Maintaining a healthy rivalry

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Following last year's UA-ASU football game in Arizona Stadium, agitated fans from both schools fight in the stands. ASU fans tried to pull down the goal posts but were not able to after the 56-14 Sun Devil win. The two teams meet Friday in Tempe in the 71st meeting between the schools.

Call it what you will.

The Arizona football team prefers to use other "R" words to describe its mission this week.

Rivalry and Respectful.

The Wildcats (5-5, 3-4 in the Pacific 10 Conference) travel north to take on Arizona State (8-2, 6-1) Friday in the annual meeting between the two long-time opponents. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. and the game will be televised by Fox Sports.

For motivation, the Wildcats need to look no further than their desire to finish the year with a win, especially against ASU.

"This is the bowl game, bottom line," junior offensive lineman Yusuf Scott said. "We've got a lot of things riding on this game.

"We have a chance to beat ASU, which is always important. It doesn't matter if you're 0-10 or 10-0."

For most of the Wildcats all that is needed to get up for the game is the sight of maroon and gold Sun Devil uniforms and the memory of last year's 56-14 beating in Arizona Stadium.

However, Arizona head coach Dick Tomey said people need to focus on the game itself.

"It's a shame if the game is over and the game is not what people are talking about," Tomey said. "You can have great competition and great intensity and strong feelings without the kinds of things it degenerated into last year."

Last year's game was marred by several fights and enough trash talking to fill any local landfill. A player from each team was ejected before game's end and nearly every play finished with a referee having to step between players.

"Anybody who was on the field at the time of those events, they understand how close we were to the most embarrassing thing in probably the history of college football," Tomey said. "It was real scary."

Arizona State head coach Bruce Snyder agreed the focus should be on the events during the game.

""It's the outcome of the game that's truly the most important thing of the event," Snyder said. "I really sense that Dick and I are on the same page about what we would like this to be in our eyes, in terms of the rivalry. We (both universities) have so much to be proud of."

Arizona has a chance to turn its season into one to remember.

After losing three of the first four games, the Wildcats have rebounded to win four of their last six. In their current streak, they have averaged 31.5 points per game, up from 20.0 in the first four contests.

The Sun Devils are peaking as well, winning just three of their first five games, one of which was a three-point escape over perennial conference doormat Oregon State.

"In some ways our two teams parallel each other," Snyder said. "Both of us started the year thinking we are a lot better than other people think we are. We went through some bumpy times and now both ships, it seems to me, are righted and are headed in a positive direction."

"This game is so important that whatever else is on the line is on the back of somebody's mind," Tomey said. "Winning the game is such an important thing. If you win, then you see what is out there."