Arizona-Arizona State
Friday, Nov. 28
9 p.m. Eastern, 6 p.m. Pacific
Fox
Arizona-Arizona State is the late-night game on the Thanksgiving Friday college football schedule. In 2025, the Big 12 is seemingly heading for a not-that-complicated resolution. BYU and Texas Tech both have the inside track to the Big 12 Championship Game and the ultimate chance to play their way into the College Football Playoff. They are both very heavy favorites to win their final games on Saturday and advance to conference championship weekend. That somewhat diminishes the importance of this Arizona-ASU game on a national level, but for the local fan bases, the Territorial Cup means everything. This is a feisty local rivalry where winning greatly matters. Some in-state rivalries are cordial, but this one has a definite edge to it. Given that both Arizona and Arizona State have been good this season, there’s a little more spice to an already flavorful rivalry. This should be a legitimately good football game — not just a rivalry spectacle with college football emotions, but a tense, hard-fought battle between two teams which have lived in the upper half of the Big 12 all season long.
Arizona-Arizona State is better than it has been in years
Both the Wildcats and Sun Devils should be excited about the future
Arizona-Arizona State matches two teams which both have at least eight wins. Arizona and Arizona State aren’t regularly good at the same time. This has often been a game in which one team is good and the other team is playing spoiler. This time, both teams have produced solid seasons and have reason to think the future can be better. This rivalry could be entering one of its best periods under head coaches Brent Brennan of Arizona and Kenny Dillingham of ASU.
A lot of Arizona fans entered the 2025 season worrying about Brent Brennan, who came from San Jose State to take over the U of A program after Jedd Fisch left for Seattle and the Washington Huskies. Brennan had a bumpy first year, but bumpy first years are to be expected at non-elite programs such as Arizona. Wildcat fans got scared, but they needed to see how Brennan would adjust in Year 2. He has thrived, getting the most out of his defensive personnel all while the offense has matured later in the season.
Arizona State has not had a spectacular season — that was 2024 and the run to the playoff — but ASU has still been good. Notably, the Sun Devils have remained good even though QB1 Sam Leavitt has been injured for a good part of the season. Other coaches would not have done as well as Dillingham. He has a gift for working around the limitations of his rosters. He has done so every year he has been in Tempe.
Arizona Wildcats-Arizona State Sun Devils Odds
Hear TJ Rives and Jason Powers break down this game on the 3Dog Thursday Podcast by clicking Play below:
Spread: Arizona -1.5 (-115), Arizona State +1.5 (-105)
Total: 47.5 (Over -110, Under -110)
Underdog moneyline: Arizona State +100
The fact that Arizona is a slight road favorite is a little surprising. Don’t overcomplicate this one. Trust Dillingham and Arizona State to have answers at home in front of a packed house in an electric atmosphere.