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Wildcats' disdain of Ducks is growing

By Ryan Finley

Arizona Daily Star

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 11.12.2007

No school gets UA football fans as angry — or acting as ugly — as Arizona State. The Sun Devils have been irritating Tucsonans since 1899, when Arizona State defeated the UA 11-2 in the teams' first-ever rivalry game. The Devils' win was marred by allegations that they used ringers to give them some extra zip. Seriously.

OK, so Arizona State is untouchable when it comes to rivals.

But ask anyone around the UA football offices, and they will say Oregon is a close second — and gaining. The Wildcats and Ducks will renew their rivalry on Thursday night in front of a national television audience.

The Wildcats and Ducks have battled on the field, in recruits' living rooms and in the media since UA coach Mike Stoops took over before the 2004 season. Nowhere is the rivalry more apparent than in recruiting. Arizona and Oregon often fight for the same high school players, and some of them switch sides at the last minute.

A year ago, the Wildcats lost two players who had made verbal commitments — linebacker Terrance Pritchett and defensive end Will Tukuafu — to the Ducks. When Chandler Hamilton wide receiver Gerell Robinson decommitted from Arizona earlier this fall, he booked a recruiting trip to Oregon.

Arizona has won some players of its own.

Defensive back Devin Ross chose Arizona, and stuck with his decision, two years ago; a handful of other players have also turned down the Ducks in favor of the Wildcats.

Arizona is slowly getting its revenge on the field, too.

The Wildcats defeated Oregon 37-10 last season for their first win in Eugene since 1986. Stoops said the victory was arguably the most gratifying of his career, in part because of the recruiting feud between the programs.

The rivalry between Arizona and Oregon dates back 70 years. Here are some of the highlights:

Memorable moments in Arizona-Oregon history:

1937: Host Arizona defeats Oregon 20-6 in the teams' first meeting.

1963: Oregon defeats host Arizona 28-12 in the Wildcats' first televised game. CBS broadcast the game.

1978: UA quarterback Jim Krohn throws exactly one pass in the Cats' 24-3 win over the Ducks in Eugene.

1985: Arizona locks up a Sun Bowl appearance with a 20-8 victory in Tucson.

1990: Cornerback Darryll Lewis stops UO quarterback Bill Musgrave on the 1-yard line on the final play of the game as Arizona wins 22-17 in Tucson.

1993: Arizona does not complete a pass in a 31-10 win in Tucson. The reason: Running back Chuck Levy is playing quarterback.

1998: The UA bounces Oregon and Heisman Trophy candidate Akili Smith 38-3 in Tucson on the way to the Wildcats' best season in school history.

1999: Freshman quarterback Joey Harrington replaces A.J. Feeley in the second half and leads the Ducks to a 44-41 win in Tucson.

2001: The Ducks roll up 63 points — the most ever scored against Arizona in a conference game — on the way to a blowout victory in Tucson.

2005: Arizona's Copeland Bryan sacks UO's Kellen Clemens, breaking Clemens' leg and ending his senior season. The Ducks hold on to win 28-21 in Tucson.

2006: Tailback Chris Henry rushes for 191 yards as the Wildcats win 37-10 in Eugene and become bowl eligible for the first time since 1998.

By the numbers:

13-19: Arizona's all-time record against Oregon

2-8: Arizona's record against Oregon since 1997

63: Points scored by Oregon against the UA in 2001, the most ever by a Pac-10 opponent against the Wildcats

Arizona vs. Oregon, since 1997:

1997: Oregon 16, Arizona 9

1998: Arizona 38, Oregon 3

1999: Oregon 44, Arizona 41

2000: Oregon 14, Arizona 10

2001: Oregon 63, Arizona 28

2002: Oregon 31, Arizona 14