Matt Scott did a lot of this against Stanford. Photo by Cary Edmondson-US PRESSWIRE

The Stanford defense, scorched all game by Arizona, makes a play in overtime and comes up with its first turnover of the day. On third-and-10 from the 13, Stanford defensive lineman Henry Anderson tips a pass at the line of scrimmage, with the ball soaring up and then down into the arms of linebacker Chase Thomas.

On Stanford’s second play of overtime, Stepfan Taylor goes through the middle and finds open field and paydirt for a 22-yard touchdown and a 54-48 victory.

Heartbreak for Arizona, which coughed up a 14-point lead and was one defensive stop away from winning the game in regulation.

The Cats fall to 3-3 overall, 0-3 in the Pac-12.

Matt Scott finished with a school-record 45 completions on a school-record 69 attempts, throwing for 491 yards and three touchdowns. None of the completions came in overtime, though, and he missed a key third-down throw late in the game with Arizona protecting a seven-point lead.

* * *

Stanford won the toss. Arizona to get the ball first in overtime. Hard to think that a field goal will cut it.

* * *

Rich Rodriguez doesn’t take a shot at the end of regulation, with the Cats starting at their 18 with about 40 seconds left. A couple of runs means that this is going to overtime. Rodriguez had been aggressive all game.

* * *

Arizona’s defense comes up one play short. Stanford, facing fourth-and-9 from 20, gets a 16-yard pass over the middle to tight end Zach Ertz. QB Josh Nunes completes a 14-play drive with a 4-yard option run, and the PAT is good for a 48-48 tie with 45 seconds left.

* * *

Key play: Stanford’s Josh Nunes scrambles for a 16-yard gain on third-and-7 from midfield. Less than 3 minutes left. Game on the line.

* * *

Uh-oh. Arizona goes three-and-out after the Stanford touchdown. Matt Scott fires too high to Tyler Slavin, incomplete, on third-and-10.

* * *

Arizona missed a chance to put this game in a headlock, as Stanford completed a 19-yard pass to (who else?) Levine Toilolo on fourth-and-2 from the UA 20. QB Josh Nunes takes it in on a keeper, cutting the lead to 48-41 with 6:34 to play.

* * *

Matt Scott now has single-game school records for attempts (63) and completions (43). He’s 26 yards away from the yardage mark of 510 held by Willie Tuitama (at Washington, Oct. 27. 2007).

* * *

The Wildcats take advantage of the turnover, converting a key third-and-6 on as Ka’Deem Carey takes a swing pass 24 yards to the Stanford. Matt Scott then makes good on another third-down chance, hitting Terrence Miller for a 9-yard score and a 48-34 lead with 9:13 to go.

* * *

There’s the turnover Arizona needed. It could be the one mistake the Cats needed to break serve in this back-and-forth game. Arizona strips the ball from Stanford WR Ty Montgomery, not known for his hands, and recovers at the Stanford 45.

* * *

Arizona still rolling. Matt Scott is throwing darts, in perfect rhythm, as he leads another touchdown drive, capped by an 8-yard touchdown run by Ka’Deem Carey. Scott kept the drive alive with a bullet over the middle to Austin Hill for a 25-yard gain to the Stanford 32 on third-and 16.

The Cats make the two-point conversion — a pass to Hill — for a 41-34 lead with 12:29 to go.

Last one with the ball wins?

* * *

No time to catch your breath. Stanford’s Kelsey Young goes around left end and sprints 55 yards for a touchdown as the lead goes back to the Cardinal with 28 seconds left before the fourth quarter. Arizona breaks up a two-point conversion pass as Jonathan McKnight bats down a pass intended for Levine Toilolo.

It’s 34-33 Stanford. The fourth quarter won’t be boring.

* * *

The Arizona offense still picking apart Stanford’s defense, going 75 yards for another touchdown, this one a 17-yard dart from Matt Scott to Austin Hill. With a 33-28 lead, Rich Rodriguez opts to try to two-point conversion for a seven-point edge, but the pass goes off the hands of Tyler Slavin.

Scott is at 404 yards with 1:11 to go in the third quarter.

* * *

Johnny Jackson down on the field, getting his right ankle looked at with 2:18 to play in the third quarter. He has 10 receptions today.

* * *

Arizona’s defense hanging in there but Stanford is countering with big pass plays down the field. That’s the play UA is basically daring the Cardinal to complete, wanting first to take away the run.

In the game of pick-your-poison, the Cats give up a 54-yard pass to Jamal-Rashad Patterson to the UA 7. Two plays later, Stepfan Taylor takes it in from 5 yards. The PAT gives Stanford a 28-27 lead with 2:28 to play.

* * *

Arizona was ready to go for it on fourth-and-1 at the Stanford 43, but RT Fabbians Ebbele was penalized for a false start. The Cats had a chance to go up by two scores but they have to punt back to Stanford instead.

* * *

Arizona holds serve, scoring again to retake the lead. This shootout stuff is fun. Matt Scott fires amid traffic to Austin Hill in the end zone for a 12-yard score to make it 27-21 UA with 8:20 left in the third quarter.

Big edge to the first defense that comes up with a turnover.

* * *

Stanford answers Arizona’s touchdown with one of its own to lead 21-20. For as much as the Cardinal is having trouble stopping the passing of Matt Scott, the Wildcats are having equal difficulty covering tight end Levine Toilolo. He had 22- and 42-yard receptions on that drive, which was capped by a 2-yard run from QB Josh Nunes.

Toilolo has four catches for 122 yards — 20 more than his previous career high.

* * *

Trainers attending to Jake Fischer with 12:13 to play in the third quarter. True freshman Dakota Conwell comes in for Fischer.

* * *

Ka’Deem Carey crashes in from 1 yard out as Arizona, with ease, marches 75 yards in less than two minutes on its opening drive of the second half. The Wildcats have scored on four consecutive possessions and lead 20-14.

Arizona’s tempo and play-calling has negated Stanford’s size and strength up front.

* * *

More record watch: UA mark for single-game completions is 42 (Willie Tuitama vs. Cal, 2007). Matt Scott with 26 at half.

* * *

Redshirt freshman walk-on Johnny Jackson, who entered the game with eight catches, has nine receptions for 67 yards.

* * *

Arizona gets to first-and-goal from the 10 in the final minute of the first half, but three incomplete passes (and a false start) means the Cats have to go for a 33-yard field goal. John Bonano makes it to cut the lead to 14-13 with 16 seconds left in the half.

And that’s the way the first half ends.

The Cats have done what they needed to do — hang around. Stanford is having trouble with the Arizona passing game, which is nibbling its way down field. Matt Scott attempted 41 passes in the first half, completing 26 for 216 yards.

The UA single-game record for passes is 61, set by Willie Tuitama at California on Sept. 22, 2007. That’s not going to last much longer.

* * *

Stanford retakes the lead as 6-foot-8 tight end Levine Toilolo asserts himself on the latest drive. He beats OLB Hank Hobson (playing a lot in place of Sir Thomas Jackson) for a easy 46-yard catch-and-run to the Arizona 14 and then scores on a 12-yard pass to the back of the end zone.

The Cardinal goes up 14-10 with 2:28 to go in the half. Plenty of time left to score for Arizona, which also gets the ball to start the second half.

* * *

Matt Scott finding all kinds of rhythm in the passing game, especially working a connection with two surprising players — slot WR Johnny Jackson and fullback Taimi Tutogi.

After a 15-play drive, Arizona stalls inside the red zone and has to try a 34-yard field goal from John Bonano. Nervous times for Arizona when having to kick a field goal, but Bonano puts it through for a 10-7 lead with 6:20 to go before half.

Rich Rodriguez made a huge call earlier in the drive, going for it on fourth-and-10 from the Stanford 40. An 11-yard pass from Scott to Dan Buckner makes the coach look good. Know this: No way Mike Stoops would have gone for that.

It could have been a touchdown drive, however, but Terrence Miller dropped a third-down pass at the goal line.

* * *

Arizona gets a reception the hard way, as Taimi Tutogi goes over the middle, gets knocked down as the ball pops into the air, bounces off the back of a Stanford defensive back and into the arms of Tutogi on the ground. Just your typical 16-yard gain.

* * *

Ka’Deem Carey now has 17 touchdowns in 16 career games.

* * *

Walk-on slot receiver Johnny Jackson getting some good work in, especially since it appears no one else wants to catch the ball. Jackson has four catches for 26 yards as Arizona is marching. A 31-yard sideline pass to Dan Buckner gets the Cats to the 12.

Ka’Deem Carey takes it in from there to tie the game at 7 with 12:10 to go in the second quarter.

* * *

Arizona’s defense holds again as the first quarter ends. The Cats start the second quarter at their 19, trailing 7-0.

* * *

Stanford sacks Matt Scott on back-to-back plays as Arizona goes three-and-out. Scott doesn’t seem to be moving around well, playing through hip and ankle problems. The Cardinal entered the game ranked fourth nationally with 9.0 tackles for loss per game; Stanford is likely to exceed that average today.

* * *

Sophomore linebacker Hank Hobson hasn’t played much this season because of injury, but he plays on Arizona’s second possession at Stanford and gets part of a sack as the Wildcats force a punt.

* * *

Arizona’s first drive ends just across midfield, with Matt Scott throwing into traffic for a 2-yard gain to Dan Buckner on an inside screen. That play didn’t have much hope on third-and-9.

* * *

Shane Zink starts at left guard, with Chris Putton moving to right guard. That’s how Arizona lined up last week, too, with right guard Trace Biskin out with an injury.

Starting center Kyle Quinn is out. Addison Bachman gets the start.

* * *

Stanford establishes its offensive superiority with an 11-play drive that covers 65 yards and takes 5:32 off the clock. The key play was letting QB Josh Nunes scramble for a first down on third-and-11 early in the drive.

Nunes eventually finds tight end Zach Ertz in the back of the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown, as replacement safety Patrick Onwuasor tries to defend but appears to mistime his jump to deflect the ball.

* * *

Patrick Onwuasor starts for Bandit safety Jared Tevis, who is out because of an ankle injury. Kirifi Taula starts at defensive end for injured Dominique Austin.

* * *

Stanford wins the toss, elects to receive, and Arizona wastes no making a special teams mistakes, as John Bonano kicks the ball out of bounds, giving the Cardinal possession at the 35.

* * *

The Arizona Wildcats will take on their third consecutive ranked team today with a game at 18th-ranked Stanford.

UA has lost its past six games to ranked Pac-12 teams.

The early schedule hasn’t been kind to Arizona in each of the past two seasons, but every obstacle is also an opportunity, and the Wildcats would be sitting in great shape, at 4-2 overall, with a win today on The Farm.

Arizona can do enough nibbling at the edges of Stanford’s defense to move the ball, and, unlike, the past few seasons, there is a chance to make the Cardinal one-dimensional on offense.

Andrew Luck isn’t there to get Stanford into the right play at the line of scrimmage, avoid negative plays and provide a deep threat in the passing game. With quarterback Josh Nunes at the helm, Stanford ranks 111th nationally in third-down conversions (29.8 percent).

I can see Arizona keeping this close into the second half, but asking a thin, undersized defense to hold up for 60 minutes against the physical Stanford attack is too much to ask.

The Cardinal wins the fourth quarter and takes a 35-24 victory.

* * *

The National Football Post considers Stanford outside linebacker Chase Thomas one of the most underrated prospects in the Pac-12. Writes Russ Lande:

“While Thomas’ pass rush skills are good, he separates himself from many other good pass rushers with his outstanding play against the run. You can observe from watching him play that he has been coached well and learns from that coaching. He consistently carries out his responsibility, maintains proper positioning, has good footwork and uses hands correctly to take on run blocks.”

* * *

Some pregame reading:

Arizona-Stanford: Five things to watch

Carey on: Sophomore on pace for one of best seasons for an Arizona running back

Arizona’s Matt Scott as NFL prospect: ‘Raw, but talent worthy of developing’

San Jose Mercury News: Stanford’s objective: Stop Arizona’s spread offense

Javier Morales offers his pregame notes at WildAboutAZCats.net

Greg Hansen’s Mr. Football column

Running back Stepfan Taylor and the Stanford offense will be coming right at Arizona. Taylor ran for 153 yards vs. the Wildcats last season. Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

Stopping the powerful Stanford offense won’t be a picnic for Arizona’s ‘ants.’

“We might be like a bunch of fire ants or something, jumping all over those guys,” Wildcats coach Rich Rodriguez said.

The Cardinal is big, the Cats are small … and that’s the major narrative when Stanford has the ball. From its multiple tight end power sets, the Cardinal will persistently push and prod against an Arizona front that must “play with great pad level and great technique,” Rodriguez said, if it hopes to compensate for its lack of size.

And the Cats have to do all that while overcoming injuries. But more on that later.

This matchup has always looked difficult for Arizona. The 3-3-5 scheme of coordinator Jeff Casteel is, in theory, better suited to handle the increasing proliferation of spread offenses than Stanford’s sledgehammer approach, a traditional philosophy becoming rarer in today’s college football.

“Running a true power set makes you a bit different and unique,” Rodriguez said.

When I talked to Pac-12 Network analyst Rich Neuheisel before the season, he said this about the 3-3-5:

“Well, I can’t wait for the Stanford-Arizona game. That’s when we’re going to find out how that 3-3-5 works. Stanford, as they try to develop a brand-new quarterback, is going to run the power. And they are going to run the power until your nose bleeds. We’re going to find how that 3-3-5 lines up against a power offense.”

So, this is key matchup. The No. 1 thing to watch. Here are four others:

2. Kick returns

Rodriguez has called this unit “awful” a few times in the past week, but that’s what happens when walk-ons and freshmen are trying to throw blocks to spring the returner. Arizona hasn’t had a return longer than 20 yards in 11 attempts.

Running back Daniel Jenkins has been the primary kick returner, back there with running back Kylan Butler.

The other members of the kick return team last week included true freshman linebackers Anthony Lopez, Dakota Conwell and Cody Ippolito (in his first playing time, according to the participation charts), walk-on receiver Trevor Ermisch, walk-on safety Blake Brady, and redshirt freshman tight end Michael Cooper.

How many of those guys have you heard of?

UA hopes it doesn’t have to field too many kicks today, but when it does, a little field position would be nice.

3. Josh Nunes

The Stanford junior quarterback beat out Brett Nottingham in fall camp but hasn’t walked very far in Andrew Luck’s shoes. Nunes has completed only 65 of 125 passes (52 percent) for 785 yards, with six touchdowns and four interceptions.

His passing efficiency rating of 114.2 doesn’t put him among the nation’s top 100 quarterbacks.

If only Arizona can stop the run, shifting the onus of the offense to Nunes …

“They haven’t opened up the playbook as much as they did, obviously, with Luck,” said Arizona linebacker Jake Fischer.

“Luck … the guy was incredible. He checked to everything, and that is why they were so good offensively. They’re kind of being a little conservative, but they have the personnel to just run over you.”

Stanford coach David Shaw gave Nunes a vote of confidence this week amid calls to see what Nottingham could do.

4. Arizona cornerbacks

Washington shut down the Stanford running game last week in a 17-13 victory by mostly transforming into a 4-4 front, sometimes with a ninth defender in the box.

The Huskies, who held the Cardinal to 68 yards on the ground, were confident their cornerbacks could handle man coverage on Stanford’s receivers. Arizona’s course of action probably includes the same kind of faith in Jonathan McKnight and Shaquille Richardson.

Nunes will have to prove he can go over the top and hit big passing plays, but he doesn’t have a lot of help. Stanford receiver Ty Montgomery, athletically blessed, has been known more for his dropped passes than his game-breaking plays.

Stopping the Stanford tight ends — Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo — is a different matter. But if McKnight and Richardson are fine man-to-man on the outside, then Casteel can scheme in different ways against the run.

5. Injuries

Sophomore safety Jared Tevis, listed as questionable earlier this week, tweeted Friday night that he isn’t going to play because of an ankle injury. Redshirt freshman Patrick Onwuasor and true freshman Wayne Capers Jr. will see more time.

And if senior center Kyle Quinn — who has started 18 consecutive games — can’t play because of an ankle injury, senior Addison Bachman will make his first career start, lined up against 305-pound Terrence Stephens.

The Cats need all the experience and strength it can get in the trenches.

Stanford’s 3-4 front is big and one of the best in the conference. Each of the four starting linebackers, which include senior standouts Shayne Skov and Chase Thomas, weigh at least 242 pounds.

I’m not playing tomorrow but I know my team’s #gotmyback. #BEARDOWN

— Jared Tevis (@TucTownTevis) October 6, 2012

Stanford's Johnson Bademosi breaks up a pass intended for Juron Criner in the fourth quarter. Photo by Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

Arizona Wildcats receiver Juron Criner narrowly missed making a couple of spectacular plays against Stanford, but, overall, it wasn’t a bad night for a guy 12 days removed from arthroscopic surgery to remove his appendix.

Criner caught six passes for 48 yards and a touchdown in a 37-10 loss to Stanford on Saturday night.

“I thought Juron made some nice plays,” coach Mike Stoops said.

“It’s good to get him back out there, but I think there were some plays that had he been working (in practice), he would have made. He’ll get better. I thought he reacted well and moved around pretty well.”

Criner had three catches for 34 yards on UA’s only touchdown drive. He finished it off with a 6-yard reception.

He nearly scored again on the final play of the first half, as Stanford inexplicably covered him man-to-man in a throw-deep situation from the Cardinal 43. Quarterback Nick Foles went to Criner down the left sideline and into the end zone; cornerback Johnson Bademosi, trailing Criner by a step, pulled down Criner’s right arm, drawing an interference penalty.

Criner nearly made the catch anyway as he tried to trap the ball against his body with his left arm.

Early in the fourth quarter, after Stanford had taken a 30-10 lead, Criner took a screen pass over the middle and then seemingly rolled over center Kyle Quinn, without touching the turf, as he was tackled. Criner got up and continued running while everyone else stopped, apparently scoring on an 80-yard play.

It was called back and reduced to a 9-yard play, however, when replay officials ruled — correctly — that his elbow had hit the grass.

Criner, who missed the bulk of practice last week, should be able to get back into a more usual routine this week in advance of the Stanford game.

“It was nice to have him back out there,” Foles said. “He’s such a big target.”

Criner, as has been the case since the summer when he dealt with what Stoops called “personal and family issues,” did not make himself available for interviews.

It was a tough night for coach Mike Stoops. Photo by Matt Kartozian-US PRESSWIRE

The Arizona Wildcats trailed Stanford by 20 points early in the fourth quarter Saturday night. Hope and time were running out as quickly as fans were fleeing the stadium.

The Wildcats had the ball, although in the unenviable position of fourth-and-19 at the Stanford 40 after the Cardinal had sacked Nick Foles for the fifth time.

What to do?

There weren’t any good options.

Punting was the worst of them.

But that’s what coach Mike Stoops did when his team was down 30-10 with less than 12 minutes left.

“You go to the end and you go for it,” Foles said. “If I was the coach, I’d go for it. I’d do anything I could to get that fourth-and-20, I don’t care what he says.”

Stoops emphasized in his postgame press conference, referencing missed field goals, about how critical it is to score when you can against a high-powered team like Stanford. Yet, he took the opposite approach in the fourth quarter.

The outcome of the game didn’t really hang in the balance, but punting erased any doubt. There was about 11 1/2 minutes left. Arizona needed three touchdowns to have a possibility of overcoming the lead.

Even on fourth-and-19, take your chance. Play to win. You do have Juron Criner on your team, remember? He might make a play. As former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach always says, “Swing your sword.”

Not fall on it.

Worse, Stoops didn’t really have a good football explanation for his decision afterward.

“I just didn’t want to put our defense in another bad position,” he said.

Which made no sense.

The offense hadn’t put the defense in a bad position all night. The defense had put the defense in bad position all night.

None of Stanford’s scoring drives were cheapies. They weren’t set up by turnovers or bad special teams play: The Cardinal went, in order, 57 yards, 72, 64, 65, 81, 80 and 91 yards. The defense had plenty of time to stop Stanford on those drives … and didn’t.

That 91-yard drive came after the punt, as Stanford drained 6:55 from the clock and went up 37-10, which was the final margin.

Game over.

Down 20 points with less than 12 minutes left is not the time to play the field position game, and punting isn’t a winning message to send to the team. See Foles’ quote: Go for it.

It would have been nice to at least take a chance on fourth-and-19.

Arizona's Nick Foles was sacked five times by Stanford; linebacker Trent Murphy gets him here. Photo by Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

It’s going to get worse before it gets better for the Arizona football team.

“We just get exposed some times when we play top teams,” coach Mike Stoops said after a 37-10 home loss to Stanford on Saturday night, “and hopefully we’ll be better because of it.”

That might happen at some point. But probably not next Saturday against preseason Pac-12 favorite Oregon. Will this nightmare ever end?

At this point, in Stoops’ eighth season, you would hope that the Cats would be competitive against everybody. That notion has gone flying out of the stadium.

It’s one thing to routinely lose to top 10 teams, it’s quite another to routinely be a chew toy on ESPN, again and again.

“Our immaturity shows up against good football teams,” Stoops said. “I don’t know what else to tell you.”

He could tell us it’s all going to be all right, but 99 out of 100 fans probably aren’t buying it.

Arizona’s 1-2 record and its seven-game losing streak are going to get uglier after the Ducks have their day. The Wildcats are just too young and inexperienced where it matters — along both lines — to threaten an elite team for 60 minutes … unless every bounce, every replay review, every critical situation, goes their way.

And making a field goal or two along the way would help, too.

Even all that might not be enough.

“It’s easy to point fingers through this,” quarterback Nick Foles said, “which is something we’re not going to do.”

Much that has happened in the past two weeks has been disheartening, discouraging and let’s throw another “dis” in there — disgusting. But it hasn’t really been surprising.

Arizona has been outscored 74-24 by Oklahoma State and Stanford, simply continuing the negative trends from late last season.

In its seven-game losing streak to FBS foes, Arizona has allowed 206 rushing yards per game. Stanford went for 242 yards on 39 carries, and that included three kneel-downs at the end of the game. Arizona has allowed a 100-yard rusher in four of its past six games vs. FBS teams (which excludes lower-division NAU at the start of this season).

Oregon comes to town this week with its blur-rific read-option running game.

Expect anything different?

Nah, me neither.

If you can’t stop the run, you’re really not going to be winning much.

It is startling how “clean” the Arizona defensive stats are from Saturday night. No sacks. No tackles for loss. No forced fumbles. No interceptions.

Stanford: 10 tackles for loss.

“Our lack of maturity on the line of scrimmage in both areas really shows in games like this,” Stoops said.

But the Cats’ season isn’t going to be defined by a lack of an upset — or even a lack of competitiveness — through this ridiculously tough stretch of Oklahoma State, Stanford and Oregon.

Going back further, nobody in the country has had a tougher schedule in the past two-thirds of a season. Stanford twice. Oklahoma State twice. Now, Oregon twice. Each team is at historic highs in its program. “Breather” games in that stretch came against USC and rival Arizona State, which were close losses.

Think of your favorite NFL team: What if it had to play the Patriots twice, the Packers twice and the Steelers twice in an eight-game span? Probably wouldn’t be pretty.

To recap:

Arizona hasn’t competed nearly well enough against elite teams. OK, we get it. The Wildcats aren’t a top 10 team.

But Arizona did compete in this losing streak against teams closer to its level — USC and Arizona State.

There’s enough talent here to do so again this season.

Despite the problems on the offensive line and the defensive line and with the kicking game and in the running game and with an overall offense still prone to lulls, once Arizona leaves September behind, the teams left on the schedule are less capable of exposing all those weaknesses at once.

The season begins Oct. 1 at USC, if you can hang in there until then.

“You can’t freak out about this,” Foles said. “It’s early in the season, and we have to stick together. This is when the team shows what we’re all about.”

Stanford's Anthony Wilkerson scores on a 24-yard touchdown run ahead of linebacker Paul Vassallo in the first half. Photo by Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

Arizona failed to mount any momentum after halftime, when the Cats were hanging in there, down only 16-10.

Jaime Salazar’s missed field goals at the end of the first half (45 yards) and the beginning of the second half (36 yards) robbed the Wildcats of momentum, but that wasn’t the only problem.

The defense allowed scoring drives of 91, 81, 80, 72, 65, 64, and 57, ineffective against the run and the pass. The offense didn’t score in the second half.

Stanford won 37-10.

* * *

Stanford scores again. It’s 37-10 with 4:27 to go. I thought Arizona had a chance to keep this game close, but the Wildcats can’t compete for 60 minutes against an elite team.

* * *

The Arizona defense can’t use poor field position as an excuse. Stanford has scored on drives of 80, 81, 65, 64, 72 and 57 yards.

* * *

Juron Criner nearly pulls off an 80-yard touchdown. After catching a pass on a bubble screen, he is tackled by CB Harold Bernard and rolls over an Arizona lineman. Criner gets up — no whistle — and continues running for an apparent score.

Replay goes against Arizona, though, as he is ruled — correctly — to have had his elbow down. It ends up being a 9-yard play.

* * *

Arizona can’t cover Stanford’s tight ends. Andrew Luck has his pick of two wide-open players behind the UA secondary, connecting with tight end Levin Toilolo for a 34-yard score on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Stanford leads 30-10.

* * *

An ineffective third quarter for Arizona, which missed a field goal on the opening possession and hasn’t mustered any momentum since then.

The Cats commit a huge penalty late in the quarter, as they are called for offsides — in the neutral zone — as Stanford is lined up to kick on fourth-and-3. The penalty gives the Cardinal a first down, and Stanford, leading 23-10, was on the march as the game moved into the fourth quarter.

* * *

Attendance: 49,636. Have fans given up already? The Cats drew 51,761 for NAU … but can’t turn out in bigger numbers on a nice night for sixth-ranked Stanford and the future No. 1 pick in the draft?

* * *

Speaking of Stanford tight ends, Zach Ertz catches a 16-yard TD on third-and-8 with 5:22 to go in the third quarter. That ends an 81-yard drive as Stanford takes a 23-10 lead. Stanford’s top three tight ends have eight catches for 146 yards.

* * *

Stanford is showing off its best-in-the-nation group of tight ends. Andrew Luck on third-and-3 from the Stanford 31, fools the Arizona defense and goes over the middle to a wide-open Levine Toilolo for a 39-yard gain.

* * *

Nick Foles is only 1 of 7 since completing 17 consecutive passes.

* * *

Tweets former Arizona basketball walk-on David Bagga: “I’m signing up to be arizonas field goal kicker”

* * *

Arizona would have been tied … if not for two missed field goals by Jaime Salazar. He ended the first half with a 45-yard miss to the left, and he begins the second half with a 36-yard miss to the right at the end of UA’s first possession.

Time for Alex Zendejas again? Time to go for it on fourth down? Can’t kickoff man John Bonano kick straight?

It’s still 16-10, Stanford.

* * *

A mistake from Nick Foles, who drops the football as he is flushed from the pocket. Right tackle Fabbians Ebbele recovers at the Stanford 43 with 13 seconds left. Foles throws deep incomplete.

Then, with one more chance, Foles tries for it all to Juron Criner, who is — somewhat amazingly — in single coverage on the left side. Has the Cardinal not scouted Arizona?

Cornerback Johnson Bademosi manages to make a “good foul” — called for pass interference as the pulls down Criner’s right arm. Criner almost makes the catch by cradling the ball with his left arm, but it goes incomplete in the end zone.

The 15-yard penalty gives Arizona a chance at a 45-yard field goal, which Jaime Salazar misses wide left. Sigh. The kicking woes continue.

Arizona trails 16-10 at halftime, which isn’t bad. The Cats are hanging in there on defense, coming up with enough key plays, and the they will get the ball to start the second half.

* * *

Nick Foles streak ends at 17 consecutive completions.

* * *

Arizona’s defense stiffens in the red zone, holding Stanford to another field goal attempt. Jordan Williamson goes 3-for-3 on the night with a 33-yarder, putting the Cardinal up 16-10 with 1:27 to play.

Plenty of time for Nick Foles and the Cats to answer.

* * *

Nick Foles is 15 of 15 for 167 yards late in the first half.

* * *

Yeah, Juron Criner is back. He catches three passes on a 79-yard drive, including a 6-yarder for a touchdown with 5:57 to play before halftime. Criner has four catches for 35 yards.

* * *

Potential big loss for Stanford. LB Shayne Skov leaves with an apparent left leg injury with 9:14 to play.

* * *

While the defense is being gashed on the ground, it is also coming up with some stops, forcing Stanford into a 45-yard field goal attempt. Jordan Williamson hits it for a 13-3 lead with 9:42 to play in the second quarter.

The drive covered 64 yards.

* * *

In its six-game losing streak to FBS teams, Arizona has allowed an average of 200 rushing yards per game. It’s more of the same as Stanford has 108 yards — including a 49-yarder by Stephan Taylor — with 12:48 to play before halftime.

* * *

A Stanford player did something dumb. Chris Owusu brings a kickoff back from the end zone, cuts all the way across the field and gets cut down at the 10.

* * *

Can’t take any points in the kicking game for granted at Arizona, so there was relief as Jaime Salazar converts a 27-yard field goal with 14:15 to play before halftime. That cuts the lead to 10-3.

* * *

Freshman RB Ka’Deem Carey sees action late in the first quarter — as promised by coach Mike Stoops — but the story is the passing game.

Nick Foles does deep down the right sideline for a 39-yard connection with Dan Buckner, and he later finds David Roberts for 27 yards over the middle. Arizona is in the red zone as the quarter ends.

* * *

Sweet play by Stanford. On fourth-and-inches from the UA 24, the Cardinal lines up in a power I-formation, with Andrew Luck faking a handoff to the fullback on his right, then tossed the ball to tailback Anthony Wilkerson on the left.

With the defense all bunched near the line of scrimmage, Wilkerson had lots of wide-open space, out-racing defensive tackle Justin Washington to the corner and turning up field for a touchdown and 10-0 lead with 1:59 to go in the first quarter.

* * *

S Marquis Flowers left the game with an apparent left leg injury with 3:02 left in the first quarter. He was replaced by S Mark Watley.

* * *

Another three-and-out for Arizona. No passes thrown to Criner yet.

* * *

Arizona makes a stand after Stanford had first-and-goal from the 3, helped by a 15-yard late hit penalty against Shaquille Richardson. On third down from the 2, Andrew Luck rolls to this right and throws low, trying to hit receiver Griff Whalen.

Cornerback Trevin Wade dives in front of Whalen and makes an apparent interception, but the play is overturned on replay; Wade did not maintain possession. Mike Stoops is not pleased.

Jordan Williamson then converts a 20-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead with 6:11 to play in the first quarter.

(A fun bit of gamesmanship. Stanford took a delay of game penalty to get a better angle on the kick. Stoops declined it.)

* * *

Stanford creeps across midfield on its first drive, but Arizona holds on third-and-2 at its 47, forcing a punt. Arizona fails to do anything with its opening possession, going three-and-out.

Juron Criner was on the field for the first play, so give him a another career start. Arizona went to a pass to Keola Antolin, away from Criner on the first play.

* * *

Arizona win the coin toss and defers the choice to the second half. Put me down as that being the first mistake of the night.

* * *

Juron Criner is dressed out and stretching during warm-ups, a positive sign that he will indeed play tonight. My guess is he’ll get 10 to 20 snaps.

* * *

Arizona Wildcats receiver Juron Criner is expected to play tonight, according to a report from Chris Bonney of WildcatSportsReport.com.

WildcatSportsReport.com was the first to report last week that Criner was not on the trip to Oklahoma State. A day later, the university revealed that Criner had undergone an appendectomy on Sept. 5.

Criner did not practice through Wednesday of this week — the last day of media access to the team — but had been doing some running in practice. Criner likely went through some walk-through activities in the past two days.

It is not known how much, or how effective, Criner will be against Stanford as he pushes the limit on his return from the arthroscopic surgery. Coach Mike Stoops has used an ailing receiver as a decoy before — Mike Thomas, who had a hand injury, in the 2005 game against Arizona State.

Earlier this week, receiver Dan Buckner said: “If Juron is here, the game is going to be easier, but if Juron is not here, we still have a game to play.”

We’ll check in later from the stadium as Criner goes through warm-ups.

* * *

Clemson ended Auburn’s 17-game winning streak earlier today, leaving Stanford with the nation’s longest streak.

The Cardinal has won 10 consecutive games, starting with a victory over USC on Oct. 9, 2010. Included in Stanford’s streak is a 42-17 victory over Arizona on Nov. 6.

Arizona will try to end that streak tonight, starting at 7:45 at Arizona Stadium.

This will be the spot for our in-game coverage and analysis; until then, here is some reading from earlier in the week:

Arizona-Stanford: Five things to watch

Shaq attacked: Arizona cornerback confident amid struggles

Notebook: Can Arizona remain competitive at home?

ESPN analyst: Arizona is ‘going to get rolled’ by Stanford

Time is right to give Ka’Deem Carey an expanded role

Stanford coach on Nick Foles: ‘extremely underrated’

Stanford's Andrew Luck will be surveying Arizona's shaky secondary this Saturday. Photo by Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

Arizona and sixth-ranked Stanford will kick off at 7:45 from Arizona Stadium to wrap up the day of college football.

The Wildcats will be trying to end a six-game losing streak to teams from college football’s top division (that excludes the win over NAU to begin the season).

“I feel like we’re just going to go out there and play hard,” said Arizona free safety Robert Golden.

“I’m not making no statements saying we’re going to go out there and dominate those guys. I know we’re going to go out there and challenge them and we’re going to play hard.”

Expanding on something I filed this morning for CBSSports.com’s Rapid Reports — check out the Arizona page — here are five things to watch:

No. 5 — A fast start

Arizona coach Mike Stoops and Stanford coach David Shaw have each lamented their team’s slow starts this season. Arizona trailed Oklahoma State 21-0 in the first half last week.

“It took us a while to engage in the game, and that was probably the most disappointing part,” Stoops said.

Stanford had only 10 first-half points at Duke last week, before scoring a touchdown in the final minute behind halftime.

More slow start problems for the Cats:

–They trailed Stanford 14-0 last season before losing 42-17.
–They trailed USC 14-0 in the first quarter last season before losing 24-21.
–They failed to score in the first half against ASU last season before losing 30-29 in double OT.
–They trailed Oklahoma State 23-7 at halftime of the Alamo Bowl.

Bottom line: If Arizona wins the coin toss, it needs to receive and try to score first, letting the crowd get into the game and be a factor.

No. 4 — Stopping Owusu

Arizona cornerbacks Shaquille Richardson and Trevin Wade are part of a pass defense that has allowed two opponents to complete 78.5 percent of their passes. The challenge tonight is Stanford WR Chris Owusu, who has 100-yard receiving games against UA in each of the past two years.

They’re not playing as well as I would like them to play right now,” secondary coach Ryan Walters said of his cornerbacks.

Meanwhile, the linebackers and safeties will have their hands full with Stanford’s superb tight ends, notably Coby Fleener, who had a 60-yard touchdown reception last week against Duke. He has five receptions for 116 yards and three TDs this season. Tight end Zach Ertz has five catches for 69 yards and two scores.

No. 3 — Criner’s status

Wide receiver Juron Criner is trying to return from a Sept. 5 appendectomy, and his status might not be publicly known until pregame. In Criner’s absence, a pair of other outside receivers — Dan Buckner and Austin Hill — each had 100 yards in receptions last week vs. Oklahoma State.

“It was good to see Dan get comfortable in our system,” Stoops said. “He played well. Dan is a very lethal guy out there. He can run and stretch the field vertically.”

True, but he doesn’t do nearly as well as Criner, whose big-play ability is critical to a potential upset.

No. 2 — The running game

Stoops says he’ll play true freshman running back Ka’Deem Carey earlier in the game, and running Daniel Jenkins should be back from an ankle injury. Each might help spark Arizona’s stagnant run game, which has produced only 116 yards in two games.

Stanford is tough to run against, and the Cardinal doesn’t mind devoting extra personnel to stopping the ground attack. Linebacker Shayne Skov is an explosive player who has 18 tackles, including four for loss, in two games.

The Cardinal is second nationally against the run, yielding only 28.5 yards per game.

On the other side of the ball, Stanford has a physical running attack and an excellent tailback in Stepfan Taylor. The Cardinal rushed 45 times for 217 yards in last year’s meeting, and it could simply push around Arizona’s inexperienced defensive line.

No. 1 — The quarterbacks

Arizona’s Nick Foles and Stanford’s Andrew Luck combined for 842 passing yards in a wild 43-38 UA win in Tucson two years ago. Stanford won last year’s meeting, 42-17, as Luck threw for an efficient 299 yards.

Stoops on Luck: “He’s one of the best pocket guys I’ve seen in a long time.”

Foles isn’t shabby, and confidence would be high in his ability if the Wildcats are within striking distance late in the game. The hard part will be getting there.

The Zona Zoo has helped spur the Cats to some big home wins. Photo by Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

Arizona coach Mike Stoops’ mantra, basically since his first day on the job, has been to compete.

That hasn’t always happened lately — last week’s loss at Oklahoma State being the latest example — but it has happened at home.

The Wildcats are 19-8 at Arizona Stadium in the past four-plus years, and they are not far off from having a better mark — last season’s loss to Arizona State being the latest example.

Arizona hasn’t lost by more than a touchdown at home during the past 27 games, beating No. 2 Oregon, No. 9 Iowa and No. 25 Cal during that stretch. That is competitive.

We’ll see how that works out against sixth-ranked Stanford this Saturday, and then No. 12 Oregon on Sept. 24.

“We want to come home and put on a great show for our fans,” said free safety Robert Golden.

“We want to show them that we can respond. That game last week doesn’t determine the rest of our season. This game is way more important than last week. We know the Pac-12 is still open for us.”

Arizona lost home games last season by one point (ASU), two points (Oregon State) and three points (USC).

* * *

The Arizona secondary faces another big-time receiver this week in Stanford’s Chris Owusu. He’s 6-2, 200 pounds, which makes him smaller than the star wideout the Cats saw last week — Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon — but Owusu is shiftier and speedier.

“He’s a smart player, runs really good routes and plays hard every snap,” said UA secondary coach Ryan Walters.

Said Golden: “Owusu is a great receiver. They run great routes out there.”

* * *

Arizona receiver Terrence Miller emerged late last season, catching 25 passes in the final five games. He had seven receptions for 116 yards against USC.

But the junior has been a non-factor this season.

“We have to get more protection out of Terrence,” Stoops said. “He has to become a better blocker for us on the perimeter. … We have to block better. All the receivers have to block better on the perimeter.”

Miller has been bumped down the depth chart, as David Douglas has moved back from an outside receiver position to the inside. That gives UA a rotation of Douglas, David Roberts and Richard Morrison ahead of Miller.

* * *

Arizona quarterback Nick Foles, in two games against Stanford, has completed 69 of 99 passes for 663 yards, with four touchdowns and one interception.

Cardinal quarterback Andrew Luck is 44 of 67 for 622 yards, with five touchdowns and one interception in two games against the Cats.

“He just knows how to control the ball,” Golden said of Luck. “He limits the mistakes he makes. He just runs his offense. There is nothing better than facing a challenge like this.”

Arizona and Stanford have split the past two games.

* * *

Stoops is 2-4 against Stanford, which won one-point games against the Wildcats in 2007 and 2008. The Cardinal has rushed for 653 yards in the past three games against Arizona, emblematic of the blue-collar, downhill running style installed by former coach Jim Harbaugh.

The Cardinal, under first-year coach David Shaw — who had been Stanford’s offensive coordinator — is 44th nationally in rushing after two games, averaging 173 yards per game.

Stoops said Stanford has kept it basic against San Jose State and Duke so far.

“They haven’t shown nearly what they did a year ago offensively,” Stoops said. “But I know they have it. They haven’t changed their style. They are doing everything they did a year ago.”

Mark May sees trouble ahead for the Wildcats. Photo by Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIRE

ESPN college football analyst Mark May was a guest on the Burns and Gambo Show on 620-AM in Phoenix on Wednesday, and the topic turned to Arizona’s game against Stanford on Saturday night.

“They’re going to get rolled. They’re going to get rolled,” May said of the Wildcats.

“I’ll tell you right now, this is a team that I said at the beginning of the season will start off 1-4, 1-5, and they’re going to struggle to make a bowl. And I don’t believe they will. I think all the pressure is going to be on Mike Stoops because I don’t think he’ll survive this. …

“Look at the way that they finished last year. They couldn’t beat an FBS football team. … You’re looking at a team that is trying to raise money to build new facilities down there. If they go out and lay an egg this year, and they’re 5-7 or something like that, do you really think that’s going to help that project?”

Arizona is a 10-point underdog for the game, which will be shown on ESPN, beginning at 7:45 p.m. Carter Blackburn will handle the play-by-play, Brock Huard will be the analyst and Shelley Smith will be the sideline reporter.

Juron Criner could be back in Arizona Stadium on Saturday. Photo by Chris Morrison, US-PRESSWIRE

Arizona Wildcats receiver Juron Criner is questionable for this week’s game against Stanford, although he might not get medical clearance until late in the week as he recovers from an appendectomy on Sept. 5.

“If he’s healthy, he’ll play,” coach Mike Stoops said in his Monday news conference. “That’s as simple as I can make it.”

Stoops said Criner isn’t likely to receive clearance, if at all, until Thursday. That might be in time for the team’s final practice of the week.

If not, that’s not a problem, Stoops said.

“Juron is very unique in his ability to adapt very quickly,” Stoops said. “That wouldn’t be the perfect scenario. You would like to give him a day. Juron has played so much football here. He understands what we’re doing. …

“Juron is a very unique athlete. It’s not like you and me going in there and getting this done. He’ll come back a lot quicker.”

Criner, who caught 82 passes for 1,233 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, began this season with six catches for 151 yards and a score against NAU.

Of course, any injury report from Stoops has to be met with some amount of skepticism.

Arizona and Stoops, who said he learned of Criner’s illness “last Sunday or Monday,” kept the appendectomy a secret until the day of the Thursday night game at Oklahoma State. Stoops, in interviews on Tuesday and Wednesday, said Criner had a chance to play and that his star wideout would travel with the team — both things he knew weren’t true.

He said Monday he was trying to keep Oklahoma State guessing, as there are some things opponents usually do to scheme particularly for Criner.

“There has to be some privacy and protection for us,” Stoops said.

“That’s the only reason. I never deceived or lied — or tried not to — if there wasn’t a reason to benefit our team. I always have to protect those guys first. We’ll always do that, and I think that’s my right.”