Issue date: 10/10/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Alan Walsh Freshman running back Nicolas Grigsby gets sandwiched between two California defenders in Arizona's 45-27 loss Sept. 22 at California Memorial Stadium. Grigsby had a breakthrough performance the following week against Washington State.

Up and down. Up and down. That's been the story of the first half for the Arizona football team.

No one on the Wildcat roster could have predicted a 2-4 record heading into arguably its toughest matchup of the year, a date with No. 10 USC in Los Angeles.

Expectations before the season were sky-high, with excitement brewing over a new offensive coordinator and a defense that featured eight seniors.

A bowl berth was seemingly the biggest goal for the 2007 season, and while it may seem out of the question right now, the Wildcats still don't have a sinking feeling.

"You can't ever get that," said linebacker Spencer Larsen. "We work too hard to lay down and give up."

Larsen pointed to last season, when Arizona was 2-4 at the half and could have clinched a bowl berth with a win over ASU on the final game of the season.

It may not be as easy this year. Following the matchup with the Trojans, the Wildcats will face teams such as UCLA, Oregon and ASU, all teams that have been ranked in the top 15 nationally at one point this season.

"We wish we were better, but we still have a lot of things to play for," said UA head coach Mike Stoops. "We just haven't played as well as we needed to against good teams."

The good teams Stoops speaks of are all teams that made bowl games last year. Losses to Brigham Young, New Mexico, California and Oregon State - all bowl teams last year - damned the first half thus far, accounting for all of Arizona's losses.

The Wildcats' only two wins came against teams that didn't play any postseason games in 2006. If the trend continues, Arizona would finish the season 4-8.

Continued...

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