Arizona State 4th Pacific-129-3
Arizona 2nd Pacific-1210-3

Arizona State @ Arizona preview

Arizona Stadium

Last Meeting ( Nov 30, 2013 ) Arizona 21, Arizona State 58


No. 12 Arizona will host No. 13 Arizona State on Friday in a Territorial Cup battle that could very well determine the Pac-12 South's representative in the conference championship game. The Wildcats have won three consecutive contests and another victory - along with a UCLA loss to Stanford - would see Rich Rodriguez's team punch its ticket to the title tilt against Oregon. However, Arizona has lost two straight and three of the last four meetings in the series.

Arizona State also needs the Bruins to fall to the Cardinal in order to reach the Dec. 5 Pac-12 Championship Game at Levi's Stadium. The Sun Devils have won six out of their last seven games, but their unexpected loss to unranked Oregon State on Nov. 15 took them out of the driver's seat in the division. Arizona State has lit up the scoreboard in its last two meetings with Arizona - scoring 99 combined points - and hopes for more of the same as it looks to advance to its second straight Pac-12 title tilt.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1. LINE: OFF

ABOUT ARIZONA STATE (9-2, 6-2 Pac-12): Taylor Kelly went 15-of-25 for 232 yards and four touchdowns in the 52-31 win over Washington State. D.J. Foster - who is the only active FBS running back to gain 900 rushing yards and over 500 receiving yards this season - ran for three touchdowns versus the Cougars. Jaelen Strong - who leads the team with 71 receptions for 982 yards and nine touchdowns - is expected to return to the lineup after missing the Washington State game with a concussion.

ABOUT ARIZONA (9-2, 6-2): Freshman quarterback Anu Solomon accounted for 180 yards and a touchdown before sitting out the second half with an ankle injury in the 42-10 win over Utah and his status for Friday's game in uncertain. Nick Wilson was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for a career-high 218 yards and three touchdowns versus the Utes. Wilson has scored three touchdowns in each of his last two games and became the only freshman in program history to top the 1,000 yard mark (1,085) in a single season.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Arizona and Arizona State have not faced each other as ranked teams since 1986.

2. Seven of the last 10 games in the series have been decided by seven points or less.

3. The Sun Devils have won 14 of their last 16 regular season games against Pac-12 opponents.

PREDICTION: Arizona State 42, Arizona 41

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