POV: You just won the Territorial Cup! pic.twitter.com/JqTsjvxImw
— Coein Kinney (@CoeinKinney) November 29, 2025
Arizona’s defense forced five turnovers, the most in a game since 2000, and Noah Fifita passed for 286 yards with a touchdown while leading No. 25 Arizona in Arizona State territory 10 times in the Wildcats’ 23-7 victory Friday night at Tempe, Ariz.
Arizona (9-3, 6-3 Big 12) has won five consecutive games this season, and three out of the last four games against the 20th-ranked Sun Devils (8-4, 6-3).
“It’s just incredible because last year these dudes got after us (in a 49-7 victory for the Sun Devils in Tucson),” Arizona coach Brent Brennan told Fox Sports. “The way this team went to work in the offseason and the way they responded today … they just kept playing.
“I’m so proud of this Arizona football team. Nobody thought they could. Check us out now.”
SOAK IT IN CATS. pic.twitter.com/TQSfbhcFNh
— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) November 29, 2025
The five turnovers included three interceptions of Jeff Sims, who also fumbled and lost the ball on an exchange with Raleek Brown for another turnover. Sims was playing in place of injured quarterback Sam Leavitt, who was lost midway through the season with a foot injury.
Sims was 11 of 25 for 114 yards. Fifita completed 28 of 45 passes without an interception.
Arizona scored its first touchdown on its sixth possession that was in Arizona State territory following Sims’ errant exchange with Brown early in the third quarter.
Taye Brown recovered the fumble on the Arizona State 6 with 12:22 left in the third quarter.
Two plays later, Fifita connected on a 9-yard touchdown pass with Cameron Barmore to put Arizona ahead 10-7 lead with 11:36 left in the quarter.
No. 25 Arizona beats No. 20 ASU 23-7 to finish 9-3 overall in the regular season, riding a five-game winning streak into what should be an enticing bowl game.
The seven points by ASU the least allowed by Arizona in a win in the series since the Wildcats and coach Jim Young beat…
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) November 29, 2025
After an interception by Treydan Stukes, Arizona drove from its 6 before stalling at the Arizona State 31.
Michael Salgado-Medina made a 49-yard field goal with 1:22 left to increase the lead to 13-7.
“Those guys who chose to stay around — Noah Fifita, Treydan Stukes, Dalton Johnson, Genesis Smith … and then the guys we added in … the combination of the guys who chose to come and play with us or chose to stay … the combination of those two groups of people and their commitment to each other is what helped us set this thing on fire the second half of the season,” Brennan said.
After Arizona’s defense forced a three-and-out, the Wildcats gained possession at its 40 with 14:41 left.
The possession ended with a 29-yard field goal by Salgado-Medina with 12:05 remaining, increasing the lead to 16-7.
Kedrick Reescano scored the last touchdown on a 1-yard run with 1:56 left following Sims’ fumble at the Arizona 16. The Wildcats drove 87 yards on 14 plays and took 6:15 off the clock.
“We love each other; we play for each other — that’s the end of the day,” Fifita told Fox. “It’s always been about us since January. We built this team from the ground up. Coach Brennan has done an absolutely fantastic job with all the new guys we’ve had and all the guys we’ve retained.”
Arizona went from 4-8 in Brennan’s first season to 9-3 this year.
“At the end of the day, when things went wrong, we just relied on each other and played for each other –that’s what you see,” Fifita said.
Arizona State’s last possession ended with an interception by Johnson.
“It means everything to me,” Johnson told Fox about the win. “It’s my fifth year and the record against them was 2-2, so getting that fifth one and finishing the series ahead, that means a lot.
“But it means more to the Tucson fans. They do so much for us. To bring that (Territorial) Cup home back to Tucson, where it should be, that was the goal for this game.”
Arizona’s five possession in the first half reached Arizona State territory but the Wildcats scored only three points.
Quincy Craig fumbled the ball at the Arizona State 6 and Javan Robinson recovered for the Sun Devils to quell Arizona’s first possession.
The Wildcats’ second possession ended with a missed 45-yard field goal by Salgado-Medina.
Michael Dansby set up Arizona at the Arizona State 37 after intercepting a pass with 14:49 left in the second quarter.
Three straight incompletions forced the Wildcats to punt.
Arizona State scored first after driving 90 yards for a touchdown, capped by Sims’ 27-yard run with 10:39 left.
Arizona then drove the ball to the Arizona State 12 but Fifita was sacked for a loss of 12 yards by Justin Wodtly.
Salgado-Medina followed with a 42-yard field goal attempt that was blocked by Keith Abney II, keeping the Wildcats scoreless.
Arizona reached the Arizona State 29 on its next possession before Salgado-Medina converted on a 47-yard field goal with 1 second remaining in the half, cutting the lead to 7-3.
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