Issue date: 10/12/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Jake Lacey UA wide receiver Mike Thomas botches a punt return in the final minutes of last year's 20-3 loss to USC at Arizona Stadium. With no room for mistakes, the Wildcats face an agitated Trojan team - which lost to Stanford last Saturday -tomorrow in Los Angeles.

Throughout the season, the only thing the Arizona football team has done consistently is show that it is inconsistent. Just when it seems as if the Wildcats are ready to make a leap into the right direction, they take several steps backward.

After a promising rout over Washington State two weeks ago, it appeared like Arizona was ready to take on the rest of its conference schedule, but last Saturday the Wildcats showed that wasn't the case, as they were blown out by a less than stellar Oregon State squad.

If the Wildcats plan to show another glimpse of brightness with a victory, the task will be much taller than it has been earlier this season, as Arizona travels to Los Angeles to face high-powered USC tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. in front of a sold out crowd at the Coliseum.

"We just need to come out with a sense of urgency and make some more plays early," said UA head coach Mike Stoops. "That has kind of been our Achilles heel a little bit. … We just need to finish plays and make sure we are in the right position."

Arizona (2-4, 1-2 Pacific 10 Conference) has shown the whole year that it struggles to start off the game with a sense of urgency, as it has been dominated by its opponents in the first quarter, being outscored 73-33 in the opening frame.

The Wildcats found themselves down 24-3 at the end of the first quarter against the Beavers, something offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes said cannot become a trend, especially in the midst Pac-10 play.

"The thing we have to do is not worry about USC or Oregon State or whoever we are playing," Dykes said. "For now we just have to make sure we start off better and don't get behind early like that. … The offense has to do a better job of finishing drives and not giving the defense touchdowns."

Continued...

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