Arizona Football: Territorial Cup stays in Tempe, referees and bad punts

Arizona Wildcats fans really needed a win today, and the Arizona Football team could have used one as well to get over the loss to the Oregon Ducks the weekend before.

The Arizona Football team was prepared. The entire team traveled to Tempe to be on the sidelines for the duel in the desert called the Territorial Cup. You know, the cup that’s been sitting in the Arizona Athletics office for the last year?

The Wildcats lost 42-30, so the cup goes to the Sun Devils and saves their Head Coach Todd Graham’s job. He knows it too, kissed the cup right in front of the camera after the game.

Arizona Wildcats Football

It hurts. Thought you were numb after Saturday night? Now, what do you call it?

The first half went pretty well. Although starting quarterback, Khalil Tate was hurt in the first quarter per Rich Rodriguez in a post-game press conference with Brian Jeffries. The Cats went into the locker room up ten points, 34-24. Tate completed 11 of 13 passes for 132 yards and rushed for 26 yards and ran in a touchdown.

The Wildcats came out of the locker room, and Brandon Dawkins hit the field. The Pac-12 announcers had said that it was the coaches choice. As the media wrestled around trying to figure out what was up, a few bad series and scores later, Tate came back into the game. Then he came out again. More reports came through. It seemed Tate wasn’t playing because he was injured.

Things got a little better, and it seemed there was a still a chance for the Cats.

There were four highlights in the second half worth noting, and few of them may have turned around the game. One was a 50-yard rushing touchdown by Brandon Dawkins. Another was a 43-yard pass to Shawn Poindexter from Dawkins. It was beautiful.

The third was a 70+ yard touchdown run on a returned kick by Shun Brown. It was one of the most fantastic plays I have ever seen. He caught the ball, and ran backward to avoid being tackled, but evaded the defense with the help of his teammates. One of those teammates was Shawn Pindexter, who was called for a block in the back, which was clearly a block on the side. And that call by the referee negated the touchdown that could have flipped the momentum and bumped up the score for the Arizona Wildcats.

The referee who called the block in the back was standing in front of the play, so how could he 100% be sure it was blocking in the back? And the flag was delayed!

The fourth was a pancake hit made by Colin Schooler (13 tackles and one sack) and Tony Fields II (10 tackles and one sack).

The referee’s also missed a number of calls, especially one that the camera’s picked up. From what I saw and fans concur, one of the Sun Devils as he was running down the field, flashed a Wildcats sign at a Wildcat. Was this taunting? It wasn’t called.

You want to more food for fighting with Sun Devil Fans? Have them try to defend this:

I have seen Rich Rodriguez mad after a loss in a press conference, I have never seen him this frustrated and angry. Mostly because he has the talent on the team to beat ASU, but things happen during a game, some things you can avoid and some you cannot. Rodriguez used five players to punt the ball including a Tight End. Did you know that?

“Can’t punt a football, that’s just amazing,” Rodriguez told Brian Jeffries on the TuneIn Network, “[The third quarter was] Awful, just ridiculous.” So if you think you are upset, he is more upset.

Keep in mind the players aren’t happy either. Things were going well up until the last series of the first half, even then most people were feeling positive. If Tate was not injured and started the second half, there could have been a different turnout, but things happen.

https://twitter.com/Dane2Smoove/status/934628964286349312

So I got the chance to give my post game thoughts live after the game on Mark Rogers TV. It helped.

Well, the loss has not turned away commits at least, just gives them motivation.

https://twitter.com/caseykline_9/status/934606499476750337

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Next year is going to be super fun, but we still have a bowl game to prepare for. Being able to go to a Bowl Game is huge for the team and especially the freshman and redshirt freshmen who didn’t go to one last year. They get more practice time together and their season isn’t over. I am just thankful that the regular season was exciting and fun for a while. Let’s get this last win! Bear Down!