The 2009 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Wildcats, led by sixth-year head coach Mike Stoops, played their home games at Arizona Stadium.
Arizona hosted Central Michigan of the Mid-American Conference to begin the season on September 5, 2009 (with a 19–6 win), and ended the regular season with a 21–17 win over perennial conference power, then-ranked #20 Southern California on December 5, 2009; this was the first victory over USC by the Wildcats in the Mike Stoops era.
In addition to the slate of nine conference games, four at home and five on the road, the Wildcats traveled to Iowa City, Iowa and lost to the Iowa Hawkeyes of the Big Ten (who eventually finished with a #10 AP Poll ranking and an invitation to the Orange Bowl), and hosted in-state sister school Northern Arizona of the Big Sky Conference the preceding week.
After posting an 8–4 regular season record (6–3 in the Pac-10, good for a second-place tie in the conference with Oregon State and Stanford), the Wildcats were invited to appear in the 2009 Holiday Bowl in San Diego, the second consecutive postseason bowl game for the Arizona football program under Stoops. The Wildcats were shut out 33–0 by Nebraska.
The Wildcats finished the regular season with an Associated Press poll ranking of #22, their first national ranking since the 2000 season.
Schedule
Schedule source: 2009 Arizona Wildcats football schedule and Arizona Official Athletic Site .
Rankings
Game summaries
vs Central Michigan
Statistics CMU ARIZ First downs 1124 Total yards 182448 Rushing yards 20–7446–246 Passing yards 252434 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18–31–119–30–1 Time of possession 22:0837:45 Team Category Player StatisticsCentral Michigan Passing Dan LeFevour18/31, 108 yards, INT Rushing Antonio Brown3 carries, 31 yards Receiving Kito Poblah6 receptions, 47 yardsArizona Passing Matt Scott19/30, 202 yards, INT Rushing Nic Grigsby23 carries, 118 yards, TD Receiving Terrell Turner6 receptions, 55 yards
The Wildcats’ season began following a 43-minute lightning delay, the second straight year the Arizona season opener was delayed by lightning.
Central Michigan was flagged for a false start on its first play from scrimmage. After a short completion and a trap-play run, CMU quarterback Dan LeFevour was intercepted by LB Vuni Tuihamalaka at the Chippewas’ 31, but the Wildcats, on their third play from scrimmage (in the person of WR Bug Wright) coughed up the ball at CMU's 16. The UA forced Central Michigan to go three-and-out on its second drive, then drove to score.
The 'Cats forced a second turnover just before the end of the quarter. Linebacker C.J. Parish drilled CMU's Antonio Brown on a punt return, forcing the ball loose. UA longsnapper Jason Bertoni, who started his career at Central Michigan (before leaving the Chippewa program in 2007 for personal reasons), recovered at CMU's 28.
The Wildcats gained seven yards on three plays, setting up a 37-yard Alex Zendejas field goal. Zendejas hit a total of four field goals in his first college start.
Arizona's first touchdown of the season came midway through the second quarter.
Freshman QB Matt Scott led the Wildcats on a nine-play, 63-yard drive. RB Nic Grigsby capped it with a three-yard run up the middle. Zendejas’ PAT made it a 13-point lead.
Central Michigan was hampered by the quickness of the Arizona defense and didn't score until there were 12 minutes 21 seconds remaining in the game; even then, the team failed to convert on a two-point conversion that would have made it a one-possession game.
Scott completed 10 of 17 first-half passes for 110 yards. Sophomore QB Nick Foles did not play a snap in the entire game. TE Rob Gronkowski, a key offensive weapon for Arizona in 2008 and speculated to be a future top NFL draft pick, did not play in the opener because of a back injury.
vs Northern Arizona
Statistics NAU ARIZ First downs 1327 Total yards 226559 Rushing yards 19–6747–365 Passing yards 159194 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 20–30–220–28–1 Time of possession 24:0835:52 Team Category Player StatisticsNorthern Arizona Passing Michael Herrick20/32, 159 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Alex Henderson14 carries, 56 yards Receiving Ed Berry7 receptions, 71 yards, 2 TDArizona Passing Matt Scott14/20, 150 yards, TD, INT Rushing Nic Grigsby15 carries, 207 yards, 2 TD Receiving Terrell Turner5 receptions, 46 yards, TD
The Wildcats were effective, if not totally crisp, in a 34–17 win over in-state rival Northern Arizona (NAU), a FCS (formerly Division I-AA) member of the Big Sky Conference.
Junior RB Nicolas Grigsby rushed for two touchdowns; Grigsby's two scores — a 25-yard run and a 30-yard run — helped pace the Wildcats through a sometimes-choppy first half in front of 50,623 at Arizona Stadium.
He was key to the Wildcats' final drive of the second quarter, an 18-play, 99-yard march. WR Terrell Turner gave the Wildcats a 21–10 lead with a 2-yard touchdown catch from starting QB Matt Scott, a play after WR Delashaun Dean hauled in a 23-yard grab. Dean was drilled by two NAU players at the end of the play, and had to be helped off the field. Scott then found Turner on a short pass to pad the Wildcats' lead.
Arizona added two scores in the second half to put the Lumberjacks away. Sophomore RB Keola Antolin punched in a 1-yard score on the first play following Grigsby's 94-yard run to give the Wildcats a 27–10 lead with 10 minutes left in the quarter.
Backup quarterback Nick Foles hit Juron Criner for a 5-yard touchdown pass on the second play of the fourth quarter to make it 34–10.
The Wildcats began emptying their bench midway through the third quarter. Foles entered the game with 7:15 remaining in the quarter, and drove the team about 40 yards before fumbling a snap and turning the ball over. CB Trevin Wade's second interception of the third quarter gave Arizona the ball back.
Arizona has not lost to NAU since 1937. All three of Arizona's state universities (Arizona, NAU and Arizona State) are obligated under state law to play one another in athletic contests each year.
at Iowa
Statistics ARIZIOWA First downs 819 Total yards 253338 Rushing yards 25–14842–133 Passing yards 231228 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 10–26–120–32–1 Time of possession 22:0437:56 Team Category Player StatisticsArizona Passing Nick Foles6/11, 55 yards, TD Rushing Nic Grigsby11 carries, 75 yards Receiving David Roberts2 receptions, 44 yardsIowa Passing Ricky Stanzi20/32, 205 yards, INT Rushing Adam Robinson18 carries, 101 yards, TD Receiving Marvin McNutt2 receptions, 50 yards
The Hawkeyes scored on the opening drive, with a 2-yard touchdown run by Adam Robinson. But Arizona tied the score at 7 after Trevin Wade returned a Ricky Stanzi interception 38 yards into the end zone.
The Wildcats struggled with their few offensive chances.
QB Matt Scott missed a handful of open receivers in the third quarter, and — on a play that could have changed the momentum of the game — WR Delashaun Dean dropped what would have been a 50-yard gain. Dean appeared to trap the ball between his leg and the ground; a video replay rule confirmed that it was an incomplete pass.
Iowa's defense would again prove to be the difference-maker in this game, not allowing a touchdown until 1:53 was remaining in the game, with the Hawkeyes well ahead. Iowa safety Tyler Sash, with a grab of a Matt Scott pass intended for Terrell Turner, also netted his seventh interception in five games (dating back to last year).
Nick Foles came in at QB in the fourth quarter and went 6 for 11 with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Juron Criner, but, as noted above, the damage was already done.
The loss dropped Arizona to 0–7 against Big Ten teams in the last decade; the Wildcats’ last nonconference road win of any kind came in 2001, when John Mackovic's Wildcats defeated San Diego State.
Iowa/UA Recap. Retrieved September 20, 2009.
at Oregon State
Statistics ARIZOSU First downs 2528 Total yards 388407 Rushing yards 33–13430–104 Passing yards 254303 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 25–34–031–49–2 Time of possession 31:1928:41 Team Category Player StatisticsArizona Passing Nick Foles25/34, 254 yards, 3 TD Rushing Keola Antolin12 carries, 46 yards Receiving Greg Nwoko4 receptions, 76 yardsOregon State Passing Sean Canfield31/47, 303 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Jacquizz Rodgers16 carries, 85 yards, 2 TD Receiving James Rodgers8 receptions, 119 yards
Running behind a third-string tailback and second-team left tackle, right guard and wide receiver (as well as a new starting QB, sophomore Nick Foles, the transfer from Michigan State) the Wildcats defeated Oregon State 35–32 at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, in the Pac-10 opener for Arizona. The Wildcats started the game without a half-dozen starters, including tight end Rob Gronkowski (who would end up being out the rest of the 2009 season due to back surgery). Tailbacks Nicolas Grigsby and Keola Antolin were out of the game by halftime with shoulder and leg injuries, respectively (Grigsby would not fully recover until the end of the season).
That left the Wildcats with third-stringer Greg Nwoko at running back. The redshirt freshman from the Austin, Texas area delivered: His 52-yard catch-and-run on a screen pass set Arizona up for its second touchdown of the quarter, a 3-yard pass from quarterback Nick Foles to receiver Juron Criner. Nwoko rushed nine times for 44 yards and a touchdown in the first extended action of his career.
Arizona took the lead early in the third quarter, when Foles — making his first college start — dove in on a sneak from the 1-yard line. Foles led his team on a 15-play, 71-yard scoring drive in the first quarter, connecting with WR Delashaun Dean for a 2-yard touchdown pass.
The Beavers scored their first touchdown with 2 minutes remaining in the quarter, when Damola Adeniji caught a tipped pass from QB Sean Canfield for an 11-yard score. James Rodgers gave OSU a 14–7 lead with a 2-yard run midway through the second quarter. Arizona tied the game on Nwoko's touchdown, but the Beavers re-took the lead on the final play before halftime. Justin Kahut's 21-yard field goal made it 17–14.
Foles appeared to put the game away when he found WR Terrell Turner for a 13-yard touchdown pass with eight minutes remaining, but the Beavers — resilient and persistent — proved tough to put away. Canfield found Aaron Nichols for a 13-yard score with 4:09 remaining, cutting Arizona's lead to 3.
CB Devin Ross intercepted Canfield with 1 minute 33 seconds remaining.
Even after surrendering a safety with 25 seconds left, Oregon State recovered an onside kick and had the ball, down five points, in their zone. This time, Arizona made the plays. Sacks by Earl Mitchell and Ricky Elmore ended the game.
Grigsby left the game after just one rushing attempt with what was discovered to be a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder. He was never fully healthy the rest of the season.
at Washington
Statistics ARIZWASH First downs 2614 Total yards 461256 Rushing yards 30–7724–116 Passing yards 384140 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 39–53–212–23–1 Time of possession 39:1920:41 Team Category Player StatisticsArizona Passing Nick Foles39/53, 384 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Greg Nwoko16 carries, 54 yards, TD Receiving David Roberts12 receptions, 138 yards, TDWashington Passing Jake Locker12/23, 140 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Jake Locker11 carries, 92 yards, TD Receiving Devin Aguilar3 receptions, 43 yards, 2 TD
In a controversial play, Washington LB Mason Foster intercepted a deflected pass off the foot of Arizona's Delashaun Dean (who insisted the pass hit the ground) and returned the carom 37 yards for a touchdown with 2:37 left, and the Huskies rallied with two touchdowns in the final three minutes to beat the Wildcats 36–33 in Seattle.