Photos: The 1998 Arizona Wildcats football team
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The 1998 Arizona Wildcats football team under head coach Dick Tomey finished with a 12-1 record, an impressive win over the ASU Sun Devils and a victory over Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl.
Was it the best team in program history? Read Michael Lev's four-part series in the Arizona Daily Star starting Sunday, July 22, 2018.
1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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Arizona quarterback Ortege Jenkins flies over the Washington defensive line in the final moments of the game. Jenkins went over the linemen, rolled out and made a touchdown winning the game on 10/3/98.
Kevin Clark / The Washington Daily1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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Dennis Northcutt beats Northeast Louisiana University players (3) Dee Jefferson and (25) Brian Taylor to score during the second quarter on 10/24/98.
David Sanders / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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UA's Jeremy McDaniel #15 is stretching out as far as he can to catch a pass thrown by QB Keith Smith as a Washington State defender grabs on to his jersey on 11-7-98.
Benjie Sanders / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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Arizona Coach Dick Tomey directs the Wildcats against UCLA on 10/10/98.
Sergey Shayevich / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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Arizona football players Trung Canidate, Ortege Jenkins, Jeremy McDaniel, Dennis Northcutt and Keith Smith in 1998,.
Arizona Daily Star photo illustration1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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Iowa Hawkeye running back Ladell Betts stopped by UA (31) DaShon Polk, (56) Keoni Fraser, (99) Joe Tafoya, and (48) Daniel Greer in 1998.
Sarah Prall / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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Trung Canidate rushed for 1,229 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 7.3 yards per carry at Arizona in 1998.
Sergey Shayevich / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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Arizona's Jeremy McDaniel catches the ball in front of UCLA's Ryan Roques during the No. 3 Bruins' 52-28 win over the No. 10 Wildcats on Oct. 10, 1998, at Arizona Stadium.
Sergey Shayevich, Arizona Daily Star 19981998 Arizona Wildcats football
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UA tight end Mike Lucky (88) downs Washington State Cougar Grady Emmerson (44) as he heads for the end zone during first half action on 11/7/98.
Sergey Shayevich / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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UA receiver Dennis Northcutt heads downfield along the sidelines against UCLA on 10-10-98.
Jim Davis / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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UA football player Kelvin Eafon stretches over the goal for a touchdown with 40 seconds left in the third quarter against Oregon in 1998.
Sergey Shayevich / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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Wildcats players hoist their helmets in support of their teammates early in the first quarter against UCLA at Arizona Stadium on 10/10/98.
Sergey Shayevich / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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UA's Dennis Northcutt is lifted by teammates after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against Northeast Louisiana on 10/24/98.
James Wood / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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Kelvin Eafon (38) scores the Wildcats' first touchdown in the first quarter of Saturday's game at Arizona Stadium against the UCLA Bruins on 10/10/98.
Sergey Shayevich / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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ASU QB Ryan Kealy #8 is being sacked by UA's Mike Robertson #55 on 11-27-98.
Benjie Sanders / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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Quarterbacks Keith Smith, left, and Ortege Jenkins of the 1998 Arizona Wildcats football team.
Benjie Sanders, Arizona Daily Star 19981998 Arizona Wildcats football
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UA's Keith Smith tries to escape the grasp of Oregon's Chris Vandiver during the third quarter on 10/31/98.
James S. Wood / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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Trung Canidate looks back to see if anybody is going to catch him as he is off to the races for another touchdown against the Sun Devils on 11-27-98.
Benjie Sanders / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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UA's #40 Marcus Bell lowers the boom on ASU's #20 Gerald Green on 11-27-98.
Jim Davis / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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UA's defensive players Joe Tafoya #99 and Daniel Greer #48 close in on Oregon quarterback Akili Smith during the first half of action on 10-31-98.
Benjie Sanders / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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UA's Brandon Manumaleuna signals a touchdown to the crowd as he emerges from the goal line pack against UCLA on 10/10/98.
Sergey Shayevich / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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Iowa Hawkeye Bashir Yamini gets tackled by UA's LaChaux rich after a pass on 9/19/98.
David Sanders / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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UA wide receiver #13 Brad Brennan just had to get in on the fun and excitement of climbing up the goal post with the other fans as the Cats won a sweet revenge over the Sun Devils on11-27-98.
Benjie Sanders / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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UA running back Trung Canidate runs against the Washington State Cougars at Arizona stadium on 11/7/98.
Benjie Sanders / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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ASU's Kareem Clark, #26, pulls down UA wideout Dennis Northcutt as he hauls in a pass for a first down in the first half on 11/27/98.
David Sanders / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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UA fans during UA vs. Oregon football game on 10-31-98.
Sergey Shayevich / Arizona Daily Star1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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1Makoa Freitas (left) and Trung Canidate jump for joy about one of Canidate's three touchdowns. Trung Canidate celebrates a long run and touchdown with Makoa Freitas in the third quarter.
Mary Chind / Tucson Citizen1998 Arizona Wildcats football
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UA running back Trung Canidate gets interviewed by a Fox Sports analyst after UA's win over ASU as Candidate clutches a rose in his hands on 11/27/98.
David Sanders / Arizona Daily StarTags
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In honor of the 20th anniversary of the 1998 Arizona Wildcats — the best team in program his…
“The Leap by the Lake” became that magical season’s most memorable moment.
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