Now is time to find out who’s really an Arizona football fan.

At this point, even the most optimistic UA student knows the chances of the Wildcats winning three of their final four games, with contests at Washington State and No. 25 Oregon and at home against No. 12 California and ASU, are about as realistic as the Arizona Cardinals making a push for the playoffs.

Many fans have already jumped off the bandwagon, as evidenced by the lack of fans waiting when the gates opened an hour and a half before kickoff and the mass exodus of red shirts at halftime, with the Wildcats trailing just 14-3.

Sure, Arizona hadn’t shown much life offensively in the first half, and the defense had given up a pair of touchdowns, but it’s not like the Wildcats trailed 38-3 (which, by the way, didn’t faze Michigan State, as the Spartans came back from a 38-3 deficit to beat Northwestern 41-38). It was just 14-3.

Apparently these fans didn’t understand that with one punt return and a defensive touchdown that nearly happened a couple times, it’s a completely different game.

Anybody who watched Monday Night Football last week knows this, as the Cardinals’ defense forced six turnovers and allowed just 168 net yards yet still found a way to lose when the Bears returned two turnover of their own for a touchdown and added a kick return for six.

The Wildcats got the punt return for a touchdown from wideout Syndric Steptoe but weren’t able to return any of the three turnovers they forced for a score.

In any case, everybody who left early missed a game that went down to the final play, a Kris Heavner desperation heave that would have tied the game if thrown a bit longer.

If a number of students wouldn’t stick around for an ending like that, why would anybody show up when the Golden Bears come to town or even cut Thanksgiving break short to see the Wildcats and Sun Devils?

The answer: These are the years that make a bowl game all the better.

Sure, “”these years”” should never number eight, but believe it or not, one of these years the Wildcats will make it to a bowl. If the Detroit Tigers, the same Tigers who lost 119 games and missed the record for losses by one game three years ago, can make the World Series, the Arizona football team can eventually climb up to .500.

Anybody can jump on the bandwagon when things are going well, but only the true fans, the ones there for the lopsided losses and the monster Homecoming upsets (not that I’m predicting another one) can truly enjoy the bowl game.

Take it from somebody still waiting as far as the National Football League goes.

I am, after all, a Cardinals fan.