Prayer answered: Hail Mary sends Arizona past Cal in wild finish
TUCSON, Ariz. -- White Out? Actually, white hot.
Arizona was exactly that in the fourth quarter of its remarkable come-from-behind 49-45 win against California in Arizona Stadium in front of what was left of a 45,595-person crowd.
"Improbable," as Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez said, probably doesn't explain it as the Wildcats came storming back to score a record 36 points in the final quarter to snatch the win on a last-second Hail Mary.
Arizona's hurricane that never happened earlier in the week -- weatherwise -- happened Saturday night.
When senior Austin Hill came down with the ball on Anu Solomon's Hail Mary pass with no time left, Arizona led for the first time in the game -- with no time left -- capping its greatest comeback in school history. Rodriguez, a head coach since 1988, said he had never won by a Hail Mary.
"I'm going to enjoy it," Rodriguez said.
So will Hill, who sat out last season with a knee injury and hadn't played all that well so far this season. He caught it between four California defenders.
"The entire time I was just thinking I hope I don't get bumped into," Hill said of the play, "because about half way and three quarter of the way I knew the ball was coming towards me. I was hoping that nobody bumped into me or hit my elbow or jumped on top of me so I could I could secure it ... it was an awesome feeling of having the whole team jump on top of me (after he caught it). At the same time it was scary."
Scary? It's just like the roller-coaster ride Arizona put its loyal fans through. By game's end, about 25 percent of the crowd had given up after the WIldcats trailed 31-13. Rodriguez thanked those who stayed.
What they witnessed was one of the best comebacks and one that will clearly rival Ortege Jenkins' Leap by the Lake in 1998 when Arizona stunned Washington 31-28 in Seattle.
Heck, Wildcats linebacker Scooby Wright couldn't even watch the final play live, choosing instead to see it on the big screen.
"Wow," he said. "I blacked out from there."
He later grabbed a flag from a cheerleader and ran around in celebration.
Rodriguez said if anything it was "entertaining." Or at least he was entertained.
"At first it's so improbable that at first you're thinking, 'How did that just happen?" Rodriguez said. "Then you come back and (think) I'm so happy for Austin Hill. I'm happy for Anu, who was off but kept battling and executed the last play."
Solomon set records for attempts (73), completions (47) and yards (520).
"He was off at times but he never panics," Rodriguez said. "... He made some good plays, too. Particularly in the fourth quarter."
Solomon saved the best for last. He wasn't available to the media after the game.
Arizona's Davonte' Neal and Cal cornerback Cedric Dozier reach for a pass during the first half Saturday in Tucson, Ariz.
Maybe Rodriguez had a feeling something like a late-game play might be needed. Historically, the two teams play within one possession. At least 21 of the last 31 have. Now make it 22. But earlier in the week Arizona worked on the play "a little bit more than normal."
Rodriguez said if Cayleb Jones, Trey Griffey or Hill would be the guy in the end zone trying to come down with it the chances of success would be about 25 percent.
The lottery hit about 3:43 minutes after kickoff.
And as Rodriguez said, Arizona needed every last play ... all 106.
Arizona never truly gave up on Saturday night against California, and for all practical purposes didn't show up for the first three quarters.
Cal got hot offensively early, scoring 43 seconds in on 44-yard run by Daniel Lasco.
It was a sign of things to come for Arizona and California, a team that just a season ago finished 1-11 overall.
On California's next possession, it scored on a Jared Goff 80-yard pass to Bryce Treggs to put Arizona in its deepest deficit of the season, 14-0, at the time. It would later be down 28-6 in the second quarter.
Just seconds in it looked like Rodriguez was headed for his worst loss of three-year coaching career, Almost two years go the day, Sept. 22, 2012, Arizona fell to Oregon 49-0 in a game where nothing could go right.
"We played an awful first half," Rodriguez said. "We were just in kind of a funk. There wasn't any panic at halftime. I think they believe but you don't know until they go out there at halftime. We didn't execute that much better in the second half."
But as Rodriguez pointed out "they don't quite."
Arizona came back. Way back.
Arizona quarterback Anu Solomon leaps during a carry against California in the first half.
In fact, before each game there's a video that's played and in it showed a sign: "60 minutes of havoc."
Saturday night was exactly that.
"I was going to be miserable company for the next 48 hours, but I'll be a hell of a lot more fun now," Rodriguez said.
It didn't look good.
Even when things could go well they didn't. Arizona had a chance to recover a muffed punt late in the third quarter, but the ball squirted out of bounds to give the Bears possession.
But Arizona awoke from its cat nap and fired back. Casey Skowron hit a field goal to start the fourth quarter. Arizona was down 31-16.
Hill caught a 9-yard touchdown pass a minute later, making it 31-23.
Arizona's defense again struggled, failing to stop Khalfani Muhammad from scoring on a 50-yard run. Cal was up 38-23.
But Arizona's Jones scored on a 16-yard pass to make it 38-30. After another Muhammad touchdown -- seemingly the dagger for Arizona -- Terris Jones-Grigsby scored on a 6-yard run. Jones scored on a 15-yard pass after a huge successful onside kick.
Rodriguez called that a turning point in as much as it "stole a possession for us" as did Tra'Mayne Bondurant's interception late into the fourth quarter.
California kicker James Langford missed a 47-yard field goal to set up Arizona's last-ditch drive.
"Well, you know you have to get over it," Cal assistant coach Sonny Dykes said. "Get over it and look forward to down the stretch. Football games are 60 minutes for a reason."
Follow Steve Rivera on Twitter
