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READ ABOUT HOW ARIZONA ACHIEVED ITS STICKERS IN THE FIRST THREE GAMES BY CLICKING ON THE RIGHT “NEXT” ARROWS
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Is Arizona’s success to this point — 3-0 record and No. 16 in the AP Top 25 — fool’s gold or the same kind of riches the program experienced last year with a Pac-12 South title?
The Wildcats’ first real test, perhaps the most significant one of the season, happens this Saturday when No. 9 UCLA comes to Arizona Stadium with the nation watching following an ESPN College GameDay telecast on campus.
Arizona has earned 26 helmet stickers to date against the likes of UTSA, Nevada and NAU after an 11-sticker performance against the shell-shocked Lumberjacks of the FCS in a 77-13 victory. If Arizona can continue to produce the stickers with a win against UCLA, it will put the Wildcats on the right path in the Pac-12 season with a road game against Stanford next week.
Encouraging to this point with the helmet stickers as a barometer for Arizona:
— Achieved at least 10 plays of 12 or more yards in each game, including a phenomenal 22 times in the lambasting of the Lumberjacks.
— Holds turnover margin of 6-2 after not allowing one against NAU. Anu Solomon has yet to throw an interception while producing 10 touchdown passes.
— Not beating itself with only seven penalties for 80 yards in the last two games.
— Without All-American linebacker Scooby Wright, the injury-riddled Wildcat defense has put pressure on the opposing quarterback the last two weeks, including five sacks against NAU. Arizona must keep UCLA true freshman quarterback Josh Rosen out of his comfort zone.
— Keeping Solomon safe with only four sacks allowed so far, including only one against NAU.
READ ABOUT HOW ARIZONA ACHIEVED ITS STICKERS IN THE FIRST THREE GAMES BY CLICKING ON THE RIGHT “NEXT” ARROW
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Site founder and award-winning sports journalist Javier Morales has published his first e-book, “The Highest Form of Living”, a fiction piece about a young man who overcomes a troubled upbringing without his lost father and wayward mother through basketball and hope. His hope is realized through the sport he loves. Basketball enables him to get past his fears. His experience on the court indirectly brings him closer to his parents in a unique, heartfelt way. Please order it at Amazon (for only $4.99) by clicking on the photo:
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