Arizona Football Not favored to win the South, but fans enjoy Underdog results

Not being ranked has not held an Arizona Football team or any other Arizona team from winning?

With the start of the 2016 Arizona Football season less than two months away, prognosticators don’t look highly on the Wildcats’ chances to win either the South Division or overall Pac-12 title.  However, fans will happily take those odds knowing several times under similar circumstances Arizona has come out on top.

The best known Wildcat team to rise from the ashes is the 1997 Arizona Basketball team, who went from mediocre to National Champions by the end of the season. They were picked to finish fourth in the Pac-10, and ended conference play in fifth place with a No. 4 seed in the Southeast Regional.

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There was no pressure and it seems that was the best case scenario; the Wildcats were loose, cohesive, and smart on the court. Fans remember they plowed through a record three No. 1 seeds on the way to the title, reminding the country if you want to be the best you have to beat the best.

Kansas was the favorite to win the national title and the Jayhawks were the first No. 1 in Arizona’s path. Awaiting in Indianapolis at the Final Four were the North Carolina Tar Heels, well-coached by Dean Smith. After sending the Tar Heels home, Arizona went to overtime in the title game. They knocked out the final No. 1 seed, Kentucky, and the final scene of Lute Olson’s hair being messed up by Bennett Davison is etched in our minds.

The thinking is the 1997 team was a year early to the party, with no seniors in the starting lineup and a freshman at point guard, Mike Bibby. Coach Lute Olson once said there are more ingredients needed than just talent to make a run at a title. A little luck, no key injuries, and no illnesses during the tournament are necessities.

This summer we were reminded of the 2012 Arizona Wildcat National Championship Baseball team. That year, Arizona entered the season in middle of the polls.  The offense was solid, but the pitching was questionable.

Kurt Heyer was set to be the Friday starter, but days two and three were up in the air. In addition, the bullpen had been inconsistent for years. In their first year at Hi Corbett, the Wildcats finished tied with UCLA for first place in the Pac-12. The pitching had been inconsistent, ranked seventh in the conference, but the offense was first with a .329 ERA.

Florida, Stanford, and defending national champs South Carolina were the favorites to win the College World Series in 2012.

But like the 1997 basketball team, the Wildcats got hot in the post-season and never lost a game, earning the moniker #WildcatsOwnOmaha. And like 1997, they beat the best to be the best, winning two games against South Carolina, denying the Gamecocks a 3-peat.

This years Arizona Baseball team came extremely close to lifting this same trophy, a team picked to finish 9th in the Pac-12. Instead they finished 3rd in the conference and went on the road for the regionals and super regionals, finally earning a trip to Omaha. The Wildcats came up one run short in the 9th inning, but finishing No. 2 in the nation is a ranking every other team except for one would like.

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Circling back to this year’s dismal football prediction, let’s not forget the Arizona Wildcats were the 2014 Pac-12 South Champions. They were picked to finish fourth, but won the division with a 7-2 record.  One fourth quarter in September of that year set the tone for the rest of the fall.

Opening the season with a “white-out” against California, the team fell far behind.  Most fans left Arizona Stadium, but with five minutes left in the game, the ‘Cats mounted a furious comeback and pulled out the victory 49-45.  A good Jeopardy answer would be “The football team who won in regulation without ever leading with time on the clock.”

The next weekend, Arizona traveled to Autzen Stadium to take on the mighty Oregon Ducks, who rarely lose at home. The Wildcats didn’t flinch, staying either right with or just ahead of the Ducks the entire game. They got the win and those two early season games set the tone for the surprising run to the Pac-12 South title.

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So let’s show the Pac-12 #OurHouse, fill University of Phoenix Stadium on September 3rd, and continue the support in Arizona Stadium the rest of the year. If this year’s Arizona Wildcats defy the odds, we will be happy to have witnessed another unscheduled championship.

BearDown Arizona Football and we will see you soon!