It’s tough saying goodbye to a legend like Dick Tomey, but as we remember the infamous Arizona Football coach, we recap his Top 5 wins in Tucson!
It’s been a tough day so far in the Southwest, as news has been breaking regarding the passing of former legendary Wildcat coach Dick Tomey.
As we should all be familiar with by now, it’s that Tomey had been battling an aggressive form of lung cancer the past few months, and on Friday evening, his battle was over, as Tomey passed away surrounded by his loving family.
Arizona Wildcats
While we mourn the loss of one of the Wildcat greats, we can’t help but think of the many, amazing moments he and we (as fans) shared, in his time spent in Tucson.
A legend at Hawaii and Arizona, his 14 seasons here in Tucson, will forever be remembered by his grit and overall passion for the game.
The winningest coach in school history, Tomey won 95 games while in Tucson, putting together some truly amazing seasons at Arizona.
We’ve all been there through the highs of beating Miami in the 1994 Fiesta Bowl, the 1998 Holiday Bowl victory over Nebraska, the thrashings over rival ASU, and the upsets of USC, Washington or Oklahoma.
However, we’ve also been through some terrible lows as well. Even with the 95-64-4 record, he still was never able to get Arizona to the mecca, a Rose Bowl Berth.
We even had the heartbreak of parting ways with Tomey following the 2000 season, in which the Wildcats went 5-6, capped by a 30-17 loss to rival ASU in Tucson. That parting essentially led to a football ineptitude that lasted nearly a decade.
Regardless of all that, what better way to remember the former Wildcat coach, by highlighting some of his best wins in Tucson! (*Note these are just my Top 5 wins).
No. 5 – Arizona beats No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners in Tucson!
After losing to the Barry Switzer-led Sooners the season before in Norman, OK, Oklahoma came to Tucson the following year to take on the Wildcats.
In front of 50,000+, the game was a slug-fest all throughout, as neither team really seemed to get much of an advantage over the other.
Much-like many games we grew accustomed to under the Tomey era, the Wildcats stiffled the Sooners on defense, holding Oklahoma to just three points for the game.
Tied 3-3 with just seconds left, junior college transfer kicker Doug Pfaff would line up for a 40-yard field goal for the Cats, sending one through the uprights, delivering the 6-3 upset of Oklahoma in Tucson!
This was the last time these teams have met!
No. 4 – Arizona shuts out No. 10 Miami in 1994 Fiesta Bowl
This was the height of the ‘Desert Swarm’ era. A season in which the Wildcats went 10-2, had a share of the regular season conference title, and held their opponents to 161 points combined (13.42 points per game), Arizona came within a breath of making their first ever Rose Bowl appearance this year.
Instead, the Wildcats would have to settle for the 1994 Fiesta Bowl, traveling all the way to Tempe, AZ to take on then No. 10 ranked Miami.
Arguably one of the most memorable games for the Wildcats under Tomey, Arizona came out like gang busters, holding the Hurricanes to just 182 total yards of offense en route to the 29-0 win!
The mullet-wearing, opposing quarterback sacking Tedy Bruschi was a big part of Arizona’s success that year!
Relive that amazing game by watching this condensed version!
No. 3 – Arizona upsets rival, No. 12 ASU in 1997 season finale
In Tempe, AZ, ASU was 8-2 entering this rivalry game, and No. 12 in the country. The Sun Devils had throttled Arizona the season before, en route to a Rose Bowl appearance.
Things were looking good for ASU to possibly win this one, and get to the Fiesta Bowl, that is until Arizona had other plans for the Sun Devils.
The Wildcats came into this game 5-5, looking to become bowl eligible. Led by quarterbacks Keith Smith and Ortege Jenkins, Arizona pretty much dominated from start to finish, en route to the 28-16 upset.
The victory effectively knocked ASU out of the Fiesta Bowl, and certainly avenged the loss from the year before.
Arizona would go on to play in the Insight.com Bowl hosted in Tucson, AZ, where the Wildcats would knock off rival New Mexico by a 20-14 final to finish the year 7-5.
No. 2 – The ‘Leap by the Lake’
Arguably the most famous Arizona Football game and play of all-time, this is certainly one of my favorite Arizona wins.
Winless for the last decade in Seattle, this was one wild win in the memorable 1998 season!
The Wildcats were battling the then No. 20 ranked Washington Huskies in Seattle, and with the time dwindling and Arizona still trailing, things were not looking good for the Wildcats.
Trailing 28-24 with just 12 seconds left, it was essentially do-or-die for the Cats. Quarterback Ortege Jenkins lined up under center on a 2nd & Goal play from the Washington 10.
Taking the snap and dropping back to about the 20, Jenkins would quickly scan the field, before ultimately tucking the ball and running through the center of the defense untouched.
Jenkins would then be met by his opposition, diving from the Husky four-yard line, flipping end over end before gracefully falling into the Washington endzone to deliver the win for the Cats!
Arizona would convert on the extra point to make it 31-28, successfully completing the comeback and winning in dramatic fashion! This play and game easily goes down as one of Arizona’s best ever!
Here’s the moment for anyone who was too young or weren’t around when this happened!
No. 1 – Arizona Football upsets No. 1 Washington in Tucson
Easily the best win under head coach Tomey in my opinion!
It’s not often Arizona has had the chance to knock of the No. 1 team in the country, but in 1992, they did it!
Officially starting the beginning of the ‘Desert Swarm’ era, the Washington Huskies came to Tucson on a day I’m sure they’d like to forget.
Coming off a season in which the Huskies went a perfect 12-0 and won the Pac-10 and Rose Bowl the year before, the Huskies were once again riding high coming into this game against Arizona.
Washington was a perfect 8-0, they were winners of 22-straight, and hadn’t lost since Nov. 10, 1990. The Wildcats were just 5-2-1, hoping for the upset!
Largely led by a stout defensive group of Bruschi, Rob Waldrop, Tony Bouie, Sean Harris (father to current UA football player Jalen Harris) and Keshon Johnson, the Wildcats held a potent UW offense just three points that day.
Arizona would go onto win by a 16-3 final, officially kicking off the ‘Desert Swarm’ era and giving the Wildcats a win over a No. 1 team for the first time in eleven years, when Arizona shocked then No. 1 USC at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Check out the highlights from that amazing upset!
Anyways, this is just my list! What do you think? Any that we missed that you felt were better? As always, Bear Down, Arizona!