TUCSON, AZ – The streak is finally over as Arizona Football (1-8, 1-5) picks up their first win on the year with a 10-3 victory over Cal (3-6, 2-4).
It has been 763 days since Arizona Football last won a game, but finally, after two years, the streak is over as it is party time in Tucson!
It wasn’t necessarily a pretty one as the Wildcats turned the ball over three times, outgained Cal 331 yards to 122, and only scored 10 points, but a win is a win as the Cats came away with the 10-3 victory and move to 1-8 (1-5) on the season.
Coming in, the Golden Bears were missing a myriad of players with Cal quarterback Chase Garbers being the most notable player that was out for the Bears due to a Covid exposure.
However, both teams were ready to battle on an unseasonably warm, November day.
Things started off promising when Arizona would drive deep into Cal territory on their first offensive drive of the game, but on 3rd and goal, Will Plummer would throw an errant pass that was deflected and intercepted by Cal to give the Bears the ball back.
The rest of the first half would be a defensive slugfest as both teams exchanged possessions, ending the half in a 0-0 tie.
Things would get a little scary for Arizona too as Plummer would be seen leaving the field in the first half with an apparent shoulder injury. Luckily, he would later return and battled nagging injuries all game.
However, a gutsy second-half performance by Plummer and Arizona Football would give the Cats the win!
Entering the second-half tied 0-0, the third and much of the fourth quarters would be back and forth by both squads as neither squad could seemingly get an edge.
Arizona would get their first lead of the game with 5:46 to play in the third quarter when Tyler Loop would convert on a 29-yard field goal, capping a 10-play, 61-yard drive to make it 3-0!
However, Cal would respond with a field goal drive of their own on the ensuing possession to make it 3-3.
Tied 3-3 with 4:49 to play in the game, Arizona would finally find their magic, driving 55-yards on eight plays, capped by a Michael Wiley touchdown to make it 10-3 after the successfully converted extra point.
It was over when…
The defense stepped up on the final Cal possession of the game. All-day the Wildcats came up big, making huge defensive plays after another.
And for the first time in over two years, the Wildcats can celebrate the W!