TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — No. 14 Arizona State has no need for extra motivation against Arizona. It's a rivalry game — enough said.
But this year the Sun Devils have added incentive, whether they want it or not.
Not only has Arizona State lost the last two games against the Wildcats, a win on Saturday would all but clinch a spot in the Big 12 championship game. That would potentially put the Sun Devils on course to make the College Football Playoff in coach Kenny Dillingham's second season.
“If we have to get excited to play our rival, who whooped our butt last year, then we’re not the team I think we are,” Dillingham said.
Arizona won the past two games in the Territorial Cup as former coach Jedd Fisch rebuilt the program. The Wildcats beat Arizona State 38-35 in Tucson two years ago and embarrassed the Sun Devils 59-23 in Tempe last season.
The programs headed in opposite directions this season.
Arizona (4-7, 2-6 Big 12) was picked to finish near the top of the Big 12 in its first season in the league, but fell short. Struggling to run the ball or slow opposing offenses, the Wildcats have lost six of their past seven games.
“The mindset is this is the biggest game of the year, every year, and that doesn’t change,” first-year Arizona coach Brent Brennan said. “For us, whether we’re bowl eligible or not, all that matters is we’re playing the team from up north."
Arizona State has exceeded expectations.
Picked to finish last in the Big 12, the Sun Devils (9-2, 6-2, No. 16 CFP) have been one of the biggest surprises of the college football season. Arizona State defeated consecutive ranked teams for the first time since 2014 by beating then-No. 20 Kansas State two weeks ago, then outlasted No. 19 BYU in a wild 38-35 win that had the fans prematurely rushing the field.
Quite the turnaround for a program coming off consecutive 3-9 seasons.
“These guys came off no momentum with everybody doubting them," Dillingham said. “Everybody’s still doubting them. That’s what makes this special. I don’t know how long I’ll be here, hopefully a long time. But I don’t know if I’ll ever have a season that exceeds expectations (more) than this year.”
The game likely will be the final one for Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan in Arizona uniforms.
Teammates since they were young, the pair from Southern California will ride out of the desert after leaving indelible marks at Arizona.
McMillan arrived as one of the program's highest-rated recruits and lived up to the hype. Last week, he broke the school record for career yards receiving with 3,355. He has 207 career receptions, fifth in program history, and he reached the marks in just three seasons.
Fifita started last season as a backup quarterback and played so well he kept the job when Jayden de Laura returned from injury. Fifita has thrown for 43 touchdowns, tied for seventh in program history, and is eighth with 5,289 career passing yards — also in three seasons.
One of Arizona's biggest challenges on Saturday will be trying to slow Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo.
The Wildcats have struggled against the run this season, entering the season finale 93rd nationally by allowing 164.3 yards per game.
That doesn't bode well against the Sun Devils and Skattebo. A transfer from Sacramento State two years ago, Skattebo has proven to be one of the nation's most difficult to bring down, thanks to a battering-ram style of running.
Skattebo is third in the Big 12 with 1,221 yards rushing with 14 touchdowns. He also has 34 catches for 460 yards and two more scores, earning a nod as a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award as the nation's top running back.
___
Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll