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Arizona Wildcats @ UCLA Bruins Football Preview

Are the Arizona Wildcats at a disadvantage this weekend or not? Perhaps the drama at the Rose Bowl stadium needs to unfold before that very question can be answered. However, if the events of October 23, 2010, are to be taken at face value, it could very well be that the Cats are in better shape than ever before as they get set to take on a reeling bunch of UCLA Bruins in Pasadena, California.

To many observers, it seemed that Arizona was going to be positioned between a rock and a hard place last weekend, as coach Mike Stoops’s club began life without regular starting quarterback Nick Foles, injured in an Oct. 16 win at Washington State. Foles has led the Arizona offense with distinction over the past few seasons, making the Wildcats a contender in the Pac-10 Conference and elevating the profile of the program. When he got knocked out of commission in the Palouse a week and a half ago, one had to wonder if the Wildcats would be able to regain their footing. Foles had established such a good rapport with his receiving corps, especially big-play threat Juron Criner, that the prospect of a backup coming onto the scene did not inspire a whole lot of confidence. When Matt Scott filled in for Foles last Saturday against the Washington Huskies, waves of uncertainty swept through the Arizona program and its fan base. No one really knew what to expect, and longtime followers of the Cats – the one Pac-10 program to have never reached the Rose Bowl game – could only hold their breath.

Well, they didn’t hold their breath for very long. In very short order, a backup quarterback turned worried expressions into exclamations that, when boiled down to their essence, said just one thing: “GREAT SCOTT!”

Indeed, Matt Scott wasn’t just a passable or serviceable second-stringer on the night he started in place of Foles. Scott completed 18-of-22 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He also rushed seven times for 65 yards in what was a virtually flawless performance. It was hardly hyperbolic to say that Scott performed at an almost-perfect level; Arizona’s 44-point explosion in a 30-point win over Washington revealed a new kind of Arizona quarterback. Whereas Foles is a pocket passer, Scott was able to make numerous plays on the run. It could well be that the Wildcats are even better equipped to flourish with Scott taking snaps.

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Standing in Scott’s way is a UCLA team that has two players – starting receiver Ricky Marvray and starting offensive left tackle Sean Sheller – serving a one-game suspension for a third positive drug test. One week earlier, against Oregon, UCLA went without the services of starting fullback Morrell Presleyand top kick returner Josh Smith, who were suspended for the very same reason. UCLA is 3-4 and in dire need of a victory if it expects to return to a bowl game this season. The Bruins’ defense is glad to be done with Oregon, and might find it very easy by comparison to tackle Arizona’s second-string quarterback. Yet, even if UCLA does contain Matt Scott, the loss of two offensive starters will make it that much harder for UCLA to score. The Bruins have posted just 20 total points in their last two games, so the last thing they needed was another pair of suspensions. Yet, if it turns out that Matt Scott took advantage of what is indeed a bad Washington defense, UCLA could turn the tables and prove that Arizona’s fresh face isn’t the breakout star some might view him to be.

It will all be very interesting to see how this game goes down. Will more shouts of “Great Scott!” fill the throats of Arizona fans watching on television in Tucson, or will the UCLA crowd on hand in Pasadena watch with glee as the Bruins sink their bear claws into Scott, terrorizing an up-and-down Arizona offense en route to a much-needed victory?

No one ever said that life in the Pac-10 was boring. Endless intrigue awaits this weekend in Westwood, as UCLA tries to save its sinking season.

By Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer