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Arizona had to clear it first with Cal and the Pac-12 before wearing white tonight (Arizona Wildcats YouTube video capture)
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Arizona has a good history wearing white from head to toe, the uniform combination the Wildcats will play tonight against Cal.
Some of Arizona’s most memorable victories have come with the Wildcats wearing all white uniforms with a white helmet, including the No. 1 game in school history according to this site: The 1981 upset of No. 1 USC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The Wildcats also achieved its most prestigious win in the program’s history wearing all white uniforms at Notre Dame in 1982.
One of the more unlikely times Arizona won wearing all white was the 1982 home game against ASU, the game in which the Wildcats spoiled the Sun Devils’ hopes for their first Rose Bowl berth. That was the last time Arizona wore white from head to toe in Tucson.
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NCAA rules dictate the home team must wear a jersey top with color except if the institution formally inquires about a change.
“We believe it is the first whiteout in the history of Arizona Stadium,” Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne wrote in his Wildcat Wednesday blog this week. “The team will wear their all-white uniform combo, which you don’t see the home team do too often.
“The rule is the home team is supposed to wear a dark color at home unless both teams have agreed to a different arrangement. We shared our plan with Cal over the summer and then had the Pac-12 sign off on it.”
The 1982 game between Arizona and ASU was not a “Whiteout” event for the Wildcats.
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ASU was so confident about winning the game that it showed up to Arizona Stadium with its maroon jerseys, which the Sun Devils wear in the comforts of Sun Devil Stadium. Arizona warmed up in its blue jerseys but was forced to wear its road white jerseys because of what ASU reportedly called a communication error.
Arizona thwarted ASU’s Rose Bowl plans with a 28-18 win, the first victory in “The Streak”, the legendary nine-year run without a loss to the Sun Devils.
ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He also writes articles for Bleacher Report and Lindy’s College Sports.
