Arizona has been a tough team to figure out this season. The Wildcats start to look good, and then they lose to New Mexico. They start to look good again, and then they lose to Stanford.But they’ve never been tougher to figure than they were Saturday against Oregon, when they fell behind 48-17, only to storm all the way back to cut the deficit to just 48-45 in the fourth quarter before losing 55-45.The Wildcats are already 6-4, meaning they’re going bowling and Mike Stoops’ job appears to be safe, but they say they’ve got to win on Saturday.”This game against Oregon State is a must win,” Arizona safety Nate Ness said. “We have to come out there with our heads on fire and stop and punch them in the mouth."I don’t see it happening. Arizona hasn’t beaten a team as good as Oregon State this year, and the Wildcats aren’t going to catch the Beavers napping, not when the Beavers are two wins away from the Rose Bowl.Still, I like the Wildcats to win two weeks later in the season finale against Arizona State, giving them seven wins in a season for the first time since they went 12-1 in 1998.
AFTER OREGON LOSS, ARIZONA CALLS OREGON STATE GAME “MUST WIN”
Published November 17, 2008 10:59 PM