UA’s Grigsby: “They’re Going to See We’re No Joke”
We already said what we had to say about Saturday’s game. So with the Sun Devils enjoying a week off from competition, we take a look down I-10 to check in with our friends to the South. All of Nic Grigsby’s big bowl talk seems a little silly now.
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It was a different kind of chirping emanating from Tucson last week. Rather than puffing out their chests over men’s basketball or softball (how’d those go last year, by the way?), the locals were talking about something they really don’t know much about—playing in a bowl game.
It was 1998 the last time the Wildcats appeared in football’s postseason. Only three programs in the entire country – Baylor, Duke and Vanderbilt – have suffered through longer droughts.
But with four wins in their first five games this year, the Wildcats were talking big last week.
Quoth running back Nic Grigsby: “If people want to underestimate us […] it’s just going to be bad for them. If they want to take us lightly, let them take us lightly. When they play us, they’re going to see we’re no joke.”
Saturday’s outcome? Stanford 24, Arizona 23
Now that’s our kind of comedy, Nic.
And so is this. Your team’s strength of schedule ranks 111th out of 119 nationally. Your wins have come against Idaho, Toledo, Washington and UCLA and you lost to New Mexico. And a quick look at your remaining schedule doesn’t reveal a whole lot of margin for error.
| Date | Opponent | Record |
| 10/18 | vs. California | 4-1 |
| 10/25 | vs. USC | 4-1 |
| 11/8 | at Washington State | 1-6 |
| 11/15 | at Oregon | 5-2 |
| 11/22 | vs. Oregon State | 3-3 |
| 12/6 | vs. Arizona State | 2-4 |
The Wildcats need two more wins to become bowl eligible. For the sake of argument, we’ll give them a victory at Washington State even though the Cougars are always tough at home.
That leaves us hoping the Wildcats are one win shy of bowl eligibility when ASU comes calling on December 6. They’ve crushed our bowl dreams enough over the last 30 years that it’d be nice to return the favor.
Of course, when they crush our dreams, we’re dreaming of Pasadena. A win on December 6 would probably just prevent the Wildcats from playing in the Emerald or Poinsettia Bowl.
Hey, when it comes to Arizona and the postseason, we guess we’ll take what we can get.
What’s Your Take, Sun Devils?
What are the chances the Wildcats advance to the postseason? We say 50-50 as long as Tuitama survives consecutive games against Cal and USC. Give us your odds in the comments below.
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Our thoughts on Rudy Carpenter getting his due against Cal.
Our debate on Michael Crow’s campaign to supersize ASU.
Our celebration of Mill Avenue’s top 10 ranking.
That ASU-UA game is either going to be really fun, or really, really terrible.
What could be better than going down to North Nogales and driving a pitchfork right through Wilbur’s proverbial heart and shutting the door on their hopes of playing a late-December football game in hospitable Boise or Seattle?
Agree with ak47. As always, that’s the only day of the year where I know in advance that it’s either going to be the best day ever or the worst day ever, depending on the outcome of that game.
Of course, the sad thing is that we could be fighting for our own bowl lives at that point (and that’s a best case scenario, given the way the Devils have played thus far.) The big difference is that if we go 6-6 and make it to some piddly game in Vegas or Seattle, it’ll be a huge disappointment and heads will roll. If they get to 6-6 and make it to some piddly game in Vegas or Seattle, it’ll be the best day that anyone associated with their program has had in a decade. When you’ve been down so far that you have to celebrate moving up to mediocrity, is it really worth celebrating?
“Proverbial heart”?
Wilber doesn’t have a heart? I’m sure he does, it’s just black and shriveled and cold. Now, a soul? I be the has no soul? …And don’t get me started on Wilma…
I’d just like to say, it’s an honor that half of my favorite Valley morning show of all time a) likes my posting name and b) agrees with me that ASU is boring in ’08.
“I be the has no soul?”
I bet he has no soul.
A typo and punctuation mistake in the same sentence…. good thing I don’t write for a living.
As a realistic Cats fan, I have to say that the first 5 games were definitely a mirage defensively…But a 3-3 record to finish the season will get em into a bowl game. I think this team is good enough to get 3 more Pac-10 wins…plus you know they’ll find a way to upset Cal or USC at home…it’ll be interesting, but my bowl odds are 65-35 in their favor
Wazzu is not tough this year. No matter how tough pullman is ua wins there easily. I bet they get one other win over osu (at home that helps)6-6 gets a pac team int oa bowl this year. Blessing in disguise a bowl gets stoops an extension. rejoice devils rejoice