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CATCH UP ON THE COUNTDOWN BY VISITING: ARIZONA’S TOP 100 INDIVIDUAL RECORDS
Only 21 days — three weeks from today — separate us from the start of Rich Rodriguez’s fifth season, when the Arizona Wildcats football team plays Brigham Young on Sept. 3 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.
As is customary on this Web site, we will count down the days with an interesting element associated with each day. This year the topic is the top 100 individual records in Arizona’s storied football past.
In past years, we have counted down the top games and highlighted players and some of the top plays in Arizona Wildcats football history. A couple of years ago in our top 100 countdown, we showcased the 1914 team that was responsible for Arizona becoming the “Wildcats”.
Back to this year’s countdown of the top 100 individual records in the 117 years of Arizona football:
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Dennis Northcutt and Bobby Wade fittingly share the Arizona record for most consecutive games catching a pass at 42 games because they are two of the best to play the receiver position for the Wildcats.
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No. 21
Most consecutive games catching a pass: 42, Dennis Northcutt (Oct. 26, 1996, vs. Oregon St. to Nov. 27, 1999, vs. ASU); Bobby Wade (Sept. 18, 1999, vs. Stanford to Nov. 29, 2002, vs. ASU, missed one game due to injury)
Pac-12 record: 53, D.J. Foster, ASU, 2012-15
NCAA record: 54, Bryan Anderson, Central Michigan, 2006-09
The Arizona record of consecutive games catching a pass exemplifies the durability, skill and athleticism of Dennis Northcutt and Bobby Wade at the receiver position.
Dennis Northcutt and Bobby Wade are synonymous with catching a lot of passes for an extended period of time at Arizona so it is fitting they share the record of most consecutive games with a reception at 42 games.
They were teammates in 1999 when Northcutt was a senior and Wade a freshman. It was a passing of the baton of Northcutt to Wade in terms of receiving greatness at Arizona when Northcutt exhausted his eligibility.
As a senior in 1999, Northcutt broke the Pac-10 record at the time of 37 games set by John Jackson of Southern California from 1986-89. He capped his career with an 80-yard touchdown reception against ASU on Nov. 27, 1999.
Wade finished his Arizona career in 2002 with six receptions for 109 yards against the Sun Devils,
completing his 42-game streak.
“I was leaving a legacy a senior,” Wade told John Moredich of the Tucson Citizen after the game. “Trying to leave a mark, leaving a stepping stool so guys can understand what being a team player is all about. That’s all I’ve been trying to do — just help peform each game, each week.”
During Wade’s streak he missed one game due to injury otherwise he may have the record all to his own. The missed game was against San Diego State at Arizona Stadium on Sept. 16, 2000, because of a sore shoulder. Wade was at 11 consecutive games catching a pass at that point. He of course went on to catch at least one pass in his 31 remaining games in his stellar career.
ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon.
