TUCSON, Ariz. — Michael Wiley ran for 214 yards and three touchdowns, and Arizona beat Arizona State 38-35 on Friday to end a five-game losing streak in the Territorial Cup rivalry.
The Wildcats (5-7, 3-6 Pac-12) twice led by 10 points and let Arizona State back in it both times in a wild game that featured 1,018 combined yards.
Wiley was Arizona's workhorse, finishing with the second-most rushing yards in Territorial Cup history behind Trung Candidate's 288 for Arizona in 1998.
Trenton Bourguet threw for 376 yards and three touchdowns for Arizona State (3-9, 2-7) in Shaun Aguano’s final game as interim coach. The Sun Devils got the ball back at their own 28-yard line with 1:33 after stopping Arizona on a fourth-and-1, but Bourguet threw his second interception after being hit.
The Sun Devils rallied from some early miscues to lead 14-10 at halftime.
Once the second half started, neither team could stop the other, combining for five touchdowns and 429 yards in the third quarter alone.
Giovanni Sanders caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Bourguet to put Arizona State up 21-17. Wiley scored on runs of 12 and 72 yards to make it 31-21 Arizona.
Xazavian Halladay scored on a 1-yard run after Jalin Conyers caught a 27-yard pass between two defenders, then Conyers scored on a wide-open 4-yard pass to put Arizona State up 35-31.
DJ Williams answered with a 6-yard score to put Arizona back up and the Wildcats got the ball back on a strip sack of Bourguet with 3:17 left.
Arizona State had one last chance after stopping the Wildcats on fourth down, but Isaiah Taylor made a diving interception after Jacob Manu hit Bourguet's arm.
A melee between multiple players ensued, but the pick ended Arizona's five-year misery against its biggest rival.
THE TAKEAWAY
Arizona State racked up 537 total yards, but couldn't overcome five turnovers nor stop the Wildcats' offense to close out a roller coaster season.
Arizona ended its second season under coach Jedd Fisch by finally winning the game on the schedule that matters most in Tucson.
UP NEXT
Arizona State: The top offseason priority will be to hire a new full-time head coach. Aguano has done a solid job and is well respected, both within the program and the community. Arizona State could also look to make a big-splash hire after its experiment with former NFL coach and TV analyst Herm Edwards flamed out.
Arizona: The Wildcats will likely have several key players back next season, including QB Jayden de Laura, Wiley, WRs Jacob Cowing and Tetairoa McMillan and S Jaxson Turner.
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