[tps_title]Arizona at ASU[/tps_title]
[tps_header]1:30 p.m., Fox Sports 1[/tps_header]
ARIZONA (6-5, 3-5) AT
ASU (5-5, 3-4)
1:30 p.m., Fox Sports 1
Pointspread: ASU is favored by 7.5 points
— The line has shifted from ASU as a 6.5-point favorite to 7 points after it was off the board in relation to Anu Solomon’s injury. The game resurfaced on the board Friday.
— ”Our fans talk about this game year round. Our guys, our players and our coaches hear about it all the time,” Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez told the media this week. ”It is an intense rivalry and a lot of emotion goes into it. There is usually a lot at stake, there was a lot more at stake from a national perspective more last year than this year, but there is still a lot at stake. It is the biggest game on our schedule every year.”
— ASU had aspirations of winning the Pac-12 Championship and playing in the College Football Playoff. The Sun Devils never had much of a chance, losing two of their first four games, then three straight to drop out of the Pac-12 South race.
— The Sun Devils still need to win another game to become bowl eligible for the fifth straight season. “It doesn’t matter what the records are,” ASU coach Todd Graham said this week. “It doesn’t matter what you’ve done up to this point. The bottom line, this is a rival game and one that is very passionate on both sides.”
— Neither team has played particularly well on defense this season. Arizona is 11th in the Pac-12 in scoring defense, allowing 34.2 points per game, and 10th in total defense, giving up 454.2 yards. The Sun Devils are marginally better, allowing 422.4 yards and 30.7 points. With two explosive offenses playing in a rivalry game, the lack of defense could lead to a lot of scoring.
— Jerrard Randall could get the start if Solomon can not play. Solomon was having his best game of the season against the Utes, throwing for 277 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 86 yards and another score before being hit by Utah’s Jason Fanaika in a helmet-to-helmet blow when the quarterback was sliding to avoid a tackle.
— Both teams will be missing their star defensive players. Arizona hoped All-American linebacker Scooby Wright would be back by now, but he was listed as out on the injury report. He injured his knee in the season opener and missed games, then went down with a foot injury his first game back. ASU lost safety Jordan Simone to a season-ending knee injury suffered last week against Washington. He was the national leader in tackles per game heading into last weekend.
— The Territorial Cup is recognized by the NCAA as the nation’s oldest rivalry trophy, first presented in 1899. Arizona leads the all-time series 48-39-1, with the Sun Devils holding a 20-18-1 advantage in Tempe. After four straight wins by the visiting team, the home team has won the past two, including Arizona’s 45-35 victory at Arizona Stadium that was essentially the Pac-12 South title game.
Arizona is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Arizona’s last 12 games
Arizona is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Arizona is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Arizona State
Arizona State is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games
Arizona State is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Arizona State’s last 10 games
Arizona State is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games at home
My pick: Arizona will win and cover
Steve Rivera’s pick: ASU will win but Arizona will cover
Anthony Gimino’s pick: ASU will win and cover
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