For the first time since the 2017 season, the Arizona Wildcats are favored to win the Territorial Cup. 

The UA (4-7) is a four-point favorite to beat its arch rival Arizona State (3-8) on Friday at Arizona Stadium. 

Arizona hasn't won the Territorial Cup since the 2016 season, when the Wildcats clobbered the Sun Devils after rushing for a program record 511 yards; the UA also didn't attempt a pass in the second half of that game.

Since then, ASU has won the Territorial Cup five straight times, which included a 70-7 beatdown — the largest margin of defeat in the rivalry for the Wildcats — in Tucson during the pandemic-influenced, truncated season in 2020. Former ASU head coach Herm Edwards, who went 4-0 against Kevin Sumlin and Jedd Fisch, was fired earlier this season and was replaced by interim head coach Shaun Aguano. 

Kickoff at Arizona Stadium for the Territorial Cup game is set for 1 p.m. on Friday and will be televised on FS1. 


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Contact sports producer Justin Spears at jspears@tucson.com. On Twitter: @JustinESports