The Arizona Wildcats end their season with a battle for the Territorial Cup against in-state rival Arizona State.Β Here's a look at projected starting lineups, key matchups and a score prediction from Star reporter Justin Spears.Β
No. 16Β Arizona State (9-2) at Arizona (4-7)
When:Β Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
Where:Β Arizona Stadium
Watch:Β Fox
Radio:Β 1290-AM, 107.5-FMΒ
Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo (4) celebrates a touchdown against BYU with wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (0) and offensive lineman Kyle Scott (77) during the first half Nov. 23, 2024, in Tempe. Arizona State won 28-23.
Arizona State Sun Devils
Record:Β 9-2 (6-2 Big 12)
WHEN ASU IS ON OFFENSE (PROJECTED):Β
[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
WR | 1 | Xavier Guillory | 6-2 | 200 | R-Sr.
TE | 7 | Chamon Metayer | 6-4 | 255 | R-Jr.
LT | 65 | Josh Atkins | 6-3 | 320 | R-Jr.
LG |Β 62 | Ben Coleman | 6-3 | 325 | Sr.
C | 79 | Leif Fautanu | 6-2 | 315 | R-Sr.
RG | 77 | Kyle Scott | 6-4 | 315 | R-Jr.
RT | 58 | Max Iheanachor | 6-5 | 315 | Sr.
WR | 5 | Melquan Stovall | 5-11 | 185 | Sr.
WR | 0 | Jordyn Tyson | 6-1 | 195 | R-So.
QB | 10 | Sam Leavitt | 6-2 | 200 | R-Fr.
RB | 4 | Cam Skattebo | 5-11 | 215 | Sr.
WHEN ASU IS ON DEFENSE (PROJECTED):
[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
DE | 32 | Prince Dorbah | 6-2 | 240 | R-Sr.
DT | 99 | C.J. Fite | 6-1 | 295 | So.
DT | 98 | Jacob Kongaika | 6-2 | 290 | Jr.
DE | 10 | Clayton Smith | 6-4 | 240 | R-Jr.
WLB | 8 | Jordan Crook | 6-2 | 230 | Jr.
MLB | 44 | Keyshaun Elliott | 6-2 | 230 | Jr.
NB | 7 | Shamari Simmons | 6-0 | 195 | Sr.
CB | 12 | Javan Robinson | 5-11 | 175 | R-So.
FS | 4 | Myles Rowser | 6-1 | 185 | Jr.
SS | 2 | Xavion Alford | 6-0 | 200 | R-Jr.
CB | 1 | Keith Abney II | 5-11 | 185 | So.
Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt, left, celebrates a 28-23 win over BYU with head coach Kenny Dillingham, right, Nov. 23, 2024, in Tempe.
ASU 2024 SCHEDULE
August
31 |Β WYOMINGΒ | W, 48-7
September
7 |Β MISSISSIPPI STATEΒ | W, 30-23
12 | at Texas State^Β | W, 31-28
21 | at Texas Tech | L, 30-22
October
5 |Β KANSASΒ | W, 35-31
11 | No. 16Β UTAH*Β | W, 27-19
19 |Β at CincinnatiΒ | L, 24-14
November
2 | at Oklahoma State |Β W, 42-21
9 |Β UCFΒ | W, 35-31
16 | at No. 16 Kansas State | W, 24-14
23 | No. 14 BYU | W, 28-23Β Β
30 | at Arizona
Home games inΒ BOLD, * = Friday game, ^ = Thursday game
ASU 2024 STATS
PASSING
[Name | Comp-Att-INT | Yards | TDs | Long]
Leavitt | 163-265-5 | 2,153 | 18 | 68
Sims | 13-25-0 | 168 | 0 | 42
Floyd | 1-1-0 | 15 | 0 | 15
RUSHING
[Name | Carries | Yards | TDs | Per carry | Per game]
Skattebo | 226 | 1,221 | 14 | 5.4 | 122.1
Leavitt | 86 | 356 | 4 | 4.1 | 35.6
Brown | 58 | 238 | 2 | 4.1 | 21.6
Brooks | 29 | 125 | 1 | 4.3 | 13.9
Sims | 18 | 70 | 1 | 3.9 | 23.3
RECEIVING
[Name | Receptions | Yards | TDs | Per catch | Per game]
Tyson | 67 | 958 | 9 | 14.3 | 87.1
Skattebo | 34 | 460 | 2 | 13.5 | 46
Metayer | 26 | 252 | 4 | 9.7 | 22.9
Guillory | 15 | 250 | 2 | 16.7 | 25
Brown | 9 | 131 | 1 | 14.6 | 11.9
DEFENSE
[Name | Tackles | Sacks | INTs | FR | FF]
Rowser | 81 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0
Alford | 71 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0
McCullough | 65 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0
Simmons | 64 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2
Elliott | 52 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0
Abney II | 43 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0
Crook | 42 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0
Arizona offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea (71) hoists the cup after the Wildcats won the 97th Territorial Cup with a 59-23 road win over rival ASU on Nov. 25, 2023, in Tempe.
Arizona Wildcats
Record:Β 4-7 (2-6 Big 12)
WHEN ARIZONA IS ON OFFENSE (PROJECTED):
[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
XWR | 4 | Tetairoa McMillan | 6-5 | 212 | Jr.
FWR | 2 | Jeremiah Patterson | 5-10 | 175 | Jr.
LT |Β 71 | Jonah Savaiinaea | 6-5 | 336 | Jr.
LG |Β 72 | Wendell Moe | 6-2 | 339 | R-So.
C | 75 | Josh Baker | 6-3 | 300 | Sr.
RG | 60 | Alexander Doost | 6-7 | 332 | R-Fr.
RT | 53 | Joey Capra | 6-4 | 301 | Sr.
TE | 84 | Sam Olson | 6-3 | 241 | R-Jr.
ZWR | 16 | Chris Hunter | 6-1 | 192 | R-So.
QB | 11 | Noah Fifita | 5-10 | 188 | R-So.Β
RB | 7 | Quali Conley | 5-10 | 209 | Sr.
WHEN ARIZONA IS ON DEFENSE (PROJECTED):
[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
DE | 11 | Chase Kennedy | 6-3 | 220 | R-So.
DT |Β 46 | Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei | 6-4 | 280 | Jr.
NT | 47 | Stanley Ta'ufo'ou | 6-2 | 274 | R-Sr.
DE | 3 | Tre Smith | 6-5 | 270 | R-Jr.
MLB | 6 | Taye Brown | 6-2 | 225 | So.
LB/S | 43 | Dalton Johnson | 5-11 | 202 | R-Jr.
Dime | 27 | Owen Goss | 6-2 | 202 | Sr.
CB | 20 | Marquis Groves-Killebrew | 6-0 | 185 | R-So.
CB | 1 | Tacario Davis | 6-4 | 190 | Jr.
NB | 12 | Genesis Smith | 6-2 | 203 | So.
FS | 13 | Jack Luttrell | 6-0 | 180 | R-Fr.
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita during the first half against TCU Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas.Β
UA 2024 SCHEDULE
August
31 |Β NEW MEXICOΒ | W, 61-39
September
7 |Β NORTHERN ARIZONAΒ | W, 22-10
13 | at No. 14 Kansas State | L, 31-7
28 | at No. 10 Utah | W, 23-10
October
5 |Β TEXAS TECHΒ | L, 28-22
12 | at No. 14 BYU | L, 41-19
19 |Β COLORADOΒ | L, 34-7
26 |Β W. VIRGINIAΒ | L, 31-26
November
2 | at UCF | L, 56-12
15 |Β HOUSTON*Β | W, 27-3
23 | at TCU | L, 49-28
30 |Β ASUΒ (Senior Day)
Home games inΒ BOLD;Β *=Friday game
UA 2024 STATS
PASSING
[Name | Comp-Att-INT | Yards | TDs | Long]
Fifita | 217-357-11 | 2,548 | 15 | 78
McMillan | 1-2-0 | 14 | 0 | 14
Tannenbaum | 1-2-0 | 3 | 0 | 3
RUSHING
[Name | Carries | Yards | TDs | Per carry | Per game]
Conley | 140 | 719 | 8 | 5.1 | 65.4
Reescano | 67 | 304 | 1 | 4.5 | 27.6
Croskey-Merritt | 13 | 106 | 1 | 8.2 | 106.0
K. Luke | 5 | 20 | 0 | 4 | 1.8
Fifita | 62 | 15 | 1 | 0.2 | 1.4
RECEIVING
[Name | Receptions | Yards | TDs | Per catch | Per game]
McMillan | 78 | 1,251 | 7 | 16.4 | 113.7
Hunter | 32 | 306 | 3 | 9.6 | 27.8
Conley | 36 | 220 | 1 | 6.1 | 20
Burnett | 18 | 217 | 1 | 12.1 | 27.1
Olson | 13 | 196 | 2 | 15.8 | 19.6
DEFENSE
[Name | Tackles | Sacks | INTs | FR | FF]
Johnson | 85 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2
Brown | 60 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1
Smith, G. | 53 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1
Goss | 49 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3
Smith, T. | 48 | 4.5 | 0 | 0 | 1
Manu | 47 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0
Davis | 39 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) gets dragged down a yard short of the goal line by West Virginia cornerback Garnett Hollis Jr. (1) in the second quarter, Oct. 25, 2024. The reception set up the Wildcats only score of the first half.
Head to Head
7 Shamari Simmons vs. 4 Tetairoa McMillan
Simmons has played the most snaps out of the entire ASU defense with 1,488 combined snaps in the last two seasons. The Ashland, Alabama, native started his career at Hutchison Community College (Kansas) and transferred to Austin Peay at the FCS level, before landing in Tempe in 2023. Simmons led the Sun Devils in tackles last year and is one of ASU's top defensive players this season.Β
McMillan added another milestone to his Arizona career when he set the all-time receiving yards record in last week's loss to TCU. Despite already setting the career receiving record and the Wildcats out of bowl contention, McMillan will suit up for Arizona on Saturday instead of opting out to prepare for the NFL Draft. McMillan is widely considered a Top 10 pick by several mock drafts. Saturday will most likely mark McMillan's final game as a Wildcat.Β Β Β
Arizona defensive lineman Tre Smith (3) hits Houston quarterback Zeon Chriss (2), flushing him out of the pocket in the third quarter of their Big 12 game on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Arizona Stadium.
4 Cam Skattebo vs. 3 Tre Smith
Skattebo became a diamond-in-the-rough pickup for the Sun Devils' offense after he transferred from Sacramento State last season. Between Sacramento State and ASU, Skattebo has 3,896 yards and 36 touchdowns, along with 1,241 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. In last season's Territorial Cup game, Skattebo had 108 rushing yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. Skattebo is currently third in the Big 12 in rushing.Β
After transferring from San Jose State, Smith leads the Wildcats in sacks. Smith had a sack in the last two games against Houston and TCU. The 6-5, 270-pound redshirt junior from Mesa will play in his first-ever Territorial Cup. Smith, a Red Mountain High School graduate, is one of many Arizona natives starting for the Wildcats on Saturday, along with defensive back Genesis Smith, linebacker Taye Brown and offensive lineman Alexander Doost.Β
The matchup
When Arizona has the ballΒ β¦Β Β
The success of Arizona's offense could fall on the shoulders of left tackle Jonah Savaiinaea's health. The Arizona star has stayed relatively healthy during his three-year career, but limped off the field in the Wildcats' most recent loss to TCU. Arizona head coach Brent Brennan said his status for Saturday remains questionable. Without Savaiinaea, the Wildcats would be without both of their starting tackles. If Savaiinaea is healthy to play, expect backyard ball from the Wildcats led by the quarterback-receiver tandem of Fifita and McMillan.Β
When ASU has the ball ...Β
ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt rarely makes mistakes, with only one interception in the last four games. The Sun Devils have a well-balanced offense between Leavitt's ability to manage the offense, along with Skattebo as one of the top rushers in the Big 12 and the emerging sophomore wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, who is sixth in the the league in receiving yards. The Wildcats will likely need a turnover or two if they want to knock off the Sun Devils.Β Β
UA fans and players try to get their hands on the Territorial Cup after the Wildcats beat the visiting Sun Devils in football on Nov. 25, 2022.
Prediction: No. 16 ASU 34, Arizona 30
In our simulation of the Territorial Cup Game in the College Football 25 video game, the Wildcats won 45-43 in triple-overtime fashion. Arizona rallied back from a 17-point deficit and sent the game into overtime with a Tyler Loop field goal. After two failed two-point conversions in double-overtime, running back Quali Conley scored the two-point conversion in triple-overtime, before Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei sacked Leavitt to seal the win. In a rivalry game, records are irrelevant. The Wildcats could play spoiler and party like it's 1986, when they beat ASU and ruined its national championship hopes. After losing the last two Territorial Cups and being on the cusp of a Big 12 championship game berth, ASU will be dialed in for this game, but expect a valiant effort from Arizona.Β
