Arizona Wildcats 4-2 Overall (2-1 Conference)

This Week’s Score: Washington 36 – Arizona 33

Next Week’s Opponent: Stanford

How did this happen? I still can’t figure out how the Wildcats lost this game. Sure, Mason Foster’s game-changing interception return for a TD may actually have been an incomplete pass (as some angles on replay have shown), but there is no excuse for blowing a 12-point lead with 4:16 left in the 4th quarter.

The final stats from Saturday’s game are painfully in favor of the ‘Cats (UA total yards: 461, UW total yards: 256). But in the end, Sonny Dykes went to the bubble screen play one time too many, and now UA will have to feel the sting of losing yet another winnable game (similar to the Stanford and New Mexico games of the previous two seasons).

As deflating as this loss is for the psyche of the team, there were also obvious positives. QB Nick Foles was tremendous even with the two interceptions (39/53 384 yards 1 TD, 2 INTs). He is clearly the right choice at QB for this offense, as he delivered the ball on time and with zip all night. For the second game in a row, Foles involved a ton of receivers in the offense (nine different players had at least a catch), and David Roberts is really starting to emerge as a big time playmaker.

I was very impressed with the route running of the UA wideouts, particularly Roberts and Terrell Turner. Even without Rob Gronkowski, this receiving unit is capable of lighting up any secondary because of the speed with which the receivers are getting off at the line of scrimmage. I expect big things from the UA passing game as the season progresses.

The running game should have made this offense dangerously balanced against U-Dub, but somehow,  Grigsby, Nwoko, and the rest of the backs were only able to manage a meager 77 yards on the ground. Sonny Dykes has to be disappointed in that total considering the ‘Cats were leading the conference in rushing heading into the UW game.

Defensively, Arizona played pretty well but still managed to give up a ton of points. Jake Locker only passed for 140 yards, but he tossed three TDs, and ran for a huge 56-yard TD on his way to 92 yards rushing. I do not doubt the talent or speed of the Wildcats D, but sometimes that isn’t enough. This unit has to get mentally tougher and prevent the big play.

Next up for UA is a revenge game with Stanford. The ‘Cats recent history with the Cardinal can only be described as painful, making this Saturday’s game at the Old Pueblo a virtual must win.