If Arizona’s football season were a credit card commercial, the fact that the Wildcats are 8-4, going to the Holiday Bowl and ranked No. 20 in the final BCS standings would be “priceless.”

For coach Mike Stoops, the on-field performance in the past two weeks does have a specific value, though.

Those two close road wins over ASU and USC were worth $80,000 in bonuses.

Here’s how it works:

Arizona was 6-4 going into those games. Beating the Sun Devils to get to seven victories in a 12-game season was worth a $40,000 bonus. Beating USC and achieving an eight-win season pushed the victory bonus to $50,000.

Those victories allowed the Wildcats to rise to No. 20 in the final BCS standings released Sunday. Stoops receives a $30,000 bonus if the team finishes anywhere from No. 16 to No. 25 in the final BCS standings.

“Beating USC was huge,” Stoops said in a conference call with reporters Sunday night.

He was, of course, talking about what it meant to the program. The 21-17 victory further elevated the program and gave Stoops his highest point in six seasons at Arizona. It gave the Wildcats a national-interest game against Nebraska in the Holiday. It sure can’t hurt in recruiting.

And the extra cash ain’t bad, either.

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