Arizona Wildcats football coach Mike Stoops has outlasted Dirk Koetter and Karl Dorrell, two Stanford coaches, two Washington coaches, and he hasn’t brought the program any NCAA sanctions, as the regime of Pete Carroll did at USC.

Inheriting a team that had won four Pac-10 games in three seasons, Stoops won two conference contests in his first season of 2004. And then two more in 2005.

It’s been a steady climb — to four wins, and then four wins, and then five wins and, last season, six conference victories and a tie for second place.

Overall, he’s 23-29 in league play, but I was curious as to how it all breaks down.

So, I compiled all the main game stats from 52 conference games, threw them into an Excel sheet … and then waited to see what hit me.

Despite starting at the back of the pack, Stoops has nearly reached par in terms of points: His teams have scored 1,304 points and allowed 1,308.

Arizona has gained 17,592 yards and allowed 18,946.

Stoops has played seven of the league teams every year, missing Stanford in 2004 and Washington State in 2005 before the Pac-10 went to a full round-robin schedule.

Throwing out the obvious high (USC) and low (Washington State) opponents …

Stoops has owned … UCLA.

He is 4-2 against the Bruins, including the stunning 52-14 victory in 2005. UCLA entered the game 8-0 and ranked seventh in the nation, but Arizona rolled to 519 yards in Willie Tuitama‘s second career start.

In six games against UCLA, Stoops’ defense is allowing only 277.2 yards per game and has held the Bruins under 300 yards in four consecutive games.

Stoops has been owned by … Washington.

Whether it was a fluke interception returned for a late touchdown (2009) or giving up an end-of-the-half 69-yard touchdown pass (2005), Arizona can’t just sleep against the Huskies.

Washington has won a total of 10 conference games in the past six seasons — three victories coming against Stoops. So, the Huskies are .500 against Arizona in that span … and .179 against the rest of the league.

Trivia time
1. Which is the only Pac-10 team to NOT throw for 300 yards in a game against Stoops?

2. Which are the two teams that Arizona has failed to throw for 300 yards against under Stoops?

3. Which is the only program that Stoops has held to 20 points or less in four consecutive years?

(answers at the end of story)

Some other high and low points of Stoops’ Pac-10 years:

–Most yards: 567, vs. Washington State, 2007

–Most yards allowed: 724, vs. USC, 2005 (a victory which the Trojans must vacate because of NCAA sanctions involving Reggie Bush).

–Most rushing yards: 317, vs. Washington State, 2005

–Most rushing yards allowed: 337, vs. USC, 2005

–Most passing yards: 510, vs. Washington, 2007

–Most passing yards allowed: 436, vs. Oregon State, 2005. (Matt Moore was 32 of 43 for 436 yards, although all that was undone by six interceptions as UA won 29-27.)

–Record in games decided by seven points or less: 9-13

–Record in one-point games: 0-3

–If not for Gilbert Harris’ fumble with 1:19 left against Washington State in the 2004 game, Stoops would be 5-0 against the Cougars. The fumble, which occurred as the Cats were trying to run out the clock (and not taking a knee) led to a touchdown and 20-19 win for WSU.

–Arizona went three consecutive games in 2006 with negative rushing yards, against USC, Washington and UCLA. In the next game, the Wildcats held Stanford to minus-6 yards on the ground.

–ASU has gained 310 more yards in the past six years, but Arizona has scored 11 more points.

–Stoops is 2-3 against Stanford, with the losses coming by a combined six points.

–Stoops has outscored Stanford and Oregon but has losing records against both teams.

Trivia answers
1. UCLA (The Bruins’ high was 243 in 2005).

2. Arizona State and USC.

3. USC (2006-2009).

Stoops vs. the Pac-10

Opponent	Record	Points	Opp. Pts.	Yards	Opp. Yds	Rush Yds	Opp. Rush	Pass Yds	Opp. Pass
Arizona St.	3-3	136	125	1,711	2,021	612	649	1,248	1,462
California	2-4	109	182	1,721	2,349	456	964	1,265	1,385
Oregon	2-4	192	189	2,330	2,571	934	1,005	1,396	1,566
Oregon State	2-4	123	154	1,814	2,444	449	887	1,365	1,557
Stanford	2-3	122	110	1,822	1,546	675	584	1,147	962
UCLA	4-2	168	128	2,350	1,663	1,088	587	1,342	1,074
USC	1-5	77	165	1,418	2,615	342	1,190	1,076	1,425
Washington	3-3	176	163	2,319	2,306	525	1,002	1,797	1,304
Washington St.	4-1	201	92	2,107	1,431	1,028	297	1,079	1,134

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