Territorial Cup coming at perfect time for ASU

Head Coach Dennis Erickson and his Sun Devils need any help that they can get to put themselves back on track to their goal of a birth in the first ever Pac 12 Championship game representing the South conference.  A visit from their in state rivals could just be the medicine they need.

“It is a little easier knowing that we got U of A this week, Sun Devil Senior Wide Receiver Aaron Pflugrad pointed out Monday. We know its something the whole state is excited for.” 

The Sun Devils have their backs against the wall for the first time this season coming off a disappointing loss to Washington State, dropping their second straight game. But as Coach Erickson pointed out, “boy when you play that game it does not make a difference what has happened earlier in the season.”

He is exactly right. Take last season for instance. The Sun Devils, though talented and played very good teams close, were one of the worst teams in the PAC 10 a season ago.  However they still managed to go to Tucson and shock the third place Wildcats in front of their home crowd. 

2004 also stands out to Wildcats fans for the same reason. The 18th ranked Sun Devils traveled down south to face a two win Arizona team and saw a Mike Bell track meet and a Matt Miller dropped pass on 4th down deep in Wildcat territory. 

That threw a curveball at the Devils once special season.

A curveball is exactly what the last two weeks have been, but quarterback Brock Owseiler said, “that’s life”. 

“Sometimes life throws you a curveball and it is all about how you bounce back from it,” he said. “The Sun Devils have a golden opportunity to forget what has transpired over the last two weeks and focus on a game that is always circled on the calendar before the season kicks off.”  

For the ASU program, their slogan before the season has been “It’s time.”  Now with the season nearing its end with two games to play, the time is literally now to meet those lofty expectations against their bitter rival.