This article ran in the Nov. 25, 1996 issue of the State Press
TUCSON - The ASU football team doesn't live in the past,
and Saturday it provided another simple reminder to historians that
the 1996 version is like no other.
Again and again last week the team was reminded of ASU's
first Rose Bowl team. Ten years ago, archrival UofA knocked that
bowl team off its undefeated perch 34-17 at Arizona Stadium.
Entering Saturday's game against the Wildcats in Tucson,
ASU had beaten UofA only twice since 1982. The Sun Devils had
lost the last three contests, including last year's 31-28 heartbreaker
at Sun Devil Stadium.
A record 59,920 fans turned out Saturday at Arizona
Stadium for the game.
Would history repeat itself?
"That's all over," said senior middle linebacker Scott Von
der Ahe after Saturday's 56-14 beating of the UofA. "I didn't really
think back to the history. Everyone thought we were going to lose
because of the past years and everything.
"This is the '96 Sun Devils and I don't care about all that.
We are going to come after every team and play hard. We have
great, talented players and a lot of heart. You can't just say we are
going to lose to an Arizona team that's (5-5 and now 5-6). They
can't even faze us."
ASU completed the regular season with an 11-0 record for
the first time since 1975, when then-coach Frank Kush finished the
season with a perfect 12-0 record, including a Fiesta Bowl victory
over Nebraska.
The win vaulted ASU up to No. 3 in the AP and USA
Today/CNN Coaches' Polls Sunday after No. 2 Ohio State lost
Saturday 13-9 to Michigan.
The Buckeyes' (10-1) loss means that the Rose Bowl will
not be the battle of the undefeated everyone wanted, but ASU still
holds the hope of finishing No. 1 with a victory over Ohio State on
Jan. 1.
"I don't know what the circumstances are, but we'll take
care of our end of the deal," said senior linebacker Derek Smith.
Smith finished with nine tackles - many of the "crunch" variety -
including three sacks. "Whatever falls into place after that,
happens. We'll do our part, but it's up to everyone else."
No. 1 Florida vs. No. 2 Florida State will play Saturday in
Tallahassee. The winner will likely play the winner of Friday's
Nebraska/Colorado game in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2. The loser
will drop in the rankings and ASU will move to No. 2 in the polls
next week.
For the Sun Devils to win its first-ever national title, the
Nebraska/Colorado winner will have to knock off the winner of
Florida/Florida St. in the Sugar Bowl.
"That makes only one undefeated team left and that's us,"
said ASU head coach Bruce Snyder. "We should be (No. 1) if we
are undefeated. I'm going to vote us as No. 1. I've not seen a better
team."
