2009 Arizona Wildcats football team

American college football season August 2023 February 2026 2009 Arizona Wildcats Arizona Wildcats logo.svg 125 Pacific-10 Conference Pac-10 8–5 6–3 Mike Stoops 6th Sonny Dykes 3rd Mark Stoops 6th Air raid 4–3 Arizona Stadium Holiday Bowl vs. Nebraska L 0–33 File:Pac-10-Uniform-UA-2009.png The 2009 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Wildcats, led by sixth-year head coach Mike Stoops, played their home games at Arizona Stadium. Arizona hosted Central Michigan of the Mid-American Conference to begin the season on September 5, 2009 (with a 19–6 win), and ended the regular season with a 21–17 win over perennial conference power, then-ranked #20 Southern California on December 5, 2009; this was the first victory over USC by the Wildcats in the Mike Stoops era. In addition to the slate of nine conference games, four at home and five on the road, the Wildcats traveled to Iowa City, Iowa and lost to the Iowa Hawkeyes of the Big Ten (who eventually finished with a #10 AP Poll ranking and an invitation to the Orange Bowl), and hosted in-state sister school Northern Arizona of the Big Sky Conference the preceding week. After posting an 8–4 regular season record (6–3 in the Pac-10, good for a second-place tie in the conference with Oregon State and Stanford), the Wildcats were invited to appear in the 2009 Holiday Bowl in San Diego, the second consecutive postseason bowl game for the Arizona football program under Stoops. The Wildcats were shut out 33–0 by Nebraska. The Wildcats finished the regular season with an Associated Press poll ranking of #22, their first national ranking since the 2000 season. Schedule 2009 AP Poll and BCS Rankings after October 18 released prior to game Mountain September 5 7:00 p.m. w y Central Michigan Arizona Stadium Tucson, Arizona 19–6 51,683 September 12 7:00 p.m. w y Northern Arizona Arizona Stadium Tucson, Arizona KGUN 34–17 50,623 September 19 12:30 p.m. l y y Iowa Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, Iowa ABC 17–27 70,585 September 26 5:30 p.m. w y Oregon State Reser Stadium Corvallis, Oregon Versus 37–32 42,119 October 10 8:00 p.m. l y Washington Husky Stadium Seattle FSN 33–36 61,621 October 17 4:30 p.m. w Stanford Arizona Stadium Tucson, Arizona Versus 43–38 53,479 October 24 3:30 p.m. w 22 UCLA Arizona Stadium Tucson, Arizona FSN 27–13 51,440 November 7 1:30 p.m. w y 18 Washington State Arizona Stadium Tucson, Arizona FSN 48–7 50,242 November 14 4:00 p.m. l y 17 California Memorial Stadium Berkeley, California Versus 16–24 53,347 November 21 6:00 p.m. l Oregon 11 College GameDay Arizona Stadium Tucson, Arizona ABC 41–44 2OT 57,813 November 28 1:30 p.m. w y Arizona State Territorial Cup Sun Devil Stadium Tempe, Arizona ABC 20–17 55,989 December 5 1:30 p.m. w y USC 18 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles ABC 21–17 83,753 December 31 6:00 p.m. l y y 20 Nebraska 22 Holiday Bowl Qualcomm Stadium San Diego ESPN 0–33 64,607 Schedule source: 2009 Arizona Wildcats football schedule and Arizona Official Athletic Site https://web.archive.org/web/20121026045705/http://www.arizonawildcats.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/ariz-m-footbl-sched.html 2012-10-26 . Rankings 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings 15 4 7 RV RV RV RV RV RV NR NR NR RV RV RV RV RV RV NR NR RV RV RV 22 23 24 25 20 21 19 21 18 18 19 18 17 RV RV RV NR RV RV RV NR RV RV RV NR 22 23 24 20 RV RV Game summaries vs Central Michigan 2009 Central Michigan Chippewas football team #fff #eee Arizona Wildcats white;text-align:center autocollapse Central Michigan Chippewas (0–0) vs Arizona Wildcats (0–0) – Game summary September 5, 2009 7:00 p.m. Chippewas 0 0 0 6 Wildcats 6 7 3 3 Arizona Stadium • Tucson, AZ 51,683 Cloudy, 84 °F °C Jack Folliard First quarter (7:17) ARIZ – Alex Zendejas 36-yard field goal (Drive: 7 plays, 28 yards, 2:59; Arizona 3–0) (0:00) ARIZ – Alex Zendejas 37-yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 0:58; Arizona 6–0) Second quarter (8:20) ARIZ – Nic Grigsby 3-yard run, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 9 plays, 63 yards, 1:37; Arizona 13–0) Third quarter (0:38) ARIZ – Alex Zendejas 37-yard field goal (Drive: 12 plays, 79 yards, 5:20; Arizona 16–0) Fourth quarter (12:21) CMU – Dan LeFevour 5-yard run, two-point run failed (Drive: 9 plays, 73 yards, 3:11; Arizona 16–6) (8:45) ARIZ – Alex Zendejas 35-yard field goal (Drive: 6 plays, 40 yards, 3:27; Arizona 19–6) Statistics CMU ARIZ First downs 1124 Total yards 182448 Rushing yards 20–7446–246 Passing yards 252434 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18–31–119–30–1 Time of possession 22:0837:45 Team Category Player StatisticsCentral Michigan Passing Dan LeFevour18/31, 108 yards, INT Rushing Antonio Brown3 carries, 31 yards Receiving Kito Poblah6 receptions, 47 yardsArizona Passing Matt Scott19/30, 202 yards, INT Rushing Nic Grigsby23 carries, 118 yards, TD Receiving Terrell Turner6 receptions, 55 yards The Wildcats’ season began following a 43-minute lightning delay, the second straight year the Arizona season opener was delayed by lightning. Central Michigan was flagged for a false start on its first play from scrimmage. After a short completion and a trap-play run, CMU quarterback Dan LeFevour was intercepted by LB Vuni Tuihamalaka at the Chippewas’ 31, but the Wildcats, on their third play from scrimmage (in the person of WR Bug Wright) coughed up the ball at CMU's 16. The UA forced Central Michigan to go three-and-out on its second drive, then drove to score. The 'Cats forced a second turnover just before the end of the quarter. Linebacker C.J. Parish drilled CMU's Antonio Brown on a punt return, forcing the ball loose. UA longsnapper Jason Bertoni, who started his career at Central Michigan (before leaving the Chippewa program in 2007 for personal reasons), recovered at CMU's 28. The Wildcats gained seven yards on three plays, setting up a 37-yard Alex Zendejas field goal. Zendejas hit a total of four field goals in his first college start. Arizona's first touchdown of the season came midway through the second quarter. Freshman QB Matt Scott led the Wildcats on a nine-play, 63-yard drive. RB Nic Grigsby capped it with a three-yard run up the middle. Zendejas’ PAT made it a 13-point lead. Central Michigan was hampered by the quickness of the Arizona defense and didn't score until there were 12 minutes 21 seconds remaining in the game; even then, the team failed to convert on a two-point conversion that would have made it a one-possession game. Scott completed 10 of 17 first-half passes for 110 yards. Sophomore QB Nick Foles did not play a snap in the entire game. TE Rob Gronkowski, a key offensive weapon for Arizona in 2008 and speculated to be a future top NFL draft pick, did not play in the opener because of a back injury.Wildcats win season opener against Central Michigan Ryan Finley http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/printDS/30787 Arizona Daily Star September 5, 2009 September 5, 2009 vs Northern Arizona 2009 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team #fff #eee Arizona Wildcats white;text-align:center autocollapse Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (0–0) vs Arizona Wildcats (1–0) – Game summary September 12, 2009 7:00 p.m. Lumberjacks 3 7 0 7 Wildcats 14 7 6 7 Arizona Stadium • Tucson, AZ 50,623 Partly cloudy, 88 °F °C Larry Farina KGUN Dave Sitton (play-by-play), John Fina (analyst), Glenn Howell (sideline reporter) First quarter (11:19) ARIZ – Nic Grigsby 25-yard run, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:41; Arizona 7–0) (9:10) NAU – Matt Myers 43-yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 9 yards, 1:58; Arizona 7–3) (5:39) ARIZ – Nic Grigsby 30-yard run, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 7 plays, 68 yards, 3:24; Arizona 14–3) Second quarter (14:16) NAU – Ed Berry 4-yard pass from Michael Herrick, Matt Myers kick (Drive: 14 plays, 79 yards, 6:17; Arizona 14–10) (0:30) ARIZ – Terrell Turner 2-yard pass from Matt Scott, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 17 plays, 99 yards, 7:40; Arizona 21–10) Third quarter (10:07) ARIZ – Keola Antolin 1-yard run, kick failed (Drive: 2 plays, 95 yards, 0:39; Arizona 27–10) Fourth quarter (14:10) ARIZ – Juron Criner 5-yard pass from Nick Foles, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 5:24; Arizona 34–10) (8:07) NAU – Ed Berry 19-yard pass from Michael Herrick, Matt Myers kick (Drive: 1 play, 19 yards, 0:09; Arizona 34–17) Statistics NAU ARIZ First downs 1327 Total yards 226559 Rushing yards 19–6747–365 Passing yards 159194 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 20–30–220–28–1 Time of possession 24:0835:52 Team Category Player StatisticsNorthern Arizona Passing Michael Herrick20/32, 159 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Alex Henderson14 carries, 56 yards Receiving Ed Berry7 receptions, 71 yards, 2 TDArizona Passing Matt Scott14/20, 150 yards, TD, INT Rushing Nic Grigsby15 carries, 207 yards, 2 TD Receiving Terrell Turner5 receptions, 46 yards, TD The Wildcats were effective, if not totally crisp, in a 34–17 win over in-state rival Northern Arizona (NAU), a FCS (formerly Division I-AA) member of the Big Sky Conference. Junior RB Nicolas Grigsby rushed for two touchdowns; Grigsby's two scores — a 25-yard run and a 30-yard run — helped pace the Wildcats through a sometimes-choppy first half in front of 50,623 at Arizona Stadium. He was key to the Wildcats' final drive of the second quarter, an 18-play, 99-yard march. WR Terrell Turner gave the Wildcats a 21–10 lead with a 2-yard touchdown catch from starting QB Matt Scott, a play after WR Delashaun Dean hauled in a 23-yard grab. Dean was drilled by two NAU players at the end of the play, and had to be helped off the field. Scott then found Turner on a short pass to pad the Wildcats' lead. Arizona added two scores in the second half to put the Lumberjacks away. Sophomore RB Keola Antolin punched in a 1-yard score on the first play following Grigsby's 94-yard run to give the Wildcats a 27–10 lead with 10 minutes left in the quarter. Backup quarterback Nick Foles hit Juron Criner for a 5-yard touchdown pass on the second play of the fourth quarter to make it 34–10. The Wildcats began emptying their bench midway through the third quarter. Foles entered the game with 7:15 remaining in the quarter, and drove the team about 40 yards before fumbling a snap and turning the ball over. CB Trevin Wade's second interception of the third quarter gave Arizona the ball back. Arizona has not lost to NAU since 1937.Grigsby Scores Twice in Wildcats Win Ryan Finley http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/printDS/308823 Arizona Daily Star September 12, 2009 September 12, 2009 All three of Arizona's state universities (Arizona, NAU and Arizona State) are obligated under state law to play one another in athletic contests each year. at Iowa 2009 Iowa Hawkeyes football team #fff #eee Arizona Wildcats white;text-align:center autocollapse Arizona Wildcats (2–0) at Iowa Hawkeyes (2–0) – Game summary September 19, 2009 12:30 p.m. Wildcats 7 3 0 7 Hawkeyes 7 7 3 10 Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA 70,585 Partly cloudy, 76 °F °C Dan Capron ABC Mike Patrick (play by play), Craig James (analyst), Heather Cox (sideline reporter) First quarter (10:49) IOWA – Adam Robinson 2-yard run, Daniel Murray kick (Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:11; Iowa 7–0) (6:57) ARIZ – Trevin Wade 38-yard interception return, Alex Zendejas kick (Tied 7–7) Second quarter (9:55) ARIZ – Alex Zendejas 20-yard field goal (Drive: 7 plays, 60 yards, 2:17; Arizona 10–7) (6:28) IOWA – Adam Robinson 1-yard run, Daniel Murray kick (Drive: 6 plays, 70 yards, 3:27; Iowa 14–10) Third quarter (1:47) IOWA – Daniel Murray 20-yard field goal (Drive: 7 plays, 44 yards, 3:19; Iowa 17–10) Fourth quarter (14:52) IOWA – Daniel Murray 40-yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 0:52; Iowa 20–10) (4:40) IOWA – Brandon Wegher 2-yard run, Daniel Murray kick (Drive: 14 plays, 74 yards, 8:30; Iowa 27–10) (1:53) ARIZ – Juron Criner 10-yard pass from Nick Foles, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 9 plays, 63 yards, 2:47; Iowa 27–17) Statistics ARIZIOWA First downs 819 Total yards 253338 Rushing yards 25–14842–133 Passing yards 231228 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 10–26–120–32–1 Time of possession 22:0437:56 Team Category Player StatisticsArizona Passing Nick Foles6/11, 55 yards, TD Rushing Nic Grigsby11 carries, 75 yards Receiving David Roberts2 receptions, 44 yardsIowa Passing Ricky Stanzi20/32, 205 yards, INT Rushing Adam Robinson18 carries, 101 yards, TD Receiving Marvin McNutt2 receptions, 50 yards The Hawkeyes scored on the opening drive, with a 2-yard touchdown run by Adam Robinson. But Arizona tied the score at 7 after Trevin Wade returned a Ricky Stanzi interception 38 yards into the end zone. The Wildcats struggled with their few offensive chances. QB Matt Scott missed a handful of open receivers in the third quarter, and — on a play that could have changed the momentum of the game — WR Delashaun Dean dropped what would have been a 50-yard gain. Dean appeared to trap the ball between his leg and the ground; a video replay rule confirmed that it was an incomplete pass. Iowa's defense would again prove to be the difference-maker in this game, not allowing a touchdown until 1:53 was remaining in the game, with the Hawkeyes well ahead. Iowa safety Tyler Sash, with a grab of a Matt Scott pass intended for Terrell Turner, also netted his seventh interception in five games (dating back to last year). Nick Foles came in at QB in the fourth quarter and went 6 for 11 with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Juron Criner, but, as noted above, the damage was already done. The loss dropped Arizona to 0–7 against Big Ten teams in the last decade; the Wildcats’ last nonconference road win of any kind came in 2001, when John Mackovic's Wildcats defeated San Diego State. https://web.archive.org/web/20090924211845/http://www.hawkeyesports.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/091909aad.html 2009-09-24 Iowa/UA Recap. Retrieved September 20, 2009. Arizona Wildcats Football: Iowa Wins 27–17 Ryan Finley http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/printDS/309748 Arizona Daily Star September 19, 2009 September 19, 2009 at Oregon State 2009 Oregon State Beavers football team #fff #eee Arizona Wildcats white;text-align:center autocollapse Arizona Wildcats (2–1) at Oregon State Beavers (2–1) – Game summary September 26, 2009 5:30 p.m. Wildcats 7 7 14 9 Beavers 7 10 0 15 Reser Stadium • Corvallis, OR 42,119 Sunny, 79 °F °C Jack Wood Versus Ron Thulin (play by play), Kelly Stouffer (analyst), Lewis Johnson (sideline reporter) First quarter (6:25) ARIZ – Delashaun Dean 2-yard pass from Nick Foles, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 15 plays, 71 yards, 7:07; Arizona 7–0) (0:02) OSU – Damola Adeniji 11-yard pass from Sean Canfield, Justin Kahut kick (Drive: 14 plays, 83 yards, 6:15; Tied 7–7) Second quarter (8:25) OSU – Jacquizz Rodgers 1-yard run, Justin Kahut kick (Drive: 11 plays, 71 yards, 4:57; Oregon State 14–7) (3:39) ARIZ – Greg Nwoko 19-yard run, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 9 plays, 74 yards, 4:39; Tied 14–14) (0:00) OSU – Justin Kahut 22-yard field goal (Drive: 7 plays, 41 yards, 0:57; Oregon State 17–14) Third quarter (6:21) ARIZ – Nick Foles 1-yard run, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 7 plays, 47 yards, 3:28; Arizona 21–17) (1:48) ARIZ – Juron Criner 3-yard pass from Nick Foles, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 1:36; Arizona 28–17) Fourth quarter (13:44) OSU – Jacquizz Rodgers 2-yard run, James Rodgers run for two-point conversion (Drive: 9 plays, 65 yards, 2:58; Arizona 28–25) (8:08) ARIZ – Terrell Turner 13-yard pass from Nick Foles, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 5 plays, 45 yards, 2:04; Arizona 35–25) (4:09) OSU – Aaron Nichols 13-yard pass from Sean Canfield, Justin Kahut kick (Drive: 12 plays, 62 yards, 3:50; Arizona 35–32) (0:25) ARIZ – Team safety (Arizona 37–32) Statistics ARIZOSU First downs 2528 Total yards 388407 Rushing yards 33–13430–104 Passing yards 254303 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 25–34–031–49–2 Time of possession 31:1928:41 Team Category Player StatisticsArizona Passing Nick Foles25/34, 254 yards, 3 TD Rushing Keola Antolin12 carries, 46 yards Receiving Greg Nwoko4 receptions, 76 yardsOregon State Passing Sean Canfield31/47, 303 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Jacquizz Rodgers16 carries, 85 yards, 2 TD Receiving James Rodgers8 receptions, 119 yards Running behind a third-string tailback and second-team left tackle, right guard and wide receiver (as well as a new starting QB, sophomore Nick Foles, the transfer from Michigan State) the Wildcats defeated Oregon State 35–32 at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, in the Pac-10 opener for Arizona. The Wildcats started the game without a half-dozen starters, including tight end Rob Gronkowski (who would end up being out the rest of the 2009 season due to back surgery). Tailbacks Nicolas Grigsby and Keola Antolin were out of the game by halftime with shoulder and leg injuries, respectively (Grigsby would not fully recover until the end of the season). That left the Wildcats with third-stringer Greg Nwoko at running back. The redshirt freshman from the Austin, Texas area delivered: His 52-yard catch-and-run on a screen pass set Arizona up for its second touchdown of the quarter, a 3-yard pass from quarterback Nick Foles to receiver Juron Criner. Nwoko rushed nine times for 44 yards and a touchdown in the first extended action of his career. Arizona took the lead early in the third quarter, when Foles — making his first college start — dove in on a sneak from the 1-yard line. Foles led his team on a 15-play, 71-yard scoring drive in the first quarter, connecting with WR Delashaun Dean for a 2-yard touchdown pass. The Beavers scored their first touchdown with 2 minutes remaining in the quarter, when Damola Adeniji caught a tipped pass from QB Sean Canfield for an 11-yard score. James Rodgers gave OSU a 14–7 lead with a 2-yard run midway through the second quarter. Arizona tied the game on Nwoko's touchdown, but the Beavers re-took the lead on the final play before halftime. Justin Kahut's 21-yard field goal made it 17–14. Foles appeared to put the game away when he found WR Terrell Turner for a 13-yard touchdown pass with eight minutes remaining, but the Beavers — resilient and persistent — proved tough to put away. Canfield found Aaron Nichols for a 13-yard score with 4:09 remaining, cutting Arizona's lead to 3. CB Devin Ross intercepted Canfield with 1 minute 33 seconds remaining. Even after surrendering a safety with 25 seconds left, Oregon State recovered an onside kick and had the ball, down five points, in their zone. This time, Arizona made the plays. Sacks by Earl Mitchell and Ricky Elmore ended the game. Grigsby left the game after just one rushing attempt with what was discovered to be a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder. He was never fully healthy the rest of the season. UA Gets Its Revenge Ryan Finley http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/wildcats/310818.php Arizona Daily Star September 27, 2009 September 27, 2009 Final: Arizona 37, Oregon State 32 Ryan Finley http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/related/310738 Arizona Daily Star September 26, 2009 September 26, 2009 at Washington 2009 Washington Huskies football team #fff #eee Arizona Wildcats white;text-align:center autocollapse Arizona Wildcats (3–1) at Washington Huskies (2–3) – Game summary October 10, 2009 8:00 p.m. Wildcats 7 3 17 6 Huskies 7 7 7 15 Husky Stadium • Seattle, WA 61,621 Clear, 52 °F °C Michael Batlan Fox Sports Arizona Tom Glasgow (play by play), Mack Strong (analyst), Jen Mueller (sideline reporter) First quarter (6:51) ARIZ – Greg Nwoko 12-yard run, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 8 plays, 67 yards, 3:36; Arizona 7–0) (4:55) WASH – Jake Locker 56-yard run, Erik Folk kick (Drive: 5 plays, 76 yards, 1:50; Tied 7–7) Second quarter (14:55) ARIZ – Alex Zendejas 18-yard field goal (Drive: 9 plays, 68 yards, 4:51; Arizona 10–7) (6:30) WASH – Devin Aguilar 5-yard pass from Jake Locker, Erik Folk kick (Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:08; Washington 14–10) Third quarter (11:49) ARIZ – David Roberts 9-yard pass from Nick Foles, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 7 plays, 47 yards, 3:04; Arizona 17–14) (9:31) ARIZ – Alex Zendejas 23-yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, 1:05; Arizona 20–14) (2:55) ARIZ – Nick Foles 1-yard run, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 8 plays, 36 yards, 4:37; Arizona 27–14) (2:04) WASH – Devin Aguilar 29-yard pass from Jake Locker, Erik Folk kick (Drive: 2 plays, 39 yards, 0:45; Arizona 27–21) Fourth quarter (13:20) ARIZ – Alex Zendejas 29-yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 62 yards, 3:37; Arizona 30–21) (4:22) ARIZ – Alex Zendejas 24-yard field goal (Drive: 12 plays, 73 yards, 6:38; Arizona 33–21) (2:55) WASH – Kavario Middleton 25-yard pass from Jake Locker, Erik Folk kick (Drive: 6 plays, 59 yards, 1:21; Arizona 33–28) (2:37) WASH – Mason Foster 37-yard interception return, Jake Locker two-point pass to Jermaine Kearse (Washington 36–33) Statistics ARIZWASH First downs 2614 Total yards 461256 Rushing yards 30–7724–116 Passing yards 384140 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 39–53–212–23–1 Time of possession 39:1920:41 Team Category Player StatisticsArizona Passing Nick Foles39/53, 384 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Greg Nwoko16 carries, 54 yards, TD Receiving David Roberts12 receptions, 138 yards, TDWashington Passing Jake Locker12/23, 140 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Jake Locker11 carries, 92 yards, TD Receiving Devin Aguilar3 receptions, 43 yards, 2 TD In a controversial play, Washington LB Mason Foster intercepted a deflected pass off the foot of Arizona's Delashaun Dean (who insisted the pass hit the ground) and returned the carom 37 yards for a touchdown with 2:37 left, and the Huskies rallied with two touchdowns in the final three minutes to beat the Wildcats 36–33 in Seattle. On the call, Dean commented: "I felt it graze my foot, but the way the ball bounced up, it would have hit my foot a lot harder", Dean said. "I figured it had to hit the ground, then after seeing the pictures you could actually see the black beads from the turf jump up when the ball hit the ground. It's pretty obvious when you look at it. I don't know how it got missed."Baum Bob October 12, 2009 Wildcats Still Stunned by Game's Wild Finish http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/huskies/2010051382_arizona13.html January 8, 2010 The Seattle Times Led by quarterback Jake Locker, Washington overcame a 12-point deficit in the final 3 minutes to hand Arizona the loss. Arizona lost the game despite a torrid third quarter. QB Nick Foles connected with David Roberts on a 9-yard touchdown pass on the Wildcats’ first possession of the second half. The Wildcats got the ball back — and scored again — following a strange play. Washington punter Will Mahan muffed a snap on fourth down deep in the Huskies' zone on their first possession of the second half. He recovered the muff, took a few steps and kicked a ball that rolled 12 yards behind the original line of scrimmage. Mahan was flagged for an illegal kick, and the Huskies were penalized half the distance to the goal line – 9 yards. Arizona turned the good fortune into a 23-yard Alex Zendejas field goal. The Wildcats capped their 17-point quarter with an eight-play, 36-yard drive; Foles delivered the crushing blow on third-and-goal from the Huskies’ 1, faking a hand-off up the middle and bootlegging into the end zone for a touchdown. Washington cut Arizona's lead to six points just before the quarter's end, when Devin Aguilar caught his second touchdown pass of the night, a 29-yarder from Jake Locker. But Zendejas nailed a 29-yarder on the first possession of the fourth quarter. The UA was leading 33–21 when Washington took over with the ball with 4:16 remaining in the contest. But the Wildcats' LB Vuna Tuihalamka was flagged for a late hit on a missed pass, getting Washington past midfield. It took quarterback Jake Locker six plays to travel 59 yards; his 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kavario Middleton cut the Wildcats' lead to 33–28 with 2:55 left. The Huskies then chose to kick the ball deep, figuring that — with two timeouts left — they could try to force Arizona to punt. The Wildcats instead went for the kill. On first down, the Wildcats called what Stoops dubbed a run-pass option play, meaning Foles could check down to a run or choose to throw. He threw. When his first few options weren't there, the quarterback attempted a short screen route to Dean. The ball glanced off the side of his right shoe and into Mason Foster's hands. The Huskies' linebacker ran in untouched. The defeat of Arizona came as the Husky football program, winless during the 2008 season, was trying to rebuild under their new head coach, former USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian (for their part, the Huskies finished the season 5–7 and 4–5 in Pac-10 play). Following the game, head coach Mike Stoops said Arizona coaches were to blame for the poor call — even though Foles had been running the play all night with great success. He completed 39 of 53 passes for 384 yards and a touchdown. Offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes, however, defended the call. Arizona settled for four field goals and continued to struggle in the red zone. The Wildcats limited Locker to just 140 passing yards, but let him drive at will when one stop would have ended the game.Agony of Da Feet Ryan Finley http://www.azstarnet.com/sports/312790.php Arizona Daily Star October 11, 2009 October 11, 2009 vs Stanford 2009 Stanford Cardinal football team #fff #eee Arizona Wildcats white;text-align:center autocollapse Stanford Cardinal (4–2) vs Arizona Wildcats (3–2) – Game summary October 17, 2009 4:30 p.m. Cardinal 14 14 10 0 Wildcats 13 7 9 14 Arizona Stadium • Tucson, AZ 53,479 Clear, 95 F C Brian O'Cain Versus Ron Thulin (play by play), Kelly Stouffer (analyst), Lewis Johnson (sideline reporter) First quarter (12:31) ARIZ – Robert Golden 79-yard interception return, Alex Zendejas kick (Arizona 7–0) (10:26) STAN – Jim Dray 30-yard pass from Andrew Luck, Nate Whitaker kick (Drive: 4 plays, 44 yards, 1:38; Tied 7–7) (4:40) ARIZ – David Douglas 43-yard pass from Nick Foles, kick failed (Drive: 3 plays, 47 yards, 0:48; Arizona 13–7) (0:48) STAN – Toby Gerhart 2-yard run, Nate Whitaker kick (Drive: 8 plays, 82 yards, 3:45; Stanford 14–13) Second quarter (9:16) STAN – Ryan Whalen 11-yard pass from Andrew Luck, Nate Whitaker kick (Drive: 10 plays, 68 yards, 4:48; Stanford 21–13) (3:04) STAN – Chris Owusu 19-yard pass from Andrew Luck, Nate Whitaker kick (Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 2:55; Stanford 28–13) (0:18) ARIZ – Terrell Turner 11-yard pass from Nick Foles, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 12 plays, 89 yards, 2:36; Stanford 28–20) Third quarter (12:43) ARIZ – Alex Zendejas 24-yard field goal (Drive: 9 plays, 64 yards, 2:11; Stanford 28–23) (9:55) STAN – Nate Whitaker 33-yard field goal (Drive: 5 plays, 47 yards, 2:42; Stanford 31–23) (6:27) ARIZ – David Douglas 1-yard pass from Nick Foles, two-point pass failed (Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 3:28; Stanford 31–29) (3:23) STAN – Toby Gerhart 2-yard run, Nate Whitaker kick (Drive: 6 plays, 86 yards, 2:59; Stanford 38–29) Fourth quarter (10:06) ARIZ – Greg Nwoko 43-yard run, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 2:36; Stanford 38–36) (2:57) ARIZ – Nic Grigsby 57-yard run, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 5 plays, 92 yards, 2:30; Arizona 43–38) Statistics STAN ARIZ First downs 2623 Total yards 584553 Rushing yards 40–15014–138 Passing yards 434415 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–36–140–52–0 Time of possession 36:1023:50 Team Category Player StatisticsStanford Passing Andrew Luck21/35, 423 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Toby Gerhart28 carries, 123 yards, 2 TD Receiving Chris Owusu5 receptions, 116 yards, TDArizona Passing Nick Foles40/51, 415 yards, 3 TD Rushing Nic Grigsby7 carries, 89 yards, TD Receiving Juron Criner12 receptions, 152 yards In a game that featured more than a thousand offensive yards, the Wildcats rallied back late to defeat the Cardinal. The quarterbacks were evenly matched: Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck threw for 423 yards and three touchdowns, while Arizona's Nick Foles also tossed three touchdown passes and had a total of 415 yards. Stanford's Toby Gerhart had 123 yards and two touchdowns. Arizona managed a total of just 138 rush yards, but 57 of those came on Nic Grigsby's go-ahead touchdown with under three minutes left. Stanford drove to the Arizona 17 with seconds to play, but a fourth-down pass to Chris Owusu was batted away and the Wildcats escaped with a home victory.October 17, 2009 Arizona erases 15-point deficit to clip Stanford https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=292900012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20171213010221/http://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=292900012 December 13, 2017 January 8, 2010 ESPN.com Associated Press vs UCLA 2009 UCLA Bruins football team #fff #eee Arizona Wildcats white;text-align:center autocollapse UCLA Bruins (3–3) vs No. 22 Arizona Wildcats (4–2) – Game summary October 24, 2009 3:30 p.m. Bruins 0 3 10 0 No. 22 Wildcats 13 0 14 0 Arizona Stadium • Tucson, AZ 51,440 Clear, 84 F C Brian O'Cain Fox Sports Arizona Steve Physioc (play by play), James Washington (analyst) First quarter (4:39) ARIZ – Juron Criner 41-yard pass from Nick Foles, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 3 plays, 54 yards, 1:22; Arizona 7–0) (3:19) ARIZ – Nic Grigsby 6-yard run, kick failed (Drive: 3 plays, 23 yards, 1:07; Arizona 13–0) Second quarter (7:51) UCLA – Kai Forbath 53-yard field goal (Drive: 8 plays, 27 yards, 5:12; Arizona 13–3) Third quarter (13:39) UCLA – Kai Forbath 33-yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 1:06; Arizona 13–6) (8:34) ARIZ – Juron Criner 25-yard pass from Nick Foles, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 6 plays, 51 yards, 1:23; Arizona 20–6) (5:20) UCLA – Tony Dye 28-yard fumble return, Kai Forbath kick (Arizona 20–13) (0:34) ARIZ – Nick Booth 6-yard run, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 10 plays, 63 yards, 4:38; Arizona 27–13) Fourth quarter No scoring plays Statistics UCLA ARIZ First downs 1027 Total yards 211456 Rushing yards 23–6546–209 Passing yards 146247 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–35–022–35–3 Time of possession 24:2235:38 Team Category Player StatisticsUCLA Passing Kevin Craft6/17, 75 yards Rushing Johnathan Franklin9 carries, 36 yards Receiving Nelson Rosario2 receptions, 27 yardsArizona Passing Nick Foles22/34, 247 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT Rushing Keola Antolin16 carries, 77 yards Receiving Juron Criner4 receptions, 85 yards, 2 TD In the first quarter, Arizona's first drive ended when UCLA safety Rahim Moore intercepted a Nick Foles pass. But in their second drive, Foles passed to Juron Criner for a 41-yard touchdown to give the Wildcats a lead. After Arizona recovered a Bruin fumble, Grigsby rushed into the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown, extra point blocked. Both Moore and Jerzy Siewierski intercepted a Wildcats pass in the second quarter. Kai Forbath kicked a 53-yard field goal to put UCLA on the board before the half. UCLA's Datone Jones recovered a Foles fumble and Forbath kicked a field goal to begin the third quarter. Kevin Craft came in to replace Kevin Prince in UCLA's second possession, but Christian Ramirez fumbled the ball to Arizona, which led to the Wildcats' third touchdown, a Nick Foles 25-yard pass to Criner. Tony Dye recovered a Wildcats fumble and ran in for a 28-yard UCLA touchdown. Late in the third quarter, Nick Booth rushed for 6 yards for a score to give Arizona a 27–13 lead. In the fourth quarter, the Bruins were unable to do anything and lost their fourth game in a row. vs Washington State 2009 Washington State Cougars football team #fff #eee Arizona Wildcats white;text-align:center autocollapse Washington State Cougars (1–7) vs No. 21 Arizona Wildcats (5–2) – Game summary November 7, 2009 1:30 p.m. Cougars 0 0 0 7 No. 21 Wildcats 24 10 7 7 Arizona Stadium • Tucson, AZ 50,242 Scattered clouds, 78 F C Larry Farina FCS Pacific Dave Sitton (play-by-play), John Fina (analyst), Glenn Howell (sideline reporter) First quarter (14:47) ARIZ – Travis Cobb 95-yard kickoff return, Alex Zendejas kick (Arizona 7–0) (11:43) ARIZ – Terrell Turner 28-yard pass from Nick Foles, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 3 plays, 44 yards, 1:05; Arizona 14–0) (7:21) ARIZ – Keola Antolin 1-yard run, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 7 plays, 65 yards, 2:58; Arizona 21–0) (0:24) ARIZ – Alex Zendejas 21-yard field goal (Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 5:55; Arizona 24–0) Second quarter (13:28) ARIZ – Nick Booth 1-yard run, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 3 plays, 14 yards, 1:22; Arizona 31–0) (1:23) ARIZ – Alex Zendejas 27-yard field goal (Drive: 14 plays, 69 yards, 7:07; Arizona 34–0) Third quarter (13:27) ARIZ – William Wright 86-yard punt return, Alex Zendejas kick (Arizona 41–0) Fourth quarter (7:06) ARIZ – Taimi Tutogi 1-yard run, John Bonano kick (Drive: 15 plays, 97 yards, 8:07; Arizona 48–0) (6:23) WSU – Jared Karstetter 64-yard pass from Marshall Lobbestael, Patrick Rooney kick (Drive: 2 plays, 71 yards, 0:37; Arizona 48–7) Statistics WSU ARIZ First downs 827 Total yards 185471 Rushing yards 21–5954–294 Passing yards 126177 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12–21–015–24–0 Time of possession 18:4141:19 Team Category Player StatisticsWashington State Passing Marshall Lobbestael7/11, 103 yards, TD Rushing Dwight Tardy4 carries, 44 yards Receiving Jared Karstetter1 reception, 64 yards, TDArizona Passing Nick Foles12/19, 136 yards, TD Rushing Matt Scott10 carries, 91 yards Receiving Delashaun Dean4 receptions, 53 yards at California 2009 California Golden Bears football team #fff #eee Arizona Wildcats white;text-align:center autocollapse No. 17 Arizona Wildcats (6–2) at California Golden Bears (6–3) – Game summary November 14, 2009 4:00 p.m. No. 17 Wildcats 0 10 0 6 Golden Bears 3 6 6 9 California Memorial Stadium • Berkeley, CA 53,347 Clear skies, 60 °F °C Michael Batlan Versus Ted Robinson (play by play), Glenn Parker (analyst), Lewis Johnson (sideline reporter) First quarter (9:12) CAL – Giorgio Tavecchio 46-yard field goal (Drive: 11 plays, 56 yards, 5:48; California 3–0) Second quarter (14:17) CAL – Giorgio Tavecchio 22-yard field goal (Drive: 8 plays, 27 yards, 3:48; California 6–0) (3:37) ARIZ – Keola Antolin 1-yard run, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 10 plays, 93 yards, 4:47; Arizona 7–6) (0:22) ARIZ – Alex Zendejas 36-yard field goal (Drive: 7 plays, 37 yards, 1:30; Arizona 10–6) (0:00) CAL – Giorgio Tavecchio 46-yard field goal (Drive: 5 plays, 32 yards, 0:22; Arizona 10–9) Third quarter (8:21) CAL – Skylar Curran 27-yard pass from Kevin Riley, two-point run failed (Drive: 1 play, 27 yards, 0:08; California 15–10) Fourth quarter (12:26) ARIZ – A.J. Simmons 8-yard pass from Nick Foles, two-point pass failed (Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 4:20; Arizona 16–15) (4:46) CAL – Giorgio Tavecchio 22-yard field goal (Drive: 13 plays, 72 yards, 7:35; California 18–16) (1:21) CAL – Shane Vereen 61-yard run, two-point run failed (Drive: 1 play, 61 yards, 0:09; California 24–16) Statistics ARIZCAL First downs 1818 Total yards 274357 Rushing yards 28–7340–176 Passing yards 201181 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 25–41–113–22–2 Time of possession 28:1331:47 Team Category Player StatisticsArizona Passing Nick Foles25/41, 201 yards, TD, INT Rushing Keola Antolin19 carries, 78 yards, TD Receiving David Roberts4 receptions, 52 yardsCalifornia Passing Kevin Riley13/22, 181 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Shane Vereen30 carries, 159 yards, TD Receiving Marvin Jones5 receptions, 65 yards In their final home season game, California started backup RB Shane Vereen in place of their star RB Jahvid Best, who was still recovering from a concussion sustained the previous week. The then-#18 ranked Wildcats were also missing their starting RB, Nic Grigsby, with ongoing shoulder troubles. Cal's Giorgio Tavecchio hit four field goals, including a 22-yard go-ahead kick with 4 minutes 46 seconds remaining, to boost the Golden Bears past a desperate UA team. Tavecchio contributed in other ways, too. After hitting the field goal that put Cal ahead for good, the kicker tackled Arizona's Travis Cobb on a kickoff return. Bolstered by Cobb's return, the Wildcats drove deep into Cal territory. Arizona faced third-and-three from the Cal 25 when QB Nick Foles dropped back and attempted a short pass. The ball deflected off a Cal defender and back into the hands of Foles, who rolled right and threw it forward again — this time for a completion to WR Delashaun Dean. Foles was flagged for an illegal forward pass, and Arizona was penalized 5 yards from the spot of the penalty, 9 yards behind the line of scrimmage. The Wildcats' field goal unit stood on the sideline when, on fourth-and-17 from the Golden Bears' 39, Foles attempted a desperate pass to David Roberts that was broken up. Foles' mistake was emblematic of the Cats' struggles. Arizona gained just 274 yards, 174 below its season average. Foles completed 25 of 41 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown, but was intercepted once and sacked three times. Foles had only been sacked four times before all season before the game.https://www.sfgate.com/collegesports/article/bears-defense-holds-in-taming-of-wildcats-3281316.php Bears' defense holds in taming of Wildcats San Francisco Chronicle November 16, 2009 Ron Kroichick https://web.archive.org/web/20091117234810/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2009%2F11%2F15%2FSPM01AKLF0.DTL November 17, 2009 live November 15, 2009 The Wildcats rushed for just 73 yards as a team, a 2.6 yards-per-carry average that rarely equates to wins. And yet Arizona had its chances. Cal scored a late touchdown but botched a PAT attempt, leaving Arizona a chance to drive for a game-tying touchdown and two-point conversion. The Wildcats had hope, but struggled to make the simplest of plays. Their last drive included an incomplete pass, a holding call (which was declined) and two sacks.UA thrown for a loop Ryan Finley http://azstarnet.com/sports/football/college/wildcats/ua-thrown-for-a-loop/article_46276b2e-f912-5e58-b792-4f10bdf0d675.html Arizona Daily Star November 15, 2009 March 22, 2013 Things weren't much better on defense. California QB Kevin Riley threw for 181 yards and a score, with two interceptions. Vereen had 30 carries for 159 yards, both career highs, including one score.http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/111409aac.html Cal Football Postgame Notes – vs. Arizona (Saturday, November 14) University of California November 16, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20120307122504/http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/111409aac.html March 7, 2012 dead mdy-all Keola Antolin, who had rushed for 149 yards against the Bears in 2008, was held to 78 yards and a score. This was Cal's fourth straight victory over the Wildcats in Berkeley, and moved them up to #25 in the BCS rankings (they would go on to an 8–5 (5–4 Pac-10) regular season and lose 37–27 to Utah in the 2009 Poinsettia Bowl). Arizona, on the other hand, seemed to have its relatively high hopes for its first-ever appearance in the Rose Bowl placed in jeopardy with the frustrating road loss. vs Oregon 2009 Oregon Ducks football team #fff #eee Arizona Wildcats white;text-align:center autocollapse No. 11 Oregon Ducks (8–2) vs Arizona Wildcats (6–3) – Game summary November 21, 2009 6:00 p.m. No. 11 Ducks 7 7 0 17 7 6 Wildcats 0 10 7 14 7 3 Arizona Stadium • Tucson, AZ 57,863 Clear, 69 F C Larry Farina ABC Brent Musburger (play by play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst), Lisa Salters (sideline reporter) First quarter (10:57) ORE – Jeremiah Masoli 14-yard run, Morgan Flint kick (Drive: 9 plays, 74 yards, 4:03; Oregon 7–0) Second quarter (10:10) ORE – Jeff Maehl 9-yard pass from Jeremiah Masoli, Morgan Flint kick (Drive: 8 plays, 72 yards, 4:00; Oregon 14–0) (1:59) ARIZ – Juron Criner 5-yard pass from Nick Foles, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 5 plays, 44 yards, 2:19; Oregon 14–7) (0:00) ARIZ – Alex Zendejas 47-yard field goal (Drive: 7 plays, 37 yards, 0:49; Oregon 14–10) Third quarter (10:39) ARIZ – Nick Booth 8-yard run, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 4 plays, 31 yards, 1:55; Arizona 17–14) Fourth quarter (13:57) ARIZ – William Wright 5-yard pass from Nick Foles, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 10 plays, 71 yards, 3:35; Arizona 24–14) (10:57) ORE – Jeremiah Masoli 1-yard run, Morgan Flint kick (Drive: 10 plays, 79 yards, 2:54; Arizona 24–21) (8:02) ORE – Morgan Flint 43-yard field goal (Drive: 5 plays, 19 yards, 1:54; Tied 24–24) (7:41) ARIZ – Juron Criner 71-yard pass from Nick Foles, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 1 play, 71 yards, 0:14; Arizona 31–24) (0:06) ORE – Ed Dickson 8-yard pass from Jeremiah Masoli, Morgan Flint kick (Drive: 15 plays, 80 yards, 3:05; Tied 31–31) First overtime ORE – Jeff Maehl 4-yard pass from Jeremiah Masoli, Morgan Flint kick (Drive: 5 plays, 25 yards; Oregon 38–31) ARIZ – Juron Criner 3-yard pass from Nick Foles, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 7 plays, 25 yards; Tied 38–38) Second overtime ARIZ – Alex Zendejas 41-yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 25 yards; Arizona 41–38) ORE – Jeremiah Masoli 1-yard run (Drive: 4 plays, 25 yards; Oregon 44–41) Statistics ORE ARIZ First downs 2222 Total yards 459441 Rushing yards 37–17535–127 Passing yards 284314 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 26–47–130–47–1 Time of possession 27:5247:08 Team Category Player StatisticsOregon Passing Jeremiah Masoli26/47, 284 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing LaMichael James19 carries, 117 yards Receiving Jeff Maehl12 receptions, 114 yards, 2 TDArizona Passing Nick Foles30/46, 314 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Greg Nwoko16 carries, 58 yards Receiving Juron Criner5 receptions, 93 yards, 3 TD In a PAC-10 conference showdown that prompted College Gameday to pay its first visit to the University of Arizona campus, the outcome of the game would ultimately send the winning team to the Rose Bowl Game. The Fans and the Arizona Wildcats players all wore red with the intent to "Red Out Oregon".Abbott Michael Arizona Wildcats Want Red-Out Against Oregon Ducks https://bleacherreport.com/articles/292258-arizona-wildcats-want-red-out-against-oregon-welcome-college-gameday Bleacher Report July 27, 2012 Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli's touchdown plunge on third-and-goal in the second overtime period gave the Ducks a come-from-behind, 44–41 victory over the U of A before 57,863 fans at Arizona Stadium and a national TV audience (ESPN on ABC). The Ducks overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime, then scored touchdowns on both their possessions. Hundreds of red-clad Arizona students from the "Zona Zoo" student section were on the sidelines, preparing for a victory party, when Masoli hit tight end Ed Dickson for an 8-yard touchdown with six seconds left in regulation to tie the game. The teams traded scores in the first overtime; Arizona started the second OT with the ball and hit a field goal only to watch the Ducks drive 25 yards in four plays for the win. Masoli was brilliant in a 15-play, 80-yard drive at the end of regulation, converting on two fourth-down plays to get deep into Arizona territory. With Oregon trailing 31–24, Masoli found Dickson in the middle of the end zone. Kicker Morgan Flint's PAT tied it at 31, forcing the first overtime game at Arizona Stadium since 2003. Oregon started overtime with the ball, and drove quickly. LaMichael James' 21-yard run moved the Ducks to Arizona's 4. On third-and-goal, Masoli found Jeff Maehl for a 4-yard touchdown. The Wildcats tied the game on its ensuing possession when QB Nick Foles hit Juron Criner for a 3-yard score, the receiver's third touchdown of the night. Arizona HC Mike Stoops instantly sent place-kicker Alex Zendejas out to tie it, though a two-point conversion could have won the game. The Wildcats had the ball to start the second overtime but gained just 1 yard on three plays. Zendejas gave the UA a 41–38 lead with a 41-yard field goal. It didn't last. Masoli found Dickson on a 23-yard pass on Oregon's first play of the second overtime. The Ducks gained a yard on their next two plays, setting up third-and-goal from the 1. Masoli faked on a lead-option play and ran in the score. The result left Arizona reeling, especially since the Wildcats appeared to have the game in hand in the fourth quarter. Arizona led by a touchdown late when Foles attempted to put the game away with a pass into the end zone; WR Terrell Turner tipped the ball, and Oregon's Talmadge Jackson III intercepted it and took a touchback. Wide receiver David Douglas fumbled at the Ducks' 2 in the first quarter. CB Trevin Wade dropped a sure interception in the second half, and Zendejas missed a short field goal that would have put the UA up by 6. The Wildcats' defense, so solid all night, forced two Masoli fumbles but couldn't recover them. That only made it worse. "We let a lot of good things slip away", safety Cam Nelson said. "I don't really know what else to say." In winning, Oregon eliminated Arizona from Rose Bowl contention. Masoli finished with 345 yards of total offense and six touchdowns.Doubly Disappointing Ryan Finley http://www.azstarnet.com/sports/318592 Arizona Daily Star November 22, 2009 November 22, 2009 at Arizona State 2009 Arizona State Sun Devils football team #fff #eee Arizona Wildcats white;text-align:center autocollapse Arizona Wildcats (6–4) at Arizona State Sun Devils (4–7) – Game summary November 28, 2009 1:30 p.m. Wildcats 7 7 0 6 Sun Devils 0 0 3 14 Sun Devil Stadium • Tempe, AZ 55,989 Partly Cloudy, 70 °F °C Brian O'Cain ABC Terry Gannon (play-by-play), David Norrie (analyst) First quarter (3:54) ARIZ – Keola Antolin 67-yard run, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 3 plays, 84 yards, 1:18; Arizona 7–0) Second quarter (3:50) ARIZ – Orlando Vargas 23-yard blocked punt return, Alex Zendejas kick (Arizona 14–0) Third quarter (6:50) ASU – Thomas Weber 26-yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 0:57; Arizona 14–3) Fourth quarter (11:54) ASU – Kyle Williams 44-yard pass from Danny Sullivan, Thomas Weber kick (Drive: 7 plays, 96 yards, 2:49; Arizona 14–10) (7:50) ARIZ – Alex Zendejas 30-yard field goal (Drive: 11 plays, 63 yards, 3:58; Arizona 17–10) (2:02) ASU – Kyle Williams 14-yard pass from Danny Sullivan, Thomas Weber kick (Drive: 9 plays, 48 yards, 3:46; Tied 17–17) (0:00) ARIZ – Alex Zendejas 32-yard field goal (Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 1:03; Arizona 20–17) Statistics ARIZASU First downs 1314 Total yards 265303 Rushing yards 23–11730–86 Passing yards 148217 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 24–43–017–33–0 Time of possession 28:4731:13 Team Category Player StatisticsArizona Passing Nick Foles24/43, 148 yards Rushing Keola Antolin7 carries, 78 yards, TD Receiving Delashaun Dean4 receptions, 30 yardsArizona State Passing Danny Sullivan14/28, 168 yards, 2 TD Rushing Dimitri Nance23 carries, 115 yards Receiving Kyle Williams9 receptions, 130 yards, 2 TD Alex Zendejas kicked a 32-yard field goal as time expired, and the Wildcats defeated their primary in-state rival, Arizona State (ASU), 20–17 in Tempe to retain the Territorial Cup. Arizona won after ASU's Kyle Williams – who had caught the tying touchdown pass minutes earlier – muffed a punt to give the Wildcats the ball at the ASU 22-yard line. Keola Antolin scored on a 67-yard run and Orlando Vargas blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown for the Wildcats, who have beaten the Sun Devils in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1997–98. Dimitri Nance ran for 115 yards for the Sun Devils, who lost their last six games, matching the school record for consecutive losses in a season. Down 14–0 at halftime, the Sun Devils rallied and appeared ready to force Arizona into their second overtime situation of the season with 2:02 remaining. On 4th-and-12 from Arizona's 14, ASU QB Danny Sullivan rolled out of the pocket and fired a strike to a diving Williams in the back of the end zone. It was their second scoring connection of the quarter, following a 44-yarder with 11:54 to go. Arizona defense was led by Ricky Elmore who had 2 sacks, 5 tackles and 1 forced fumble. Then came a critical ASU error. Williams muffed a Keenyn Crier punt, and the Wildcats' Mike Turner recovered at the Sun Devils' 22-yard line. Four plays later, Zendejas, a Phoenix-area native (some of his Glendale, Arizona family were in attendance), trotted on and nailed the game-winner. The game ended with a scuffle at midfield. ASU linebacker Vontaze Burfict took a swing at UA backup longsnapper Ricky Wolder. Vontaze Burfict a true-freshman at 6feet 3 inches and 245 pounds swung wildly at Wolder without making any contact. Players from both sides had to be separated so they could clear the field. This was Mike Stoops' third win over Arizona State, and arguably the most important one of his career.A Boot and a Kick Ryan Finley http://azstarnet.com/sn/wildcats/319396 Arizona Daily Star November 29, 2009 November 29, 2009Arizona's Desert Survival https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/arizona-s-desert-survival-3208176.php San Francisco Chronicle November 29, 2009 November 29, 2009 at No. 18 USC 2009 USC Trojans football team #fff #eee Arizona Wildcats white;text-align:center autocollapse Arizona Wildcats (7–4) at No. 18 USC Trojans (8–3) – Game summary December 5, 2009 1:30 p.m. Wildcats 7 7 0 7 No. 18 Trojans 0 7 7 3 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • Los Angeles, CA 83,753 Cloudy, 59 °F °C Jack Folliard ABC Mike Patrick (play by play), Craig James (analyst), Brock Huard (analyst), Heather Cox (sideline reporter) First quarter (8:49) ARIZ – Delashaun Dean 4-yard pass from Nick Foles, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 8 plays, 37 yards, 3:20; Arizona 7–0) Second quarter (12:25) USC – Ronald Johnson 16-yard pass from Matt Barkley, Jordan Congdon kick (Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 5:17; Tied 7–7) (4:35) ARIZ – Nick Foles 1-yard run, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 15 plays, 90 yards, 7:50; Arizona 14–7) Third quarter (1:46) USC – Allen Bradford 5-yard run, Jordan Congdon kick (Drive: 7 plays, 53 yards, 3:17; Tied 14–14) Fourth quarter (7:13) USC – Jordan Congdon 37-yard field goal (Drive: 12 plays, 54 yards, 5:58; USC 17–14) (3:14) ARIZ – Juron Criner 36-yard pass from Nick Foles, Alex Zendejas kick (Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 3:59; Arizona 21–17) Statistics ARIZUSC First downs 1720 Total yards 321282 Rushing yards 29–8231–138 Passing yards 239144 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–40–120–37–1 Time of possession 31:1828:42 Team Category Player StatisticsArizona Passing Nick Foles22/40, 239 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Keola Antolin13 carries, 51 yards Receiving Juron Criner6 receptions, 71 yards, TDUSC Passing Matt Barkley20/37, 144 yards, TD, INT Rushing Allen Bradford11 carries, 66 yards, TD Receiving Damian Williams8 receptions, 51 yards In the season finale, WR Juron Criner dived into the end zone with a 36-yard touchdown pass from Nick Foles with 3:14 to play, and Arizona secured a 21–17 victory USC. Foles passed for 239 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score for the Wildcats, who finally beat USC for the first time in coach Mike Stoops' tenure by scoring the final touchdown in a defense-dominated game. Foles went 22 of 40 but made several clutch throws, including an early touchdown pass to WR Delashaun Dean."Arizona rallies to beat USC", Greg Beacham, Associated Press, on azcentral.com, December 5, 2009 The Wildcats ended a seven-game losing streak against USC, and the Wildcats also have their first win over the Trojans during the Pete Carroll era. The Trojans, who came into the contest ranked #20 in the Associated Press poll, dropped out of the national rankings with the loss and dropped to #24 in the BCS standings. Arizona is also the first non-Stanford team in the Pac-10 to defeat USC in the Coliseum during the Carroll era (Stanford defeated Carroll's teams in the Coliseum in 2001, 2007, and 2009 while the Big 12's Kansas State defeated the Trojans in the Coliseum in 2001—the only other victory by a team over a USC home team coached by Carroll). With the Wildcats' win, Arizona State becomes the only remaining Pac-10 team that has never beaten the Trojans in the Carroll era. With a final regular season overall record of 8–4, Arizona accepted an invitation to the 2009 Pacific Life Holiday Bowl after this game. The Trojans were invited to the 2009 Emerald Bowl in San Francisco, they defeated Boston College 24–13. vs No. 22 Nebraska (Holiday Bowl) 2009 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team 2009 Holiday Bowl #fff #eee Arizona Wildcats white;text-align:center autocollapse No. 22 Arizona Wildcats (8–4) vs No. 20 Nebraska Cornhuskers (9–4) – Game summary (2009 Pacific Life Holiday Bowl) December 31, 2009 6:00 p.m. No. 22 Wildcats 0 0 0 0 No. 20 Cornhuskers 10 13 10 0 Qualcomm Stadium • San Diego, CA 64,607 Cool, overcast, 52 F C Tom Zimorski ESPN Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Craig James (analyst), Jesse Palmer (analyst), Erin Andrews (sideline reporter) First quarter (13:45) NEB – Zac Lee 4-yard run, Alex Henery kick (Drive: 2 plays, 5 yards, 0:48; Nebraska 7–0) (8:53) NEB – Alex Henery 47-yard field goal (Drive: 7 plays, 31 yards, 3:08; Nebraska 10–0) Second quarter (11:57) NEB – Rex Burkhead 5-yard run, Alex Henery kick (Drive: 7 plays, 82 yards, 3:41; Nebraska 17–0) (8:25) NEB – Alex Henery 50-yard field goal (Drive: 7 plays, 14 yards, 2:26; Nebraska 20–0) (0:35) NEB – Alex Henery 41-yard field goal (Drive: 12 plays, 44 yards, 6:07; Nebraska 23–0) Third quarter (10:07) NEB – Alex Henery 22-yard field goal (Drive: 11 plays, 41 yards, 4:53; Nebraska 26–0) (3:39) NEB – Niles Paul 74-yard pass from Zac Lee, Alex Henery kick (Drive: 6 plays, 89 yards, 3:12; Nebraska 33–0) Fourth quarter No scoring plays Statistics ARIZNEB First downs 6 19 Total yards 109 396 Rushing yards 20–63 48–223 Passing yards 46 173 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 10–31–1 13–25–0 Time of possession 21:48 38:12 Team Category Player StatisticsArizona Passing Nick Foles 9/29, 48 yards, INT Rushing Keola Antolin 11 carries, 69 yards Receiving Delashaun Dean 3 receptions, 24 yardsNebraska Passing Zac Lee 13/23, 173 yards, TD Rushing Rex Burkhead 17 carries, 92 yards, TD Receiving Niles Paul 4 receptions, 123 yards, TD Nebraska wide receiver Niles Paul was named Offensive MVP. Nebraska safety Matt O'Hanlon was named Defensive MVP. The Cornhuskers, coming off a heartbreaking loss to Texas in the 2009 Big 12 Championship Game (thereby missing a chance at a BCS bowl game berth), defeated the Wildcats 33–0 for the first shutout in the history of the Holiday Bowl. This was a rematch of the two teams, who faced each other in the 1998 Holiday Bowl, where Arizona defeated Nebraska 23–20. The Wildcats were held to just 109 total yards of offense and just 6 first downs. The 'Huskers were led on offense by WR Niles Paul who had 4 catches for 123 yards, including a touchdown, which accounted for 74 of his receiving yards. Quarterback Zac Lee threw for 173 yards and the touchdown to Paul. Rex Burkhead of Nebraska led all rushers with 89 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. This also marked the first time in Nebraska's 46 game, bowl game history that it has shut out a team in postseason. However, this was the third time in Arizona's bowl history that they have been shut out, the second time in a game in San Diego. The Wildcats lost the 1921 San Diego East-West Christmas Classic to Centre College 38–0 and the 1990 Aloha Bowl to Syracuse 28–0. Prior to the 2009 Holiday Bowl no team had scored less than 10 points in a game. The game also marked Nebraska's first 10-win season since 2003. Notes Up until this season, Arizona was one of only two Pacific-10 Conference teams that had not beaten USC during the Pete Carroll era.College Football – Bottom 10 Steve Harvey http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-bottom-ten24-2009sep24,0,5892463.story Los Angeles Times September 24, 2009 September 24, 2009 Awards and honors All-Pacific-10 Conference Team: Second Team: OL Colin Baxter; OL Adam Grant; DL Earl Mitchell; LB Xavier Kelley; DB Trevin Wade Honorable mention: DE Ricky Elmore; QB Nick Foles; CB Devin Ross; MLB Vuna TuihalamakaPac-10 Football Awards and All-Conference Announced http://www.pac-10.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120709aac.html Pacific-10 Conference December 7, 2009 December 7, 2009 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20091212225541/http://www.pac-10.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120709aac.html December 12, 2009 References Arizona Category:Arizona Wildcats football seasons Arizona Wildcats football