Nick Foles and the Cats are hoping for Immunity.
Photo by Rick Osentoski/US Presswire

A blowout victory on national TV, a bunch of positive press, and a shiny new top-25 ranking. It’s been a good week for the Arizona Wildcats. But how do they stack up against the rest of the Pac-10?

We’re going to do something different this year. With so many Pac teams arguing they can make a run at the conference crown we’re going to narrow down the list of contenders each week Survivor-style. Sometimes it’ll be a mathematical elimination and sometimes it’ll just be common sense saying a team is done.

I will also attempt to put the remaining contenders in order. This won’t be a power ranking that looks at what each team has accomplished. It’s going to be a forward-looking guess at the teams with the best chance of making it to Pasadena when you consider record, remaining schedule and, yes, talent.

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Mana Mikaele proudly displays the Cats’ new win total.
Photo by Rick Osentoski/US Presswire

Pile on the optimism, Wildcat fans.

The potential for greatness is there.

Yes, it was only Toledo. The same Toledo team a five-loss Arizona squad scored an identical 41 points against in 2008. But a game like this can only produce two types of feelings. Either…

Does that mean it’s a really good sign when our easy game actually is easy? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

…or…

We’re way beyond wake-up calls. Either you wake up, or you’re dead. After every single one of these bad losses we thought the lesson was learned. Yet here we are again. They only let you re-take a test so many times. After a while you just flunk out.

The first quote was after the 2008 Idaho game. The second is after the New Mexico game two weeks later. “Wait and see” is a great place to be.

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The Quizz hopes to run away from the Frogzz.
Photo by David Wallace/The Arizona Republic

Breathe it in. You smell that?

It’s game day.

The fortunate fans in the world of Wildcats have already made plans to get off work early and watch the late afternoon game. Everyone else will be scrambling to listen to the radio, sneak a peek at ESPN3.com, or fake a sudden illness.

Do what you gotta do! Opening day only comes once a year.

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