LESAProject

Local Event Sports Association

Every college football team has a rival; it's as though it is a rite of passage.

Heated rivalries include an intensity that is not seen in other games, with the addition of hatred for the opposing team thrown into the mix.

The rivalry between the Arizona State University and the University of Arizona Wildcats is as heated as they come, and not because of Arizona temperatures.

"The Duel in the Desert"  is dated back to Thanksgiving Day of 1899, before Arizona was considered an official state.

The then, Tempe Normal School, won the first rivalry game. Old recounts of the historic day state it as one of pure and genuine sportsmanship, in which the University students entertained the Normals at an on-campus dorm and hosted a post-game Thanksgiving feast.

The winner of the yearly game is awarded the "Territorial Cup," which has been NCAA certified as the oldest trophy or award to be given for a rivalry game to date. The trophy becomes property of the winning school to showcase until they lose.

It is said that the actual rivalry was not started between the two schools, but rather stemmed from the resentment between Phoenix and Tucson wh...

Read Complete Article at Bleacher Report - Sports & Society
Article is property of BleacherReport.com

Leave a Reply

Sponsors

About LESA

There is something about me..

Photos