Arizona claws back into race
By Bob Baum
The Associated Press
TUCSON, Ariz.— Despite all
that’s gone wrong, Arizona finds
itself in the thick of the Pac-10
football race. The Wildcats (5-2)
have the best overall record of any
team in the conference.
If Pac-10 leader Stanford stum
bles, Arizona could find itself
with its first Rose Bowl berth in
the school’s history. Such a goal
seemed far out of reach after the
Wildcats opened their season by
being routed 41-7 by Penn State,
then lost their Pac-10 opener at
home, 50-22, to Stanford.
Since then, Arizona has won
three straight, including two con
ference games. None of the wins
was all that impressive, but in the
down-and-out Pac-10, with no
team ranked in the Top 25, it’s
enough to move Arizona back
into a contender’s role.
While Stanford leads the league
at 4-0, four teams are 2-1 — Ari
zona, Arizona State, California
and Washington.
Stanford has consecutive road
games the next three weeks
against Southern California,
Washington and Arizona State.
“They’ve got a tough, tough
road coming up,” Arizona coach
Dick Tomey said Tuesday. “If
they can go through that, then
more power to them. But I would
suspect that all of the bullets have
not been shot at this point. I think
it’s going to get crazy.”
In order to stay in contention,
the Wildcats probably can’t afford
another loss. Arizona is home
against Oregon on Saturday night.
“It’s the most important game
I’ve ever played,” Wildcats center
Bruce Wiggins said. “If we’re talk
ing about going to the Rose Bowl,
we need to win this game.”
As well as the following games
against UCLA, Washington, Ore
gon State and Arizona State.
Tomey said his team’s perfor
mance in its last Pac-10 game, a
31-24 victory over USC two
weeks ago, won’t be good enough.
“As I said to them the other
day, if we play like we did against
USC we’ll probably be about 2-3
in our last five,” Tomey said. “We
need to play better, because you
have to assume that everybody is
going to get better. If we’re not get
ting better, we’re not competitive.
The focus is on making an enor
mous improvement this week.
The team that wins this whole
thing will be the team that im
proves the most from today to the
end of the season.”
Improved play from the offen
sive line has helped Arizona fi
nally get its running game in gear.
The Wildcats rushed for 396
yards in last week’s 34-21 non
conference victory over UTEP, its
highest total since 1981. Trung
Canidate was named Pac-10 of
fensive player of the week after
rushing for 202 yards in 27 car
ries, including a 60-yard touch
down run. It was the eighth time
in his career that he’s had a scor
ing run of 60 yards or more.
The improved ground game has
helped all aspects of the team’s
play.
“When you’re out there run
ning the ball, the defensive line is
sitting down drinking water and
getting some rest,” Wiggins said.
Tomey wasn’t tipping his hand
on who would get the most play
ing time at quarterback. Keith
Smith, who had edged out Ortege
Jenkins going into last week, went
out with bruised ribs on the fifth
play of the UTEP game. Jenkins
rallied the team from a 14-0
deficit. He had a 52-yard run to
set up one touchdown and was
10-of-17 for 113 yards and a
touchdown.
“We’ll just see what happens
this week,” Tomey said. “We
have all the options in the world,
and we’d just like to keep it that
way. That’s not the biggest deci
sion we have.”
For a select few,
taking a $125,000
Job on Wall Street
is not “going out into
the real world.”
I
PEACE CORPS
How far are you willing to go to make a difference?
Attend Our Information Session
Thursday, October 21, 6:30 - 8 pm
EMU - Rogue Room
Stop by the Peace Corps Info Table
Wednesday, October 20, 0 am - 3 pm
Thursday, October 21, 9 am - 3 pm, In the EMU
For more info or to schedule an interview, contact U of O
Campus Recruiter Fred Jarman at (541) 346-6026
vraw.peacecorps.gov • 1-800-424-8580
FIND THINGS IN ODE CLASSIFIEDS (BICYCLES, PETS, CARS, JOBS,
ROOMMATES, APARTMENTS, CONCERT TICKETS, PLANE TICKETS,
STUFF YOU LOST, TYPING SERVICES, ON-CAMPUS OPPORTUNITIES)
Pac-10 notes
Continued from Page 7
ceiver.
A big Big Game
The Bay Area’s “Big Game”
may actually be big this season,
worth more than its usual local
bragging rights.
Maybe.
Stanford is the only remaining
unbeaten team in Pac-10 play. Nev
er mind that in nonconference
play, the Cardinal’s record stands
at 0-2.
Its two losses have come against
Texas and San Jose State, which
was blown out by Rice one week af
ter the Spartans dumped Stanford.
The Cardinal ranks 110th out of
114 Division 1-A teams in total de
fense and is allowing opponents
more than 454 yards per game.
It’s too bad for the rest of the
Pac-10 that neither Stanford’s
weak defense nor its dismal non
conference results at all taint the
Cardinal’s run for the Rose Bowl.
“We’re in a good position now,”
said Stanford receiver Troy Wal
ters to a local paper. “Things are
looking rosy.”
The situation is looking far from
bleak for the Card’s Bay Area rival,
California. At least not as long as
the Golden Bears are on defense.
Last Saturday, Cal held UCLA
scoreless, marking the first time
since Sept. 24,1994, that the Bru
ins had been shut out. It’s been the
Bears’ defense that made possible
Cal’s four-way tie for second place
in the Pac-10. The Bears’ lead the
conference in total defense, rush
ing defense and sacks.
Really though, the defensive
has to be good, to make up for the
Bears’ completely unimposing of
fense, which averages just more
than 16 points, nearly 140 passing
yards and 252 total yards per game
—all worst in the Pac-10.
Mirjam Swanson is the assistant sports editor for
the Emerald.
X-Country
Continued from Page 7
and the severity of the condition
was unknown at press time.
Three times an All-American?
Two-time All-American Steve
Fein further enhanced his
chances at a third with his second
consecutive individual title, win
ning the Pre-NCAAs with a time
of 24 minutes, 6 seconds.
“I’m real pleased with the way
the season is going,” Fein said. “My
goal coming in was to be in the top 5
at the national meet, and so far I’ve
been able to get off to a great start. ”
Fein, who followed coach Mar
tin Smith to Oregon from Wiscon
sin, credits Smith with Oregon’s
success.
“Coach Smith brought in the
right guys and has this program go
ing in the right direction,” Fein
said. “He’s a great strategic teacher
of cross country and is going to get
Oregon back at the top where it be
longs.”
Jeff Smith is a sports reporter for the Emerald. He
can be reached via e-mailatsmittside@aol.com.
[007319
The TIME you call is the PRICE ($) you pay for a large,
one-topping QUALITY pizza from PAPA JOHN’S!!!!
Every Monday, Tuesday and
Wednesday 6-8 p.m. in October...
(valid 6-8 p.m. Mon-Wed in October)
30 West 29th Ave.
■ i pTr ■!_ -s '
rPAPflJOHUSi ^4-PAPA (7272)
Better Ingredients. ’ Free Delivery
Better Pizza. Order Online: www.papajohns.com
Ever dreamed of taking on the Emerald
Staffers in the weekly "Pac-10 Picks" that
appear in editions of Game Day? Now is your
chance! Simply march up to the Emerald
offices at Suite 300 in the EMU, fill out an
entry form and deposit it in the box to the
left of the receptionist desk. Deadline is
every Wednesday by 5 pm. Winners will be
notified Thursday mornings. Then you could
get the chance to prove your
.^tJNG PROWESS.
Emerald