Greg Hansen's top 10 game-winning kicks in UA football history
- Updated
Max Zendejas' 48-yard field goal to beat Notre Dame in 1982 tops the list.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Editor’s note: This summer, Star columnist Greg Hansen is counting down the top 10 of just about everything related to Tucson sports.
Today’s list: the 10 biggest game-winning kicks in UA history.
To understand the meaning of the 1979 Territorial Cup, try to absorb the ongoing domination of Arizona State.
The Sun Devils had won 13 of the last 14 against Arizona.
Arizona had not won in Tempe since 1961.
Arizona State had played in seven bowl games in the 1970s. Arizona: None.
A year earlier, in Tucson, the Sun Devils won 18-17 when the Wildcats missed a 45-yard field goal attempt with five seconds remaining.
But on Nov. 24, 1979, at Sun Devil Stadium, the Wildcats —11 point underdogs — lined up for a winning 37-yard field goal with three seconds left. The game was tied at 24.
UA coach Tony Mason inserted walk-on freshman Brett Weber to kick. He missed. Same old, same old.
But a charging Sun Devil lineman knocked Weber to the ground, a roughing penalty, and Weber got a second chance, from 27 yards. The clock said 0:03.
On the sideline, as ASU called a timeout in an attempt to unnerve the freshman kicker, Mason asked Weber what he wanted for Christmas.
“A new pair of skis,” said the Southern California kicker.
But Mason had another gift in mind. If Weber was to make the kick, Arizona would get a Fiesta Bowl berth over the Sun Devils. The Fiesta Bowl would be played on Christmas Day.
As Weber walked back onto the field, he got Mason’s attention and worked his arms in a maneuver like a downhill skier. Either way, it would be Christmas. Weber made the kick.
“I know exactly how (ASU) feels,” said Mason, referencing the ’78 game. “I was so happy for Brett. If he missed again, he may have been ruined.”
Star beat writer Bob Moran began his game story with this paragraph: “It was improbable, it was spectacular, it was dramatic, it was pulsating, it was perhaps the most exciting game ever played between Arizona and ASU.”
Here’s our list of the top 10 game-winning kicks in UA football history:
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Max Zendejas kicked a 48-yarder as the clock hit 0:00 in South Bend, Indiana, against the undefeated Fighting Irish. Notre Dame coach Gerry Faust called time-out with six seconds left in an attempt to ice the freshman kicker. “I used the extra time-out to slow down, concentrate on my steps and follow through,” said Zendejas.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The No. 6 Sooners couldn’t stop Arizona in the final 5:15, game tied at 3. Junior-college transfer Doug Pfaff lined up for a 40-yarder with two seconds remaining. “I didn’t hit the sweet spot,” said Pfaff, “but if it goes in, it doesn’t matter by how far.”
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Two years later, Weber would lose the kicking job to Zendejas.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Casey Skowron had been vilified by UA fans a month earlier after missing a last-second, 36-yard field goal attempt in a 28-26 loss to USC. This time — in a game in which he ran a fake field goal for a momentum-changing touchdown — Skowron was perfect on a 47-yarder as the clock expired. “This was the game the football gods made it square with Casey,” UA special teams coach Charlie Ragle said. Arizona went on to win the Pac-12 South.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Zendejas became something of a Sun Devil killer in his UA days, and this was Exhibit A. He hit a 45-yard field goal at the final buzzer in Tempe. “I feel sick,” said ASU quarterback Todd Hons. “Losing to the UA makes it even worse.”
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Rinse and repeat. Again at Sun Devil Stadium, Zendejas was the Max Factor. He kicked a 32-yarder with 1:43 left that knocked ASU from the Rose Bowl. Earlier in the fourth quarter, he kicked a 57-yarder to tie it at 13. “I always look for the glory,” he said. “I’m pretty sure ASU fans hate me by now.”
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Down 15-0 with 11 minutes remaining, in a snowstorm in Salt Lake City, Arizona won when Steve Hurley kicked a 27-yard field goal with three seconds remaining. “That’s got to be the damnedest miracle ever,” said UA coach Darrell Mudra. “I tell you what, somebody has to be looking over us.”
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The nation’s two leading defenses — Arizona’s Desert Swarm and Wazzu’s Palouse Posse — played what UA coach Dick Tomey called “the mother of all wars.” The deciding play for No. 14 Arizona was All-American Steve McLaughlin kicking a 27-yard field goal late in the third quarter.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Another Zendejas — Max’s nephew, Alex — rekindled the Sun Devil Stadium magic, kicking a 32-yarder with no time on the clock. Typical of the suspense, UA special teams coach Jeff Hammerschmidt said, “I closed my eyes and everything.”
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Pfaff beat Washington with two late field-goals in back-to-back years, 1988 and 1989. In ’88, Pfaff hit a 22-yarder with five seconds left to beat the Huskies 16-13 in a rainstorm in Seattle. A year later, Pfaff kicked a 35-yarder to beat the No. 17 Huskies 20-17 with 1:01 remaining.
Editor’s note: This summer, Star columnist Greg Hansen is counting down the top 10 of just about everything related to Tucson sports.
Today’s list: the 10 biggest game-winning kicks in UA history.
To understand the meaning of the 1979 Territorial Cup, try to absorb the ongoing domination of Arizona State.
The Sun Devils had won 13 of the last 14 against Arizona.
Arizona had not won in Tempe since 1961.
Arizona State had played in seven bowl games in the 1970s. Arizona: None.
A year earlier, in Tucson, the Sun Devils won 18-17 when the Wildcats missed a 45-yard field goal attempt with five seconds remaining.
But on Nov. 24, 1979, at Sun Devil Stadium, the Wildcats —11 point underdogs — lined up for a winning 37-yard field goal with three seconds left. The game was tied at 24.
UA coach Tony Mason inserted walk-on freshman Brett Weber to kick. He missed. Same old, same old.
But a charging Sun Devil lineman knocked Weber to the ground, a roughing penalty, and Weber got a second chance, from 27 yards. The clock said 0:03.
On the sideline, as ASU called a timeout in an attempt to unnerve the freshman kicker, Mason asked Weber what he wanted for Christmas.
“A new pair of skis,” said the Southern California kicker.
But Mason had another gift in mind. If Weber was to make the kick, Arizona would get a Fiesta Bowl berth over the Sun Devils. The Fiesta Bowl would be played on Christmas Day.
As Weber walked back onto the field, he got Mason’s attention and worked his arms in a maneuver like a downhill skier. Either way, it would be Christmas. Weber made the kick.
“I know exactly how (ASU) feels,” said Mason, referencing the ’78 game. “I was so happy for Brett. If he missed again, he may have been ruined.”
Star beat writer Bob Moran began his game story with this paragraph: “It was improbable, it was spectacular, it was dramatic, it was pulsating, it was perhaps the most exciting game ever played between Arizona and ASU.”
Here’s our list of the top 10 game-winning kicks in UA football history:
Max Zendejas kicked a 48-yarder as the clock hit 0:00 in South Bend, Indiana, against the undefeated Fighting Irish. Notre Dame coach Gerry Faust called time-out with six seconds left in an attempt to ice the freshman kicker. “I used the extra time-out to slow down, concentrate on my steps and follow through,” said Zendejas.
The No. 6 Sooners couldn’t stop Arizona in the final 5:15, game tied at 3. Junior-college transfer Doug Pfaff lined up for a 40-yarder with two seconds remaining. “I didn’t hit the sweet spot,” said Pfaff, “but if it goes in, it doesn’t matter by how far.”
Two years later, Weber would lose the kicking job to Zendejas.
Casey Skowron had been vilified by UA fans a month earlier after missing a last-second, 36-yard field goal attempt in a 28-26 loss to USC. This time — in a game in which he ran a fake field goal for a momentum-changing touchdown — Skowron was perfect on a 47-yarder as the clock expired. “This was the game the football gods made it square with Casey,” UA special teams coach Charlie Ragle said. Arizona went on to win the Pac-12 South.
Zendejas became something of a Sun Devil killer in his UA days, and this was Exhibit A. He hit a 45-yard field goal at the final buzzer in Tempe. “I feel sick,” said ASU quarterback Todd Hons. “Losing to the UA makes it even worse.”
Rinse and repeat. Again at Sun Devil Stadium, Zendejas was the Max Factor. He kicked a 32-yarder with 1:43 left that knocked ASU from the Rose Bowl. Earlier in the fourth quarter, he kicked a 57-yarder to tie it at 13. “I always look for the glory,” he said. “I’m pretty sure ASU fans hate me by now.”
Down 15-0 with 11 minutes remaining, in a snowstorm in Salt Lake City, Arizona won when Steve Hurley kicked a 27-yard field goal with three seconds remaining. “That’s got to be the damnedest miracle ever,” said UA coach Darrell Mudra. “I tell you what, somebody has to be looking over us.”
The nation’s two leading defenses — Arizona’s Desert Swarm and Wazzu’s Palouse Posse — played what UA coach Dick Tomey called “the mother of all wars.” The deciding play for No. 14 Arizona was All-American Steve McLaughlin kicking a 27-yard field goal late in the third quarter.
Another Zendejas — Max’s nephew, Alex — rekindled the Sun Devil Stadium magic, kicking a 32-yarder with no time on the clock. Typical of the suspense, UA special teams coach Jeff Hammerschmidt said, “I closed my eyes and everything.”
Pfaff beat Washington with two late field-goals in back-to-back years, 1988 and 1989. In ’88, Pfaff hit a 22-yarder with five seconds left to beat the Huskies 16-13 in a rainstorm in Seattle. A year later, Pfaff kicked a 35-yarder to beat the No. 17 Huskies 20-17 with 1:01 remaining.
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