By John Marshall
AP College Football Writer
TUCSON -- The big goals for Arizona and Arizona State have been out of reach for a while, the Pac-10 title and BCS bowl chances washed away by too many close losses and disappointments.
The 84th Territorial Cup game isn't just another play-out-the-string finale, though. There's still something to play for.
Bragging rights? Of course. That comes with every rivalry game.
This time, though, there are bowl implications, too. Maybe not for a national title or a trip to Pasadena, but both teams' postseason fate will be riding on Thursday night's game.
"We understand what's at stake," Arizona coach Mike Stoops said. "There are a lot goals we want to attain -- some we didn't -- but this has always been a goal of ours, to beat Arizona State. We understand the significance and I think there will be a lot of energy and excitement in our players. Hopefully, our play will reflect that."
Arizona (7-4, 4-4 Pac-10) is already bowl eligible, has been since Washington on Oct. 23.
What's at stake for the Wildcats is where they'll go.
After a 7-1 start, Arizona was eyeing a BCS bowl berth. After a three-game losing streak, the Wildcats are reeling, slipping farther down the big bowls' wish lists. They'll still get in; there's not enough bowl-eligible teams to keep them out. Where will likely depend on how Arizona does against its biggest rival.
"It's important we just put that in the back of our minds," Stoops said. "We know we're going to be somewhere; it's not that big of a deal who we play, where we go."
Arizona State (5-6, 3-5) has a little more cloudy picture.
The Sun Devils appeared to be all but out of the bowl picture just a few weeks ago after losing three of four games, then rekindled their slim hopes with a rout of UCLA last week.
Even with a win over Arizona, it's a dicey proposition.
Because only one of its two wins over FCS teams counts toward the six needed to become bowl eligible, Arizona State will need too-few teams to qualify for bowls and get a waiver from the NCAA to get into the postseason.
It's certainly not impossible.
Arizona State, despite its record, has been in every game except one -- a blowout loss to Cal -- and the Pac-10, despite its teams' records, is one of the nation's toughest conferences. With several bowl slots still up in the air, the Sun Devils might get a hard look from the NCAA on a waiver claim.
None of it will matter if Arizona State doesn't knock off Arizona, the team it wants to beat the most every year.
"It is a big game. When you have two universities in the state, in the same league like we are and like some of the others in our conference, it is huge," Arizona State coach Dennis Erickson said. "I have been in a lot of other rivalry games and this is as big as any when you're in a state where people are either a Wildcat or a Sun Devil."
A year ago, Arizona bounced back from being eliminated from Rose Bowl contention the week before by pulling out a wild, last-second win in Tempe.
Arizona State's Kyle Williams went from hero to goat in a span of about a minute, catching the tying touchdown pass, then muffing a punt that set up Alex Zendejas' 32-yard, game-winning field goal as time expired.
Arizona won 20-17 to take home the Territorial Cup for the second straight year and the two teams celebrated their dislike for each other after the final horn by briefly brawling at midfield.
With so much on the line, another wild one could be in store.
"You see a lot of funny games in rivalry games," Erickson said. "I have been in a lot of funny games when you're expected to win and you don't. So many different things happen. There is a lot of emotion involved and you never know what is going to happen."
