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Cats go for three-peat vs. DucksUA can move up bowl ladder with win today
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 11.15.2008
EUGENE, Ore. — Autzen Stadium sits just north of the University of Oregon campus, a towering monument to the Ducks' football program.
As far as the Arizona Wildcats are concerned, it's just another building in Oregon's ever-growing empire.
The crowd noise? Nothing worse than the music that's been piped in to practices all year.
The weather? Brisk, like a winter afternoon in Tucson.
Oregon's uniforms? Just yards of all-black, moisture-wicking Nike fabric.
Arizona (6-3 overall, 4-2 Pac-10 Conference) has too much at stake today to get caught up in the peripherals. For the first time in a decade, the Wildcats have come to Eugene with something substantive to play for.
"We see the big picture," guard Joe Longacre said. "We still have a long ways to go. We want to go win every game. That was true when we were 3-8 and it's true now that we're … whatever we are."
Defeat Oregon today, and Arizona can secure a place in one of the Pac-10's upper-tier bowl games. Lose, and the UA cannot finish higher than the Ducks (7-3, 5-2) in the conference standings.
"There's a lot riding on it for everybody," UA wide receiver Mike Thomas said. "They're in front of us in the Pac. We've beaten them the last couple years, and so they're probably eager to come back at us. We can't forget that, and have to come back at them."
The UA stunned the Ducks 37-10 in Eugene two years ago, a game so lopsided that the Wildcats pulled quarterback Willie Tuitama in the second half for backup Adam Austin.
The Wildcats' 2007 win was cemented the second Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon tried to cut on the Arizona Stadium turf and crumbled to the ground, re-aggravating a knee injury. The home team went on a run, and won 34-24 on national television.
Oregon, ranked No. 2 at the time, saw its national championship hopes dissolve. The Ducks finished in the Sun Bowl.
"I remember then very clearly," Oregon defensive end Nick Reed said. "Two years ago, they beat the crap out of us and kind of started our downward slide. Those are two memorable losses, but that was a year ago … it doesn't weigh heavily on this year."
Except, of course, when it comes to motivation.
The Ducks undoubtedly will be bent on revenge today. Arizona can neutralize their home-field advantage by making game-changing plays.
Last year's game against Oregon was turned by two interceptions, one by Nate Ness and the other by Antoine Cason. Ness' pick kept the Ducks out of Arizona's end zone; Cason's snag was returned for an touchdown.
The Wildcats have a turnover margin of plus-10 in their six wins this season, forcing 15 takeaways while commiting five turnovers.
Arizona's ratio is an even 6:6 in its three losses.
"The guys that have been (to Autzen) know it's loud — blah, blah, blah — but basically the game is played between the white lines," UA coach Mike Stoops said. "I don't think last year's game has anything to do with this year's game. I don't think two years ago's game has anything to do with this year's game — except it means that you've done it, maybe."
Revenge, though, will be secondary to relevance.
The Wildcats already have secured their first bowl bid in a decade. How the UA finishes — it hosts Oregon State next week and Arizona State on Dec. 6 — will determine the location.
"That's the main thing," Tuitama said, "every game from now means so much."
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