Round of 32
Region 1
No. 1 "Hoisting the Cup" vs. No. 8 "Cam Marshall's Go-Ahead Touchdown"
The case for 'Hoisting the Cup': Does any moment compare to hoisting the cup? The Territorial Cup was almost assuredly the defining moment of this year in Sun Devil athletics. Todd Graham's team had so much riding on the Duel in the Desert that the remarkable come-from-behind victory was all the more impressive.
When the final whistle blew and the Wildcats' hearts were torn to pieces, Graham and his squad celebrated with class on their opponents' turf. Furthermore, the Sun Devils used the trophy as motivation to continue working hard right on through the bowl season. Now that Graham and co. have raised the trophy above their heads, they don't intend on giving it up anytime soon.
All the chaos that played out in the fourth quarter in Tucson culminated in one of the most special moments the Sun Devil community can ever experience together. The moment in which Graham and his players hoisted the trophy in the air seemed to stand still in time. For many Sun Devil players and fans, it's a memory they will never forget.
The case for 'Cam Marshall's Go-Ahead Touchdown': With the score tied at 27 and just over five minutes to play in the fourth quarter of the Territorial Cup, the Sun Devils looked poised to take the lead. Arizona State safety Kevin Ayers had just blocked a Wildcat punt and the improbable now seemed absolutely possible. After entering the fourth quarter trailing by 10 points, the Sun Devils were ready to put the nail in the coffin.
Arizona State had the ball on the eight-yard line, and Taylor Kelly stood in shotgun formation. The Sun Devils had two receivers and a slot back on the left, another receiver split wide right, and Marshall stood on Kelly's right side. At the snap of the ball, Kelly saw a Wildcat linebacker over-pursue and he fed Marshall the rock on a dive play up the middle. Marshall saw daylight and sprinted straight into the end zone for a touchdown that gave the Sun Devils their first lead since the middle of the third quarter. It was a lead they would never relinquish.
Without an incredible turn of events that included Marshall's touchdown run, the Sun Devils might not end up hoisting the cup after all. But instead, Marshall delivered with a timely touchdown and the Territorial Cup got to come back where it belongs.