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One day after Mike Stoops referred to Arizona State as a junior college, the Tempe school took a swipe at the UA with all the subtlety of an open-field tackle.

Terri Shafer, Arizona State's vice president of public affairs, issued a press release comparing academic information between the two schools.

The release noted that the NCAA's Academic Progress Report — which punishes programs with poor graduation rates — has cost the ASU football team "NO SCHOLARSHIPS."

The UA football has lost six scholarships in the past three years.

That's right — ASU used all capital letters.

The release was not just typical bickering between rivals, Shafer said Thursday.

"It's kind of interesting," Shafer said. "He makes a statement. He didn't say, 'in my opinion.' He didn't present any facts for that opinion. He made an assertion without any facts and without any qualification.

"If people pick that up and read it and weren't exposed to the facts, they might have an opinion based on his opinion — and it is unfounded. We want to make sure when somebody says something like that, that people have an opportunity to see the truth."

UA athletic director Jim Livengood said Thursday he and Stoops spoke "many times" during the day. Livengood — who said Stoops did "the right thing, the classy thing" by apologizing — also discussed the topic with UA president Robert Shelton and ASU athletic director Lisa Love.

"We were very apologetic," Livengood said. "It was a mistake; it happened. Now we need to move forward."

Stoops issued a public apology late Thursday after speaking with ASU coach Dennis Erickson. In a press release, Stoops said his comment "was a personal mistake."

UA senior associate athletic director Kathleen "Rocky" LaRose said the two schools are "both in the same category" and Stoops "wanted to take action" by issuing a public mea culpa.

"If it was said against us, we would probably feel just as strongly as ASU does," LaRose said. "They certainly have a right to defend themselves. I do know in our heart of hearts that's not what we think about ASU. I think it's getting caught up in the rivalry. Sometimes the emotions get the best of you."

Shafer first heard of Stoops' comment while driving to work Thursday, and then received phone calls from national media outlets asking to compare the two schools' academic standards.

"It was pretty horrifying," Shafer said.

Shafer and a her colleagues spent a few hours compiling information comparing the two schools. She released a press release Thursday afternoon, comparing fall 2007 freshman classes of both schools and calling them "academically equal."

Stoops' apology didn't dampen Shafer's annoyance.

"It's also very interesting in the apology that he didn't say he was wrong," she said. "The facts would have stood uncorrected if we hadn't issued the information we did."

Shafer stressed that ASU believed Stoops' reaction stretched beyond the schools' heated athletic duel.

"Academic performance is our core mission," she said. "Someone made a statement that we're doing a lousy job with our core mission, and that's the heart of who we are.

"I understand people can trash talk and all that, but we're all about educating students."