Arizona vs Arizona StateTerritorial Cup
A $20 catalog cup from 1899 that was lost for 80 years and is now college football's oldest rivalry trophy.
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Start a pick'em contestHow the Territorial Cup came to be
The cup was made for the 1899 Arizona Territorial Football League championship, years before Arizona became a state, and not as a rivalry trophy.
On Nov. 30, 1899, at Carrillo Gardens in Tucson, the Normal School of Arizona (today's Arizona State) beat the University of Arizona 11-2 and claimed the cup.
The trophy then disappeared for more than 80 years until it turned up in the early 1980s among items in the basement of a church next to the ASU campus in Tempe.
In 2001 ASU president Lattie Coor ordered that the cup be shared as a traveling trophy, with protocols worked out with Arizona president Peter Likins. Arizona won the first game played for it that year, 34-21 in Tempe.
The trophy itself. A silver-plated cup over a Britannia-metal base, made by silversmiths Reed & Barton of Taunton, Massachusetts. It was a stock catalog item listed at $20 in the company's 1910 catalog and is inscribed 'Arizona Foot League Championship 1899 Normal'. The fragile original is kept in the ASU Archives, and a bronze-and-silver replica is what the winner gets on the field.
Territorial Cup history
- 1899
The Normal School of Arizona beats the University of Arizona 11-2 on Nov. 30 in Tucson to win the territorial league championship cup.
- 1946
Arizona wins 67-0, the largest margin in series history.
- 1983
The long-lost cup is found in a Tempe church basement near the ASU campus (Wikipedia says 1980; other accounts say 1983).
- 1996
The cup is discovered on display at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which sparks talks between the two schools about sharing it.
- 2001
The cup becomes the rivalry's official traveling trophy; Arizona wins the first game played for it, 34-21 in Tempe.
- 2020
Arizona State wins 70-7 in Tucson, its largest margin of victory in the series.
- 2024
The NCAA's infractions case against ASU vacates its 2021 wins, including the 38-15 Territorial Cup victory; ASU wins the 2024 game 49-7.
- 2025
No. 25 Arizona forces five turnovers and beats No. 20 Arizona State 23-7 in Tempe on Nov. 28 to take back the cup.
Recent results
| Season | Result | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Arizona Wildcats 23, Arizona State Sun Devils 7 | Mountain America Stadium |
| 2024 | Arizona State Sun Devils 49, Arizona Wildcats 7 | Casino Del Sol Stadium |
| 2023 | Arizona Wildcats 59, Arizona State Sun Devils 23 | Mountain America Stadium |
| 2022 | Arizona Wildcats 38, Arizona State Sun Devils 35 | Casino Del Sol Stadium |
| 2021 | Arizona State Sun Devils 38, Arizona Wildcats 15 | Mountain America Stadium |
Territorial Cup facts worth knowing
The NCAA has authenticated the Territorial Cup as the oldest rivalry trophy in college football, and it dates to 1899, when Arizona was still a territory.
Arizona State (as the Normal School) won the cup in 1899, but it was not used as a rivalry trophy until 2001, 102 years later.
The cup was a $20 catalog item from silversmith Reed & Barton.
The original is so fragile that it is handled only with white cotton gloves and is never cleaned. Winners hoist a replica instead.
The 2026 game in Tucson will be the 100th meeting between the schools.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Territorial Cup?+
The Territorial Cup is the trophy Arizona and Arizona State play for in college football, first awarded in 1899. A silver-plated cup over a Britannia-metal base, made by silversmiths Reed & Barton of Taunton, Massachusetts. It was a stock catalog item listed at $20 in the company's 1910 catalog and is inscribed 'Arizona Foot League Championship 1899 Normal'. The fragile original is kept in the ASU Archives, and a bronze-and-silver replica is what the winner gets on the field.
How did the Territorial Cup come to be?+
The cup was made for the 1899 Arizona Territorial Football League championship, years before Arizona became a state, and not as a rivalry trophy.
Who has the Territorial Cup right now?+
Arizona holds the Territorial Cup after winning the 2025 game, Arizona 23, Arizona State 7. The live block on this page updates as soon as the next meeting is played.
Who leads the Arizona-Arizona State series?+
Arizona leads the all-time series 52-45-1 as of the end of the 2025 season. In games played for the Territorial Cup since 1899, Arizona State leads 15-10. Excludes Arizona State's vacated 2021 win; counting it, Arizona leads 52-46-1.
When is the next Territorial Cup game?+
Arizona State Sun Devils play at Arizona Wildcats on Saturday, Nov 28, 2026 at Casino Del Sol Stadium. Odds and the community lean post on the matchup page as the game approaches.
Where can I bet on the Territorial Cup game?+
You can bet Arizona vs Arizona State on BettorEdge, a peer-to-peer marketplace where you trade with other bettors rather than a sportsbook, so the price carries no built-in house vig. You can also run a free pick'em contest for the game with your group.
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Records and the current holder are as of the end of the 2025 season; the next-game block and recent results update from ESPN. Excludes Arizona State's vacated 2021 win; counting it, Arizona leads 52-46-1.Sources: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, sundevils.com, abc15.com.
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