Wilkerson scores on fourth and one

After Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck connected with receiver Chris Owusu for 39 yards with four minutes left in the first quarter, Arizona managed to hold the Cardinal rushing game to a 4th-and-1. Instead of kicking the field goal, Stanford head coach David Shaw decided to go for it. Running back Anthony Wilkerson ran a counter sweep to the weak side, which left the Wildcats blind, and scampered into the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown run, putting the Cardinal up 10-0.

Missed field goal No. 1

With 1:22 left on the clock before halftime, UA quarterback Nick Foles was running a two-minute drill to perfection. The Wildcats marched their way downfield from their own 21-yard line to the Stanford 43 when Foles threw one up to Juron Criner in the end zone. Criner was hit and bobbled the ball before it fell to the grass. A pass interference call set up a 45 yard field goal attempt that Jaime Salazar kicked toward the wrong side of the goal post and that sent the Wildcats into the locker room down by six points instead of three.

Missed field goal No. 2

The Wildcats received the ball to start the second half and it looked as if the lagging running game was starting to pick up. Arizona running back Keola Antolin rushed for 49 yards on the first three plays of the half, but back-to-back incompletions forced the Wildcats to set up another field goal. Salazar again came out to attempt the 36-yarder and missed it wide right, essentially deflating any momentum that the Wildcats gained in that first drive.

The offside call on the fourth down

With Arizona trailing 23-10 at the end of the third quarter, cornerback Shaquille Richardson batted down a ball intended for Owusu on third down, forcing Stanford to punt on their own 27-yard line. As Stanford punter David Green snapped the ball, the play was blown dead and Arizona was called for an offside penalty, resulting in a first down for the Cardinal.

Luck to Toilolo for six

As a result of the offside call, the Cardinal continued to march down the field as time expired in the third quarter. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Stanford had the ball on the Wildcats’ 34-yard line. Luck dropped back and fired to a wide-open Levine Toilolo, who bolted into the end zone for a touchdown that put a dagger into the hearts of the Arizona faithful. After Stanford kicker Jordan Williamson hit the extra point, the Wildcats trailed 30-10, and the game was already over with 14:54 remaining on the clock.