Season's grievings: Loss to ASU gives Wildcats worst-ever Pac-10 mark (2002)
They came out in all blue and left feeling the blues.
Decked out in blue jerseys and blue pants for the first time in history, the Arizona Wildcats capped their worst season in 25 years of Pac-10 competition with a 34-20 loss to rival Arizona State on Friday.
The Cats finished 1-7 in the conference and 4-8 overall - the most losses since a 1-8-1 showing in 1957. ASU (8-5, 5-3 Pac-10) snapped a three-game losing streak and is headed to a bowl for the fifth time in seven years.
"Maybe there was a third-down play out there we didn't make, a tackle that wasn't made or a play that wasn't made," UA free safety Jarvie Worcester said. "We were just missing it."
Arizona's 11th consecutive Pac-10 home loss dropped the Wildcats into a tie for ninth place in the conference with Stanford.
"You're not going to win every game, even if you play with that kind of effort," said coach John Mackovic, 9-14 in two seasons at Arizona. "But you can build for the future."
Eight turnovers, 23 penalties, a blocked punt and a missed PAT added up to one sloppily-played game before the smallest crowd (47,005) to witness a Territorial Cup game in 28 years.
After three lead changes and three ties, the Sun Devils capitalized on a key mistake early in the fourth quarter.
Leading 27-20, ASU intercepted a Jason Johnson pass for the second time when safety Jason Shivers snared a deflected pass at the UA 30-yard line.
The turnover set up tailback Mike Williams' fourth touchdown run of the game - a 4-yarder with 6:51 to play - that cemented the victory.
Johnson's pass in the right flat sailed high and glanced off receiver Bobby Wade's hands and high into the air.
"Their line was right in my face, and Bobby said he just didn't see the ball," said Johnson. "He put his hands up because he knew it was going to be right at his face, and unfortunately instead of bouncing down it bounced up."
Johnson was picked off by Shivers again at the UA 43 on the ensuing series, and the Devils ran out the remaining 4:57 behind Williams, who gained 21 of his game-high 162 rushing yards on the last drive.
Williams was voted the game's MVP with only ASU's second 100-yard rushing performance of the season.
"They challenged us to run the ball," ASU coach Dirk Koetter said.
Arizona State played keep-away in the second half, controlling the ball for almost 21 minutes of the 30-minute half with the hard-running Williams, a no-huddle attack and a possession passing attack.
"We just couldn't get the ball back when we needed it the most," UA offensive coordinator Rick Dykes said.
Williams also had TD runs of 5, 4 and 8 yards against Arizona's three-man front as the Cats played more zone in an effort to contain ASU deep threat Shaun McDonald.
McDonald, who came into the game leading the Pac-10 with 13 TDs and tied for second in the league in total receiving yards, was held to one catch for 11 yards.
With McDonald taken away, ASU quarterback Andrew Walter turned to underneath and mid-range passes. Tight end Mike Pinkard hauled in a career-high six passes for 80 yards.
Walter threw for 295 yards on 25-of-35 passing. He was intercepted twice.
"Our goal was to run and control the football," Walter said.
Walter's counterpart, Johnson, was hurried and harried. In his final game as a collegian, Johnson completed 17 of 31 passes for 269 yards and was sacked three times - twice by NCAA single-season record-holder Terrell Suggs.
Suggs, a junior defensive end, became ASU's career sacks leader; the two gave him 42 for his career and 22 on the season.
Arizona saw leads of 7-3, 13-10 and 20-13 evaporate in an effort to close a controversial season with two-straight victories.
Arizona saw a 20-13 third-quarter advantage erased when the Devils scored on three straight possessions.
Williams capped an 84-yard drive with a 4-yard run that tied it at 20 going into the fourth quarter.
ASU then took its first lead since 10-7 on its next possession, when Williams muscled past linebacker Lance Briggs for an 8-yard TD and a 27-20 lead.
Johnson was intercepted on Arizona's next play.
"That was the turning point of the game," Wade said. "They had that big push at the end of the game, and that was able to put them over the top."
Arizona's 13-10 halftime advantage might have been more if not for Beau Carr's fumble at the ASU 6-yard line on the first snap of the second quarter.
Suggs split two defenders and punched the ball out, spoiling a prime scoring opportunity after Ray Wells' third interception in two games and 33-yard return.
Carr, a true freshman, put up scoring runs of 1 yard and 6 yards in the first half as the Cats controlled the momentum.
"In a rival game, momentum is always going to go back and forth," said Briggs, who was credited with a game-high 15 tackles. "It just didn't work out this time."
Charles Durrenberger
