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The Mike Stoops Bandwagon rolled down my street Sunday. I climbed aboard.

"Plenty of empty seats,'' the driver said. Indeed, the only man seated on the MSB was UA athletic director Jim Livengood.

Just like that, 26 days before opening night, attendance on the Mike Stoops Bandwagon doubled. I was soon briefed on MSB rules:

Those who board the bandwagon will not be permitted to exit after completion of the "O Series'' — Idaho, Toledo, New Mexico — when the bandwagon shifts gears to begin an uphill climb.

"If you are aboard when Arizona is 3-0, there is no turning back,'' the driver said. "We stop only to add passengers. You must absorb the homecoming loss to USC and re-commit yourself for the November swing to Wazzu and Nike U. If you don't have any rain gear, get it soon. And, please, buy red.''

I nodded, reaffirming my intentions as the driver slowly braked to a stop.

He dispensed a membership card to the Mike Stoops Bandwagon and instructed me to read it. It said:

"If, at any time, Arizona is overwhelmed by UCLA or the Cal Bears, you must not cover your eyes and shout 'here we go again.' As a charter member of the Mike Stoops Bandwagon, you henceforth agree to memorize the Pac-10 bowl arrangements listed on page 121 of the UA's 2008 football media guide. Within 24 hours of the time Arizona clinches a bowl berth, you must book travel to the appropriate city. No refunds. This bandwagon is not for sissies."

The driver gave me a steely look. "This is your last chance to get off,'' he said.

"Burn some rubber,'' I instructed, buckling my seat belt. "This is going to be a journey to the Emerald City, or at least the Emerald Bowl. Two days after Christmas in San Francisco. Arizona vs. Wake Forest. Book it.''

As the MSB drove through Southern Arizona in search of more passengers, Livengood shared with me his vision for UA football '08 and beyond.

"We are going to have a major announcement in September, probably 24 hours after we are 3-0 and the return flight from New Mexico has just touched down,'' he said. "We are going to announce plans to build a state-of-the-art football facility in the north end of Arizona Stadium. It will be comparable to what Oregon and Oregon State built when those programs began to win.''

I told Livengood that I was way ahead of him. The Wildcats will outscore UCLA 41-38 at the Rose Bowl on Sept. 20. They will be 4-0. Every ticket to the Washington game on Oct. 4 will be sold by Tuesday of game week.

Willie Tuitama, Money Mike Thomas and Rob Gronkowski will put 40 on the scoreboard against the Huskies. Arizona will be 5-0. No one will remember it beat Idaho and Toledo. The UA will climb into the Top 25 for the first time since 2000 and the MSB will be so crowded that not another soul can comfortably fit inside.

I asked Livengood about expansion of Arizona Stadium.

"I'm way ahead of you this time,'' he crowed. "Part of our announcement in September will be the preliminary study of enclosing the stadium's north end. We're thinking 65,000. Maybe 68,000. Hey, we've been drawing 55,000 for losing football. This place is going to evolve like Cal and Oregon State. As if overnight, the ticket demand will exceed the supply.''

I informed Livengood that Stoops' training camp-opening press conference Sunday was unlike any of his four previous day-before-camp sessions.

Stoops said "this is the best team we've had when we talk about the total team: offense, defense and special teams.'' Stoops said this is his best and most capable coaching staff. Hey, what's not to like about Sonny Dykes? Stoops said "everything sets up very positively as we get started.''

Sure, there's Idaho and Toledo. That solves a lot of momentum issues. Arizona might score 50 against both.

It's like Tuitama said on Sunday. "I love the expectations. We know what to do and how to do it. Now we just have to go out there and do it. You don't want to have 10 guys coming back (on offense) and do nothing.''

No, Willie, "nothing'' is not possible. It is Aug. 4 and everything is possible for Arizona football.

With the exception of USC, the Pac-10 is inviting for a team on the brink. The Ducks and Sun Devils expect to be good, but both are flawed and beatable. Cal has the look of a club that won't be able to go from good to very good.

True, Arizona doesn't have a defensive player you'd recognize if he walked into your living room. There isn't a Rob Waldrop or a Marcus Bell on the roster.

But in 2008, Arizona will be able to score and it will be able to punt and kick with anybody. The Cats don't have to go 10-2 or even 8-4. They don't have to finish first or second; sixth will be good enough.

The Emerald Bowl Express is rolling. All aboard.