Arizona has made its season debut in the USA Today Coaches' Poll this week at #23. The Coaches Poll (otherwise known as: The Poll That Matters) squeaked Arizona in with 128 points, ahead of BYU and South Carolina.
Now, before we start getting all FINALLY SOME RESPECT ARIZONA IS GOING TO THE BOWL GAME THAT SHALL NOT BE NAMED ZOMG!!11!!11, let's put this in perspective. One game down, eleven to go. Arizona looked excellent Friday night. Beyond week one expectations good. But, the talent level Arizona will face in the Pac-10 this season will far outweigh the Rockets of the Glass Bowl. The Citadel visits this weekend, and no one in Tucson wants to go all Ole Miss and face-plant in front of the home crowd.
The big takeaway: getting recognized by the pollsters this early in the season is a testament to how far this program has come since Mackovic's Reign of Terror. Man, that guy. So, let's celebrate this moment of recognition (briefly). There is a ton of season left. And, hopefully, there will be plenty weeks to come where everyone in Bear Down country eagerly anticipates the release of these polls.