Should Wildcat fans feel sorry for Toledo fans?
by uofafanatic on Aug 30, 2010 5:40 PM PDT
in Arizona Wildcats Football
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PrintHeading into this Friday, when the Arizona Wildcats will face off against the Toledo Rockets, I am a bit torn. As a Wildcat fan, I want to see them dominate Toledo. To establish themselves offensively and defensively. I just wonder about the Toledo fan. It wasn’t that long ago that we, the Arizona faithful, were in their shoes. Publicly labeled as a warm-up team. A safe win. Do you remember how that felt? Well I do. It sucked. So, with so much going against Toledo here, I find myself wondering just how bad this will be for the Toledo fan. Having someone come to your stadium, on a nationally televised game, and dominate your team.
The mantra on the message boards has gone something like this. "We upset Colorado last year! We can upset Arizona this year!" As one of my favorite high school instructors liked to say, "Wrong-o, moose-breath". Colorado had a 3-9 season last year. They were awful. Arizona was a heartbeat away from the Rose Bowl. Toledo might try to claim that the Arizona defense will be raw at LB, and that will give them an advantage. Unfortunately, Toledo is breaking in a new QB, and the Wildcats are well above average at all other defensive positions.
But the main reason I am worried for the Toledo fan? The Holiday Bowl. I know, I know, I’m not allowed to mention that nightmare. Go ahead and send the hate for even mentioning it. However, there is no way that the Wildcats are taking Toledo for granted here. The mission here will be to remind the nation that the Arizona Wildcats are a top-level football team. Toledo has found itself in the un-enviable position of being the whipping-boy. Coach Stoops has shown himself to be a classy guy in the past, but who could blame him for running up the score here? The NCAA rewards running up the score in a normal scenario. In this case, running up the score will have the added benefit of helping to prove to voters across the country that this version of the Wildcats will not lose 33-0 to anyone.
In the end, I do feel bad for the Toledo fans. But I will be rooting for coach Stoops to take off the leash, and allow the Wildcats offense to put 70 on the Rockets.
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Dont get too cocky...
Fri., September 3
Arizona 31, Toledo 24: Nick Foles two second-half TD passes help the Wildcats avoid the upset against a very good Toledo offense -- this is a professional view point. i dont think 70+ is reasonable. I bet Toledo covers.
by Daniel Cocker Spaniel Savage on Aug 30, 2010 9:28 PM PDT reply actions
Class
I remember the bad days of Az football. I was in Iraq staying up till 3 or 4am just to listen to the games online, hoping for an upset or two. Now that we are on the up I still don’t see UA running up the score. Stoops is not that type of guy. Last year he had ample opportunity to run up the score on WSU. After the Wazzu game when asked about running the score Stoops stated how he remembered being at the bottom and he didn’t feel a need to run up the score. If that’s not class I don’t know what is.
I agree with you, coach Stoops has always been a classy guy. He is definitely not the type of guy to run up the score on someone. However, I can certainly see the motivation and payoff. Ultimately, untill the NCAA stops rewarding teams for running up the score on lesser teams (I’m looking at you, Florida and Alabama) coaches will face this decision.
Seriously
This entire article is nothing but a big trash talk. You better pray Arizona beats Toledo now, or you will look like a fool.
Well, this page is designed for Arizona Wildcat fans. I truly believe the Wildcats to be the better team, and not by a little. If Toledo pulls off the upset, I will absolutely give them all the credit they deserve. I just don’t see that coming to pass.
That’s cool, but I will still razz you if Toledo beats Arizona and say nothing if Toledo loses. All I am saying is Toledo has a habit of upsetting over confident BCS schools. Go Rockets! Arizona fans that make the trip to Toledo, I hope you enjoy Northwest Ohio!
History?
You mean when Toledo beat a terrible Colorado team last year? Or, when they lost 41-16 to Arizona the year before?
Beating Iowa State by one in 2007 doesn’t really count either. The Cyclones should be in the MAC.
There was one 13-10 victory over Michigan in 2008…however, Michigan went a cool 3-9 in 2008.
Kansas? #9 Pittsburgh? Cincinnati? Minnesota? Purdue? Penn St? Not all of the teams were mediocre. I am not arguing that Arizona should beat Toledo…they should, but I will talk a lot of smack if Toledo beats Arizona. Even if that’s just a slight chance of happening. Judging from Arizona’s previous season and returning players, in my book they look like they should win the PAC-10. Which is great to me because here in the Rust belt we get tired of hearing about the media loved USC and Oregon. Anyone can put together winning programs with enough money…..
Let's put that cart back behind the horse where it belongs
70+ is highly improbable. Opening week. Road game at night. First game with 2 offensive coordinators. Three running backs to spread the ball too (and chew clock). And, most importantly, the desire to stay vanilla on offense, knowing that Iowa coaches will be paying a ton of attention to our game film weeks 1 and 2.
Yes, on paper, Arizona is the superior team. As was Oregon in 2007 against Arizona in Tucson.
Do I feel bad for Toledo, or its fans? Not a chance. Win or lose against Toledo, this is football. They will be out there trying to beat us, all the same as we will be trying to beat them. The feelings of their fans are irrelevant to me.
Arizona@Toledo
2008 Lobos(4-8) 36 Wildcats 28
I doubt that the 2010 UA Defense will be be better than 2008’s.The Rocket Offense in 2008 ranked 85th.Rockets Ended up having to kick 3 FG’s instead of getting into the endzone against ‘Zona.. Last year, the Offense was #13, losing its starting QB in the 5th game with a torn rotator.
The new Rocket QB it’s breaking in was 2-1 in starts last season and put up almost 400yds of Total Offense his last game. He completed 66.4% of his passes with about 12.2 ypc. for the season.
Ohio State with it’s Heisman candidate QB put up 38 points on a really bad/ young Rocket Defense.Pryor played late into the game.I doubt if the Wildcats can put up much more than that against the Rockets.
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