Game 9 » Colorado (2-7, 0-6 Pac-12) at No. 21 Arizona (6-2, 3-2 Pac-12)
Game Notes: Arizona | Colorado | Pac-12
Date: Saturday, Nov. 8
Time: 6 p.m. (MST)
Location: Tucson, Ariz.
Stadium: Arizona Stadium (56,029)
Surface: FieldTurf
Television: Pac-12 Network
All-Time Series: CU leads, 13-3
In Tucson: CU leads, 7-1
Last Meeting: Arizona 44, Colorado 20 (Oct. 26, 2013 at Boulder)
Streak: UA has won two straight
Television: Pac-12 Network
Play-by-Play: Kevin Calabro
Analyst: Glenn Parker
Sideline: Jill Savage
Watch Online: Pac-12.com
Radio: Arizona IMG Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Brian Jeffries
Analyst: Lamont Lovett
Sideline: Dana Cooper
Flagship Stations: 1290 AM, 107.5 FM
Statewide Affiliates: Click here
Listen on TuneIn: www.arizonawildcats.com
Satellite Radio: XM (197), SIRIUS (139)
Spanish Radio (Home games only): 990 AM
Play-by-Play: Francisco Romero
Analyst: Marco Rincon
Hard Edge Notes & Numbers
» This year marks the 100th anniversary of UA’s first-ever Homecoming in 1914.
» UA is 56-35-5 all-time in its Homecoming games, including a 56-31 victory over CU on Nov. 10, 2012.
» The Wildcats have won three of the last four in the series after losing each of the first 10 contests.
» Arizona will close the regular season with three of its final four games at home.
» LB Scooby Wright is a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award. Wright is the only FBS player to rank among the top 20 in tackles, TFL, sacks and forced fumbles.
» Arizona averages 27.9 first downs per game, ranking No. 3 in FBS.
» UA is one of 11 teams to have five players with 20 or more receptions this season.
» The Wildcats (No. 21) are ranked for the fifth-straight week in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll.
» The Wildcats are 11-1 under Rodriguez when winning the turnover battle.
» UA leads the Pac-12 for fewest tackles for loss allowed per game (4.50).
» UA has produced four all-purpose plays of 80+ yards this season, most in a single campaign since 2009.
» UA has 13 players with a pass reception, including nine with a TD this season.
» Arizona is bowl eligible for the third-straight season under Rodriguez.
Some Game Themes: Home sweet home. At least that’s what the Wildcats hope to be saying this week as the University of Arizona celebrates the 100th anniversary of the school’s first Homecoming … Arriving with intentions of a different kind will be Colorado, a competitive squad that has been oh-so-close in a number of Pac-12 games but is still searching for its first conference victory … The task for Arizona is simple: put a discouraging loss behind itself and get back to doing the basics that are sometimes taken for granted. One such item might be establishing the ground game, slowed last month when backs Terris Jones-Grigsby and Nick Wilson were both banged up. Doing so would alleviate some of the pressure put on the arm of Anu Solomon, a poised freshman passer who must shake a subpar outing last week … The Buffs bring with them another acclaimed passer – Sefo Liufau – who has numbers quite similar to Solomon, though he has given away the ball a few more times … Liufau has a stable of targets, but the preferred option is Nelson Spruce, a Pac-12 leader in multiple receiving categories … One thing CU does well is maintain balance. Five players have 20 receptions and five have 48 or more carries, so the offensive weapons are aplenty. Liufau is not one to sleep on as a run threat, either … An interesting area of contrast is in the scoring breakdown. The Wildcats have jumped on opponents in the first and third quarters this season, while the Buffaloes have struggled in each of those opening periods … Expect a lot of plays: both squads run 85-some plays and rack up more than 27 first downs a game … Keep an eye on the running backs for these teams, too. Both use them to supplement the passing game, which stresses the defense in underneath coverages … In similar fashion, pressuring the passer may be difficult this week. CU has allowed only 15 sacks this season, while UA has surrendered 18 – both figures are among the top two fewest allowed in the Pac-12 … Turnovers, always a table-turner, may be especially critical, too. Arizona has surrendered only three points off its own turnovers all season. On the other, opponents have scored 69 points of Colorado turnovers … When it’s all said and done, this is an important game. Colorado, a clearly improving program, is searching for its statement win under second-year coach Mike McIntyre. Conversely, third-year coach Rich Rodriguez has his team in the thick of things in the Pac-12 South, but must refocus his group so that last week’s setback doesn’t linger into the next game … Saturday begins the final quarter of the season for the Cats, who have three of their last four games at home.
Last Week: Arizona started quickly before its offense stalled, and UCLA was able to take control during a brief span in the third quarter to upend the visiting Wildcats, 17-7, last Saturday at The Rose Bowl. The Cats took the opening drive and scored when Anu Solomon completed a 14-yard pass to Cayleb Jones in the endzone, but those would be the final points of the night. The Bruins, playing rambunctiously with a flurry of early penalties to aid the Cats, seemed to be the aggressor and it paid off when UA was unable to capitalize the rest of the game. UCLA limited what can be an explosive UA ground attack to a scant 80 yards, and found ways to pressure Solomon and force the ball out of his hand quickly. Complicating things for the Wildcats: they were always facing a long field when they got the ball. Matt Mengel placed six of his seven punts inside the 15-yardline, while Adam Searl added another one inside the 20. Still, Arizona found itself in the game throughout thanks to its defensive effort. While the Cats gave up some yards, they made things difficult on the Bruins. Scooby Wright had a monster effort with 19 tackles, including three more sacks, and he accounted for 4.5 of the club’s 11 tackles for loss. However, Brett Hundley found a way to make enough plays – usually with his feet to move the chains – and UCLA capitalized during a pivotal stretch in the third period. The Cats had led 7-3 all the way into third quarter, but Paul Perkins punched in a five-yard touchdown run to cap a 12-play drive and give the home side a 10-7 lead. On the ensuing possession, UA went three-and-out in just 40 seconds to give the Bruins the ball at their own 30-yardline. A hitch-and-go route by Jordan Payton got corner Cam Denson to bite, and Hundley hit his receiver for a 70-yard score which proved to put the game away. The Cats tried to get back in the game, but two later drives stalled and ended with a missed and a blocked field goal. Arizona was held to its lowest offensive total – 255 yards – in the Rich Rodriguez era.
Cats in the Polls: Arizona is ranked No. 21 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 Poll, the fifth-straight week the Wildcats have been ranked. After upsetting then-No. 2 Oregon in Eugene, Ore., on Oct. 2, Arizona vaulted from unranked to No. 10 the following week, marking the largest jump in the poll’s history since it expanded to 25 teams back in 1989. The Wildcats then dropped a 28-26 heartbreaker to USC on Oct. 11 and fell to No. 16 in the AP Poll the following week. After a bye, the Cats moved to No. 15 before gaining another spot after a win at Washington State on Oct. 25. After losing at UCLA last weekend, the Wildcats fell from No. 14 to No. 21. The Wildcats are also No. 21 in this week’s Amway USA Today Coaches’ Poll.
Scooby a Bednarik Award Semifinalist: Announced by the Maxwell Football Club on Monday, Arizona’s sophomore linebacker Scooby Wright is one of 20 semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award, given annually to the most outstanding defensive player. Wright is one of five Pac-12 Conference players honored and one of six linebackers named to the list. At then-No. 25 UCLA on Saturday, Wright racked up a career-high 19 tackles, including 11 solo stops, to go with another career-best tally of 4.5 tackles for loss. He also registered three sacks to match a career high. In only five games against league foes, Wright has totaled 64 tackles, 15.5 for loss, 10.0 sacks, five forced fumbles (No. 1 among FBS players) and one fumble recovery. On the season, Wright totals 97 tackles, 18.5 for loss and 12.0 sacks. He is fourth nationally with 12.1 tackles per game, second nationally with 2.3 tackles for loss per game and second nationally with 1.50 sacks per game.
Homecoming 100: The University of Arizona’s first Homecoming — the fifth in the nation — was in 1914. Since then, various traditions have been added, altered or expanded as the UA has changed with the times and grown from an institution of 308 students to one with more than 40,000. The University of Arizona was almost 30 years old when it hosted its inaugural Homecoming game on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, 1914. The “monster crowd” consisted of 1,500 fans to root the Cats to a 7-6 victory of Pomona College. At that time, student enrollment was 308, there were 47 faculty members, UA buildings numbered 18, and total UA land was a mere 40 acres. Fast-forward a century and today’s Homecoming events attract well over 100,000 exuberant participants and supporters. Student enrollment is more than 40,000 while the number of faculty exceeds 1,500. The number of UA buildings is 180 on close to 400 acres, on campus and beyond. A full guide to this week’s festivities celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first UA homecoming can be viewed at arizonaalumni.com/homecoming.
• The University of Arizona defeated Pomona College, 7-6, on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, 1914, at the first Homecoming game.
• The first Homecoming game to be played in Arizona Stadium was the stadium dedication game on Oct. 12, 1929. Arizona defeated Cal Tech, 35-0, before a crowd of some 6,000, including Gov. J.C. Phillips, who gave the dedication address.
• The first Homecoming Parade, featuring student-built floats driven around the new stadium track, also was held in 1929.
• The first Homecoming night game was played in 1931, a 32-0 loss to Rice, which was only the second UA loss in 17 Homecoming contests.
• Following that 1931 game under the lights, night games became the norm for Homecoming, with 19 of the next 24 games (through 1957).
• Homecoming games from 1958 through 1975 were daytime affairs, but night games predominated again for the next 20 years, with only one day game (1980) played between 1976 and 1994.
• Only world war has caused the University to suspend Homecoming festivities, with no games in 1918 or 1943-45.
• The 1942 game, a 20-6 victory over Oklahoma State, was designated at Arizona's 28th Homecoming game, but no formal events were held on campus due to wartime travel restrictions.
• Following World War II, one of Homecoming's most popular traditions began in 1947 with the election by the student body of the first Homecoming queen, Tucson sophomore Ruth Tackett.
• In 1988, the tradition was begun of crowning the Homecoming king and queen on Friday night at a bonfire and pep rally on the Mall near Old Main.
• In conjunction with the UA's Centennial celebrations in 1985, the west end of the Mall between Cherry and Campbell Avenues became the scene of Saturday's "Tents on the Mall".
• Since that first game in 1914, Arizona has posted an overall winning record at Homecoming of 56-35-5 (.583).
• In the Dick Tomey (the school’s winningest coach) era, the Cats were 8-5-1, highlighted by 1992's 16-3 victory over No. 1-ranked Washington before a record Homecoming game crowd of 58,510.
• The highest scoring Homecoming football game in the modern era was the 1980 shootout between Arizona and University of the Pacific, in which the Wildcats prevailed 65-35, setting a number of school and stadium offensive records that still stand. Arizona also beat New Mexico State 73-0 in 1916, and recorded a 110-0 victory over an outmanned New Mexico Military Institute junior college squad in 1921.
Read more here in the Arizona football weekly release.
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