[tps_title]Arizona’s record after a big loss to a ranked team?[/tps_title]
Since Arizona joined the Pac-10 in 1978, the Wildcats have lost by 20 or more points to a ranked team 21 times, including last week’s 56-30 loss to the eighth-ranked Bruins.
Arizona’s record after the previous 19 shellackings is 11-19.
It should be noted that John Mackovic’s teams from 2001-2003 were 1-5 in such circumstances. The lone win was against North Texas by a 14-9 score in Tucson a week after No. 22 Wisconsin beat the Wildcats 31-10 in Madison.
Arizona rarely bounced back after any setback under Mackovic, who had a well-known rift with some of the players.
Mike Stoops was 2-7 after losing to a top 25 team by 20 points or more. He had one of the most deadly runs a coach can go through in 2011 playing in succession No. 9 Oklahoma State (37-14 loss), No. 6 Stanford (37-10 loss), No. 10 Oregon (56-31 loss) and USC (48-41 loss). It actually was deadly. Stoops was fired a week after the loss to the Trojans.
Subract Mackovic and Stoops from these bounce-back attempts and Arizona is a respectable 8-7.
Tony Mason was 0-1. Larry Smith incredibly never lost to a ranked team by more than 20 points. Dick Tomey was 6-4. Rich Rodriguez is 2-2.
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He has also written articles for Bleacher Report and Lindy’s College Sports.[/tps_footer]
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