At 6-6, Arizona State’s chances at a bowl waiver to send them into the postseason are slim.
Then again, so were their chances at blocking Arizona’s likely game-deciding extra point that would have put the Wildcats up 21-20 with under a minute to play in the game.
But, Arizona State blocked not only that extra point attempt in regulation, but another in the second overtime to give ASU the 30-29 win over their in-state rival.
Because ASU scored a pair of wins against FCS schools this year, the Sun Devils needed 7 wins to reach bowl eligibility. Currently, there are 70 bowl eligible teams, meaning all 35 bowls have been filled. The university will make an appeal tomorrow to the NCAA with the hopes that they might take into account San Jose State’s decision to drop ASU from their schedule in favor of Wisconsin, who shelled out double the amount SJSU would’ve received from Arizona State.
In a pinch, the Sun Devils had to schedule Portland State, instead.
The loss marked Arizona’s fourth in a row, as the Wildcats stumble to end at 7-5. Earlier this season, Arizona defeated Iowa (who turned out to be underachievers as well) at home and it looked as though this might finally be the year Mike Stoops got his team over the hump to win a Pac-10 championship; they had been so close for the past few years.
It’s just that Arizona can’t seem to finish strong. It’s a problem that has plagued Stoops since he arrived in Tuscon and, after tonight, it doesn’t appear to be getting any better.