Sun Devils Capture Third Straight Territorial Cup

For the third year in a row, the Arizona State Sun Devils have claimed the Territorial Cup Series over rival Arizona.

Baseball and outdoor track have yet to be decided; however, ASU holds a four-point lead with only three more points to be awarded this year.

The victory was sealed on Sunday as senior golfer Jon Rahm won his first individual Pac-12 crown. The reigning Ben Hogan Award winner led the Sun Devils to a third-place conference finish as well as picking up the deciding point, clinching the Territorial Cup.

In the 2015-2016 series, Arizona State earned a half-point for indoor volleyball as well as whole points in: women’s soccer, women’s basketball, women’s tennis, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s indoor track, and football.

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The history between Arizona and Arizona State has been a heated one since the first-ever football game between the two on Thanksgiving Day, 1899. It has since blossomed into a prolific rivalry.

Beginning in 2009, Arizona and ASU began the Territorial Cup Series. The contest includes 14 Division-I sports and lasts for the duration of one school year. Sports that meet once every year vie for one full point whereas teams who face off twice play for a half-point at each meeting.

To become the undisputed Territorial Cup winner, one university must obtain at least 10.5 points.

In the seven-year history of the Territorial Cup, Arizona and Arizona State have each won three titles outright, all coming in consecutive years. The sole exception came during the 2012-2013 academic year when the two universities were tied at 9.5 points apiece. ASU was later named the winner.

The rivalry was already fierce prior to the creation of the cup series. Since its inception, the Territorial Cup Series has continued to elevate the level of competition between the Wildcats and Sun Devils as both programs strive for control of the state.