Bad to worst: Cats last in Pac-10 for first time (2003)

TEMPE - Going, going, gone.

Arizona football officially bottomed out Friday, finishing in last place for the first time in its 26-year affiliation with the Pac-10.

To make matters worse, rival Arizona State did the honors, putting a 28-7 whipping on the Wildcats before a crowd of 55,498 at Sun Devil Stadium.

The UA closed the books on one of its worst seasons in 104 years of football - going 2-10 overall and 1-7 in conference play. ASU improved to 5-7 and 2-6.

"They made plays and we didn't," UA interim coach Mike Hankwitz said.

It is the fewest wins for a UA team since a 1-8-1 mark in 1957, and the most losses ever.

The Sun Devils, who snapped a four-game skid, have won two straight in the series and four of the last five.

"Anytime you beat your archrival 28-7, I think that most Sun Devil fans would be very happy," said ASU coach Dirk Koetter, who improved to 2-1 against the Cats.

Arizona's inability to convert inside the red zone, coupled with the Devils' quick-strike offense, was the theme of the game.

Despite gaining 452 yards to ASU's 484, the Wildcats scored on only one of four drives inside the Sun Devils' 20-yard line.

With the score knotted at 7, Kris Heavner was picked off in the end zone on the second play of the second quarter on a fade pass intended for Michael Jefferson.

Trailing 21-7 late in the first half, Mike Bell was stripped of the ball at the ASU 23-yard line, costing the Cats a chance to pull within a touchdown.

Then in the third quarter, Nicholas Folk misfired on a 24-yard field goal try, striking the right upright with the UA still behind 21-7.

The last debacle seemed to sum up the year for the wrong-way Cats.

Two plays after Folk's missed kick, Andrew Walter found Derek Hagan all alone behind cornerback Michael Jolivette for an 80-yard scoring strike that effectively quashed the UA's hopes.

"We struggled," said Bell, who fell 80 yards shy of the 1,000-yard mark after running for 95 yards on 25 carries. "We were making dumb mistakes down by the goal line. It was frustrating."

Walter completed 16 of 26 passes for 281 yards and Loren Wade ran for 120 yards on 18 attempts to provide the balance for the Devils.

"This was one of those games where I felt Arizona didn't do much to stop us," Koetter said.

Added Walter: "When we could run the ball the way we did, it's tough for a defense not to bite on the play-action."

In the first half, Walter showed the form that positioned him as a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate. The junior was 8 of 8 for 109 yards with a pair of TDs on the Devils' first two scoring drives.

Walter hit Skyler Fulton for a 28-yard TD to cap the opening possession of the game before Arizona came right back with a 15-play scoring drive of its own.

Heavner found Jefferson behind the secondary from 16 yards to tie the game at 7.

Heavner was 5 for 6 for 69 yards on the drive, which was marred by three UA penalties for 30 yards. Because of the infractions, the Cats actually gained 106 yards on the 76-yard drive.

Heavner finished with 252 yards on 21-of-32 passing.

"They made that one big play that we needed throughout the day," Heavner said.

The Devils took a 14-7 advantage on Walter's 9-yard scoring strike to tight end Jamaal Lewis in the second quarter to punctuate a 95-yard drive.

ASU made it 21-7 at the half on a 40-yard sprint around left end by Wade, who had 119 of his yards in the first half.

"We let them get big plays at bad times, and that will kill you," said senior rover Clay Hardt, who led the Cats with 10 tackles. "I have to deal with the fact that I lost to those guys in my last game."

Worst ever?

A look at the worst records in UA football history. Minimum 10 games.

1-8-1 1957

2-10-0 2003

2-7-1 1949

3-7-0 1958

3-7-0 1965

3-7-0 1966

3-7-0 1969