Brent Brennan discusses importance of Arizona State rivalry

Arizona head coach Brent Brennan spoke to reporters on Monday about the importance of playing Arizona State every year, how the Territorial Cup rivalry is special and what it means for the university and Tucson. Brennan also discussed how the Territorial Cup is a de facto bowl game for Arizona as the last game of the 2024 season.

Later in the press conference Brennan also answered his favorite memory in the Territorial Cup was his brother (wide receiver Brad) scoring a touchdown after Arizona State was whistled for a penalty and Arizona using the "free" play to score. Brennan was a graduate assistant in 2000 when Arizona State beat Arizona 30-17.

Arizona can send the seniors off with in good way and build momentum for 2025 by beating Arizona State on Saturday. The Wildcats were in a similar position entering the 2022 Territorial Cup. Arizona entered the 2022 Territorial Cup 4-7 and beat 3-8 Arizona State to end a five game losing streak to the Sun Devils.

There are a lot of unknowns going into the 2025 offseason. Arizona is going to lose several key players to graduation and/or the 2025 NFL Draft. Other players will leave in the transfers portal. Beating Arizona State would also build credibility for Brennan entering the offseason.

"Obviously huge week for us. You know the ASU game is such a special rivalry in college football and it means so much to everybody here, everybody at this university, everybody in Tucson and you know thousands in the state of Arizona...It's an exciting game. So much energy and enthusiasm and excitement about it...The mindset is this is the biggest game of the year every year and that doesn't change....Whether we're bowl eligible or not all that matters is that we're playing the team from up North and that's something that is so important to everybody here so important to our coaches and our players and so we're all in on right now and this week and what w,e need to get done to play good football on Saturday afternoon."

The roles have switched from the 2023 game. Arizona won 59-23 in Tempe. Arizona finished the 2023 regular season 9-3 and Arizona State finished 3-9. The 2023 final score could have been much worse. Arizona led 38-7 at halftime and 52-7 with 9:08 remaining in the third quarter.

Arizona State enters the 2024 Territorial Cup with 9-2 record. The Sun Devils will qualify for the Big XII Championship game with a win on Saturday. Arizona State was picked 16th and last in the preseason Big XII poll. Arizona was picked fifth. Both teams' seasons have gone nearly the opposite of what was expected.

Arizona ended a five-game losing streak versus Houston with a 27-3 win the last time they played at home on November 15. Arizona State enters the Territorial Cup as one of the hottest teams nationally with four straight wins. The Sun Devils could be ranked in the top 15 of the College Football Playoff rankings when they are released on Tuesday.