No. 2 Oregon attacked and Arizona watched.
It had no choice and basically had no chance vs. the Ducks in the 51-13 loss in Santa Clara, Calif., for the Pac-12 Conference title.
"They played well and we didn't," Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez said. "They outcoached us and outplayed us. They did a nice job; we didn't execute well."
UA tried to stop the Ducks, but couldn't hang on. And it couldn't get going on the offensive end.
It was a recipe for disaster for No. 7 Arizona.
Arizona had its worst performance of the year on its biggest stage, although it did face the best team it's faced this season.
Arizona couldn't muster up the magic it had in defeating the Ducks two months ago in Eugene. From the opening drive, Oregon applied pressure and never relented. In fact, the final score doesn't truly tell how bad the beating was ... it was probably worse.
"We came out from the get-go and attacked," said Oregon freshman running back Royce Freeman, who had 114 yards.
In a matter of a week, Arizona has gone from a glorious peak of a season to a thunderous thud. Who knows where the Wildcats go now when it comes to bowl games? Fiesta Bowl? Alamo Bowl?
The destination will be announced Sunday afternoon.
"I really don't know (about the bowl destination)," Rodriguez said. "To win the Pac-12 South is a great accomplishment by our guys, by our seniors. Proud that we got that. We should be in a very good bowl."
The blowout loss -- something that hasn't happened often in the Rich Rodriguez era -- didn't help matters in terms of the postseason destination.
"It's not the end, we have a bowl game," Rodriguez said. "Tonight was disappointing in the way we played. We have to give them a lot of credit. They are a very good football team. We didn't play well."
From start to near finish, Oregon dominated the Wildcats. Nothing Arizona tried worked. By halftime, Arizona's chances looked dire, inasmuch as it had just two first downs compared to Oregon's 18. The Wildcats were down 23-0, and it could have been worse as Oregon had to settle for three field goals.
It led Rodriguez to do something he hadn't done all season -- go to two backup quarterbacks, Jesse Scroggins and then Jerrard Randall in the second half.
"Times were challenging, but I have to toughen it out," Solomon said.
Rodriguez lauded Solomon's attempt at keeping at it, but he had been ineffective for the past few games (yet, UA still won) because of an ankle injury. According to the FOX game broadcast, Solomon's right ankle had been taped and re-taped.
"Anu has been battling an injury for a month," Rodriguez said. "I'm proud how he competed. Tonight wasn't a good night."
In fact, it was an epic failure. Arizona's fast-paced offense was suffocated by Oregon's superior talent, ending UA's two-game reign over the eventual Pac-12 champions. UA defeated Oregon 31-24 in early October.
"Arizona got the better of us this year (but) we never looked back," Oregon coach Mark Helfich said on FOX's postgame broadcast. "It's a different team this time of year."
Arizona could only muster 25 yards in total offense in the first half, finishing with 224 yards to Oregon's 627, the most yards UA has given up this season.
"They just played better than us," said UA's Dan Pettinato.
The Wildcats, who had played well against Mariota the previous two times, couldn't stop him or the Ducks all night. He completed 25 of 38 passes for 313 yards. He threw for two touchdowns and ran for a career-high three.
The yard differential was Oregon's best in more than a decade vs. Pac-12 competition.
Disappointing loss, love this team though, wouldn't want to go to war with anyone else. Gotta prepare to end this season off right #beardown
— Jared Tevis (@TucTownTevis) December 6, 2014
Arizona's game plan was to try to keep Mariota off the field, limit his touches and Oregon's potential scoring drives. But Arizona couldn't; Oregon had 57 plays in the first half and 94 for the game.
"When you have to go out that many times (to play defense)," Rodriguez said, "with that type of offense, they are going to get theirs. Our defense competed well I thought the whole game, particularly in the first half."
And it clearly wasn't good enough. Arizona's offense and special teams flopped. On its attempt for its first possession, freshman Tyrell Johnson fumbled away a kick return that set up Oregon's second field goal.
That set the tone for Arizona's demise.
"We just have to move on from this and be well," Solomon said.
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