alike forget about their win-loss records to date and concentrate on what really matters, which is beating the bejeebers out of that Team That Must Be Beat.
Occasionally, the rivalries cross state boundaries. The Wolverines of Michigan may really get up for playing against that team from East Lansing, but it is beating the one from Columbus, Ohio, that really matters.
But, more often than not, these are intrastate rivalries. Auburn vs. Alabama in their annual Iron Bowl — perhaps the most meaningful Iron Bowl in over 40 years, as the winner goes to the Southeastern Conference title game.
And the big University of Southern California vs. UCLA contest ... which is a little less meaningful than usual this year because both already have lost to, ahem, ASU.
Officially, the Territorial Cup this year will determine whether ASU hosts the Pac-12 title game.
But it is that unofficial prize — in-state bragging rights — that really carries meaning in this game. There have been heartbreakers on both sides in this game.
Eight of the past nine games have been decided by a touch- down or less. And that pattern likely is not in jeopardy this year, with both teams coming onto Frank Kush Field at Sun Devil Stadium with at least seven wins for the first time since 1986.
Officially and unofficially, this is either team’s game to win.
Yes, this time, the Territorial Cup has more on the line than just bragging rights. But like great college-football rivalries, it really is the bragging rights that matters most.