Arizona's Ka'Deem Carey is brought down by the linebacker Cort Dennison in the first quarter. Photo by Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE
Arizona loses 42-31 in a wild game. The Wildcats, who fall to 2-6 overall, needed this one to be able to think of the postseason. A four-game winning streak to end the season is a bit much to ask.
It was a familiar story on defense.
The Wildcats have given up huge games to running backs all season (such as LaMichael James rushing for an Oregon record 288 yards), and the Cats failed to slow Washington’s Chris Polk.
Polk rushed for 144 yards, had 100 yards receiving and scored five times, including once on a reception.
* * *
Nick Foles intercepted again in the final minute. That won’t help the passing efficiceny rating.
* * *
That should do it. Washington sophomore safety Sean Parker jumps all over a sideline pass and picks off Nick Foles at the 20-yard line with about 2 minutes to play.
* * *
The Huskies convert the turnover into more points as Chris Polk scores his fifth touchdown of the game, this time on a 2-yard run with 3:59 to go. He has 131 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving.
Washington leads 42-31.
* * *
Potential killer for Arizona. WR Juron Criner fumbles after making a short catch, with the Huskies recovering and taking over at midfield with 7:14 left. Momentum all on Washington’s side now.
* * *
Washington gets a 48-yard pass play from Keith Price to Kasen Williams, who beats coverage from Cortez Johnson, bounces off Mark Watley and drags Tramaybe Bondurant for extra yardage.
More bad tackling comes on second-and-20, when Bondurant didn’t wrap up Kevin Smith, who goes 26 yards and sets up a 6-yard run from Chris Polk on the next play.
Polk has scored four TDs tonight.
Washington leads 35-31 with 8:21 to play.
* * *
Arizona gets its third interception of the game, this one coming from Trevin Wade at the UA 29 on third-and-8, as WR James Johnson slips.
The Cats earlier benefited from two tips for interceptions. Those kind of bounces did not go Arizona’s way earlier in the season.
* * *
Arizona thanks Jermaine Kearse for not catching that potential touchdown pass.
* * *
Nick Foles throws too high to Juron Criner in the back of the end zone on third-and-goal from the 6, but it sure is nice to not have to worry too much about the field goal attempt.
John Bonano is good from 24 yards — he is 3 of 3 tonight and 5 of 5 in the past two weeks — and the Cats retake the lead 31-28 with 14:10 to play.
* * *
After the Arizona defense came up with a much-needed stop, the Cats offense picked up where it left off on the last drive. UA is on the move, at the Washington 6-yard line, as the third quarter ends.
The current drive was fueled by a 41-yard catch-and-run from Ka’Deem Carey, who continues to shed and shred tackles.
* * *
The shootout is on. Arizona punches pack with a 65-yard drive, capped by a 9-yard pass from Nick Foles to Juron Criner. It’s tied at 28 with 3:41 to play.
* * *
Arizona picks up an extra 15 yards after a 16-yard completion to Dan Buckner when Nate Fellner is called for “targeting.” Looked like a perfectly fine legal hit.
* * *
Just as many running backs against Arizona this season, Washington’s Chris Polk is carving up the Wildcats’ defense, scoring on a 1-yard run to give the Huskies a 28-21 lead with 5:34 to go in the third quarter.
He has rushed for 89 yards and also has 100 yards in receptions.
The Cats defense appears to be on fumes.
* * *
Never thought you would be so nervous when you saw Tramayne Bondurant injured? Shoot, most UA fans had never heard of him a couple of weeks ago.
Bondurant, who has been a revelation in the past two weeks, looked as if he hurt his leg while making a tackle with 6:37 to play in the third quarter, but he is able to walk off the field.
* * *
Gut reaction: Robert Golden’s 91-yard interception return for a touchdown is Arizona’s second-best play ever in Husky Stadium (Ortege Jenkins’ Leap by the Lake) and the second-best INT return in school history (Chuck Cecil vs. ASU).
Golden picks up the ball after it is tipped by James Johnson and then, by my count, avoids eight tackles as his crisscrosses the field and manages to churn into the end zone despite running out of gas at about the UW 40.
Amazing play.
And the Cats top it off with a two-point conversion pass to tie the game at 21 with 10:40 to go in the third quarter.
* * *
A smart drive for Arizona ends in an interception by Nick Foles, in what looks to be a mix-up with WR David Roberts. Washington takes over its 32.
* * *
Washington comes out hot in the second half — aided by the pass interference on Cortez Johnson — and scores on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Keith Price to Chris Polk.
The Huskies, who trailed 10-0 in the first quarter, lead 21-13.
* * *
Yep, Cortez Johnson still in the game at cornerback to start the second half. … Oops, pass interference on Johnson on a deep pass that was intercepted by Robert Golden.
* * *
Washington QB Keith Price is only 6 of 13 for 83 yards, with an interception, in the first half. The secondary didn’t miss a beat without suspended CB Shaquille Richardson and suspended nickel back Jourdon Grandon.
Backup safety Mark Watley and cornerback Lyle Brown are eligible to return from their suspensions after halftime. Will Brown come in for Cortez Johnson? The true freshman is playing well, so why make a change now?
And nickel back Tramayne Bondurant is making too many plays to come out of the lineup for anybody right now.
* * *
Stanford wins 56-48 when USC fumbles the ball into the end zone at the end of the third overtime, and the Cardinal recovers.
* * *
Halftime: Washington leads 14-13. (Meanwhile, USC and Stanford in triple-OT!)
* * *
Arizona defense has hung in nicely in the first half, and an interception by Marquis Flowers after a tipped pass sets up the Cats at the Huskies 46. The offense can’t convert that into points, however.
* * *
Senior QB Nick Foles, with a 10-yard completion to Juron Criner in the second quarter, sets the school record for career pass completions with 787. The previous record was set by Willie Tuitama from 2005 to 2008.
* * *
Crazy flurry. Washington on third-and-goal from inside the 1 is flagged for a false start. On third down, Robert Golden is flagged for interference, even though it appeared LB Derek Earls might have tipped the ball with his helmet as he hit QB Keith Price, which would have negated the interference.
Arizona nearly comes up with a stand after Washington then had first-and-goal from the 2 — Tramayne Bondurant (him again) spiked a second-down pass from Price. But on fourth down from the 1, Chris Polk finds ample running room around the right end for the score and a 14-13 lead with 6:16 to play in the half.
* * *
Chris Polk (apparently) squeezes into the end zone for a 4-yard run with 7:56 to go before halftime. But there is another replay review, and Polk is ruled down inside the 1. Trying it again on third down …
* * *
Tramayne Bondurant makes up ground and has good coverage but can’t stop the 34-yard receiver pass from Devin Aguilar to Chris Polk. After a review, the ruling on the field stands. Whatever.
Game officials are thinking this is opposite day.
* * *
John Bonano’s 47-yard field goal attempt is high and long … and good. He gives the Cats a 13-7 lead with 9:51 to play in the second quarter. (Elsewhere, USC and Stanford going to OT!)
* * *
Nick Foles shows off his strength with a fall-away jump pass to get the ball to RB Ka’Deem Carey, who shows off his strength by breaking tackles for a 22-yard game. Carey fights for yardage as well as any freshman back I can recall at Arizona.
* * *
Washington finishes its drive with a touchdown from Jermaine Kearse to cut the lead to 10-7 with 12:51 to go before halftime. (Meanwhile, Stanford ties USC at 34 with 38 seconds left.)
* * *
On the other hand, how is that not a penalty for hands to the face of Arizona CB Cortez Johnson?
* * *
I think Arizona got a break on that ruling of incompletion on a 31-yard pass to Michael Hartvigson to the Arizona 1. Replay confirms. Didn’t complete the process of the catch? OK …
* * *
I admit. I’m channel-flipping to the USC-Stanford game. Fantastic finish coming up?
* * *
The first quarter ends with Arizona up 10-0, but Washington on the move. Overall, the Wildcats — as they did last week — are playing like a confident group and flying around more on defense.
* * *
Another huge play by nickel back Tramayne Bondurant, who attacks the quarterback off the edge on third down and knocks away the ball from QB Keith Price for an incompletion.
The Cats have forced two three-and-outs and can really cause some panic in Husky Stadium if they score again.
Arizona's Juron Criner jokes around in warm-ups, but he was all business in scoring a TD in the first quarter. Photo by Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE
* * *
Juron Criner spins out of a tackle on a quick pass to the left, and he sprints into the end zone for a 24-yard score to give Arizona a 10-0 lead with 6:29 to play in the first quarter.
This scripting the first dozen plays or so seems to be working.
* * *
True freshman CB Cortez Johnson makes his first career start in a suspension-depleted secondary. Another true freshman, DB Tramayne Bondurant, sacks Washington QB Keith Price on third-and-short.
Looking toward next year, the new head coach should love his secondary — with guys like Adam Hall and Jonathan McKnight (and Josh Robbins) returning from injuries, and Shaquille Richardson and Jourdon Grandon returning as experienced players, and more young talent in Johnson and Bondurant.
* * *
Quarterback Nick Foles worked with the coaches again this week to script plays at the beginning of the game, and the Wildcats took the opening kickoff (after winning the coin toss) and marched for a 36-yard field goal.
(Hey, this John Bonano kid might be pretty good.)
The Cats used a variety of formations on their opening drive, showing their four-wide spread, their full-house backfield and some two-back sets. The drive stalled, though, on third-and-2 when Arizona, in the I-formation with Foles under center, handed the ball to Keola Antolin for no gain.
But Arizona, for the second consecutive game, has a lead.
* * *
Check back here during the game for our in-game comments, analysis and other stuff. Have your say in the comments sections …
* * *
Washington has billed this game as a “blackout” as the Huskies will wear all-back uniforms for the third time in two season, and asking fans to wear black.
* * *
Arizona hasn’t allowed Washington to gain more than 290 yards in any of the past three meetings.
That little streak of stout defense definitely will be put to the test tonight in the Seattle, as Arizona’s suspension-plagued secondary takes on quarterback Keith Price, running back Chris Polk and a dangerous group of Husky pass-catchers.
Polk is ranked fifth nationally in rushing; he’s a physical back and Wildcats interim head coach Tim Kish says, “We haven’t really seen a back like him.”
Washington is 5-2 and can become bowl-eligible with a victory tonight. Arizona is 2-5 and, with a victory, can start thinking about becoming bowl eligible.
Recent history suggests a close game. Six of the past seven meetings in Seattle have been decided by a touchdown or less (the other game in that stretch was a 10-point win for Arizona in 2004. Washington is favored by about five points tonight.
Of course, the last game in Seattle featured this: