GREG BRYAN / ARIZONA DAILY STAR 2008

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Willie Tuitama has thrown for a school-record 8,602 yards during his four seasons as the Arizona Wildcats' starting quarterback. He's connected on 63 touchdown passes, the most in program history, and completed more than half of his 1,204 career attempts.

Those numbers define his career at the UA, but so does this one: zero.

That's the number of times Arizona's senior quarterback has defeated Arizona State.

Tuitama will get one final chance Saturday, when the UA hosts Arizona State in a battle for the Territorial Cup.

The Wildcats (6-5 overall, 4-4 Pac-10) can lock up a spot in either the Las Vegas or Emerald bowls, and eliminate ASU from bowl contention, with a win.

Tuitama meanwhile, can salvage his legacy. No quarterback in UA history has ever lost four straight games to the Sun Devils.

"I think Saturday, he'd throw all the records out to win," UA coach Mike Stoops said. "If he doesn't throw for a yard, or if we win by one point, it's very insignificant to him. That's the kind of kid he is."

Tuitama knows Saturday's game is a must-win. It may be the biggest game of his career.

"It's definitely nice to go to a bowl game, but we all want this game now more than any bowl game possible," he said.

"For me personally, to be able to get this win and finish right, it'd be huge," Tuitama said.

But if he comes up short …

"I don't plan on coming up short," he said.

If that seems like rare bravado, consider what's at stake.

And remember Tuitama's past.

Tuitama was named Arizona's starting quarterback as a true freshman in 2005. He got by on athleticism the rest of the year, using his cannon arm to connect on hard-to-complete sideline routes and stretch defenses vertically.

With Tuitama leading the way, Arizona upset Oregon State and No. 7 UCLA.

The new quarterback led the Wildcats to a 20-5 lead over Arizona State in Tempe before being knocked from the game with a shoulder and ribcage injuries.

Almost immediately, the Sun Devils stormed back.

Arizona State's Terry Richardson tied the game with a 71-yard punt return in the fourth quarter. Kicker Jesse Ainsworth won the game with a 20-yard field goal as time expired.

"That game really hurt," Tuitama said. "We were up big heading into the fourth quarter, and then it all came crashing down."

Tuitama had high expectations heading into his sophomore season, but was forced to the sidelines after suffering a concussion in a Week 2 loss at LSU. Tuitama spent the rest of the season battling the aftereffects of the first hit.

He returned in time to start a crucial game against Arizona State, but was knocked from the game by the Sun Devils' Kyle Caldwell.

Backup Adam Austin took over and "didn't play well in any aspect," Stoops said.

The Wildcats lost 28-14.

Tuitama's first two experiences with The Duel in the Desert were disappointing, but last year's game remains the biggest regret of his career.

Tuitama played up to expectations, completing 28 of 52 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns, but was unable to make plays late in the game. Arizona scored just one second-half touchdown, a pass from Tuitama to Nicolas Grigsby with 26 seconds left in the game that cut ASU's lead to three points.

The Sun Devils won 20-17, denying Arizona a bowl berth for the second straight season.

This year, Tuitama is purposely putting the pressure on himself.

The Cats' senior quarterback isn't backing down from the criticism — "when you have opportunities in games, especially rivalry games, you have to make them," he said — and isn't worried about calling his shot.

Tuitama said ending ASU's bowl hopes would "definitely be nice" given the physical and emotional pain the Devils have inflicted the last two years.

"That's something we've felt and something we want to give them, really," he said. "We want to win, we want to knock them out and we want to do our best to get into the best bowl game possible."

Tuitama is already the most prolific quarterback in UA history; a win Saturday, and he'll be considered one of the best.

Arizona's record-setting quarterback smiled when asked how he would like to be remembered.

"With a win," he said.