In the 50 days leading up to Arizona’s season-opener against Toledo, on Sept. 1 at Arizona Stadium, TucsonCitizen.com and its affiliate WildAboutAZCats.net will rank the Top 50 games in the history of the football program. The ranking is at No. 48 as the kickoff to the Wildcats’ season — and the start of the Rich Rodriguez era — is only 48 days away.

SCORE: Arizona Wildcats 31, Arizona State Sun Devils 27

DATE: Nov. 19, 2011

SITE: Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, attendance 72,694

WHY IT MADE THE LIST: Other than believing it is cool for the most recent win over Arizona State to follow the first in program history over the Tempe school, this game merits a ranking because of how the Wildcats won despite the odds. ASU was 6-4 under veteran coach Dennis Erickson and playing at home against a 2-8 Arizona team playing under interim coach Tim Kish, who replaced Mike Stoops after Stoops was fired following Arizona’s 1-5 start. Arizona, coming off a 48-29 loss to Pac-12 South cellar dweller Colorado, had appeared to be on its last legs in the fourth quarter, trailing ASU by 10 points. The Cats had lost 13 of their past 14 games against FBS competition. They were 10-point underdogs. They had not won a game all season as an underdog.

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Javier Morales took first place in the 2010 Arizona Press Club’s Metro Sports Reporting category. For a different look at University of Arizona sports, check out Javier’s unique Web site: WILDABOUTAZCATS.net

Former UA quarterback Nick Foles likely received Monday a signing bonus worth more than $500,000 with the Eagles (US Presswire photo/Howard Smith)

In the NFL, especially when a prospect is drafted in the third round, nothing is guaranteed.

News broke Monday that the Philadelphia Eagles agreed to terms with former Arizona quarterback Nick Foles, a third-round selection in the 2012 NFL Draft, on a four-year deal. It is one more step for Foles toward an NFL career, but he still must beat Mike Kafka and Trent Edwards for one of the two backup positions behind starter Michael Vick.

Foles, the highest drafted Arizona quarterback since 1962 (Eddie Wilson), likely signed a contract close to $2.1 million (the league’s base minimum for a third-round draft choice). The Eagles did not disclose the terms with Foles, the 88th pick overall.

The average signing bonus for a third-round selection in past years has been about $550,000.

Foles finished his collegiate career as the Wildcats’ all-time leading passer in yards (10,011), touchdowns (67), attempts (1,369) and completions (933). Foles also shattered Wildcat single-season records in attempts (560), completions (387) and yards (4,334) while adding 28 touchdowns as a senior in 2011. He was named the team’s Offensive co-MVP as a junior in 2010, throwing for 3,191 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Javier Morales took first place in the 2010 Arizona Press Club’s Metro Sports Reporting category. For a different look at University of Arizona sports, check out Javier’s unique Web site: WILDABOUTAZCATS.net

Former Arizona quarterback John Conner is now a successful health-insurance broker in Sacramento, Calif. (Conner family photo)

For 27 years, John Conner was the answer to a dubious trivia question pertaining to Arizona football: Who was the last Wildcat quarterback to be drafted by an NFL team?

Conner no longer is the answer of being the last UA quarterback drafted in the NFL — an almost three-decade drought — after this year’s draft. Former Wildcat quarterback Nick Foles was drafted Friday in the third round by Philadelphia, the 88th pick overall. Conner was the previous UA quarterback taken in the 1985 draft by Seattle in the 10th round.

“(I am) pretty surprised and it’s pretty funny actually,” Conner told me. “For a Pac-10 team to go so long without a quarterback drafted does not look very good, especially in a quarterback-centric league.”

The Pac-10, converted to the Pac-12 last year when Utah and Colorado joined the league, had 82 quarterbacks drafted in the last 25 years, including 18 from USC, according to Arizona Daily Star columnist Greg Hansen.

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