Media rounds on the Arizona outcome

Associated Press: “Arizona stuns Cal at home, ruining Bears’ BCS title dreams”

California center Alex Mack was philosophical about the eighth-ranked Golden Bears’ 24-20 loss to Arizona Saturday afternoon.

“It’s not over,” he said. “It just hurts.”

The loss knocked the Golden Bears (8-2, 6-1 Pac-10) out of the national title hunt. But Cal can still clinch its first Rose Bowl berth since the 1958 season with a victory at No. 7 Southern California next week.

Scout.com: “Zona Sun Sets On Cal’s Undefeated P10 Season”

Arizona coach Bob Stoops was counting his blessings, commenting on his reaction after the touchdown was called back. “The football gods are smiling on us,” said Stoops after the game. The Bears continued their drive with a 1st down pass to receiver Robert Hawkins, bringing the ball to the Arizona 30 yard line. However, on third down, quarterback Longshore suffered his career-worst third interception with on the night with a pick by Ronnie Palmer at the Arizona 20 with 1:42 left and the Bears fate was sealed, as Arizona ran out the clock with Cal out of timeouts, much to the jubilance of the Wildcats’ shocked fans.

ESPN: “Top 25 Overview”

It was over when… Arizona’s Ronnie Palmer picked off a deflected Nate Longshore pass with 1:32 left in the game.
Gameball goes to… Antoine Cason. The Arizona cornerback stepped in front of a Longshore pass and returned it 39 yards for the game-winning touchdown.
Stat of the game…4 and 5. Cal’s DeSean Jackson returned a punt for a touchdown for the fourth time this season, fifth of his career. Both are Pac-10 records.

Daily Cal: “What Could Have Been / The Wildcats Secure Upset As Cal Falters In the Desert”

After giving up 21 straight points, the No. 8 Cal football team was on the verge of a game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter.

But like many other crucial moments in the Bears’ crushing 24-20 loss Saturday to Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., this one did not go Cal’s way.

SF Chronicle: “Reversals of fortune / Cal upset in Tucson: Bears squander halftime lead”

On top of having flu-like symptoms, Cal receiver DeSean Jackson started feeling even worse as he suited up before Saturday’s game.

“It was kind of a weird feeling, putting on those white uniforms for the first time since we lost in Tennessee,” he said. “It gave me some real bad feelings.”

Those feelings became a nightmarish reality during the game as very little went right for the Bears, and they lost for the first time in Pac-10 play, 24-20 to Arizona in front of 55,509 homecoming fans at Arizona Stadium.

Contra Costa Times: “No undefeated Pac-10 season for Cal”

Thirty minutes after Cal’s 24-20 loss at Arizona on Saturday, Cal linebacker Worrell Williams stood outside a subdued locker room and summed up his team’s situation perfectly.

“Great teams get through that,” Williams said.

For the second time this season, No. 8 Cal had the chance to stamp itself as a great team. The first opportunity ended with a loss at Tennessee in the opener. On Saturday, the Bears (8-2 overall, 6-1 Pac-10) failed to complete a final drive — after a series of bizarre events left them trailing — that would have kept them undefeated in conference play. Cal’s final shot at greatness comes next Saturday, when the Bears travel to USC for a game that might ultimately decide the Pac-10 championship.

“We still are in the hunt to be No. 1 in the Pac-10,” Williams said. “If we win against USC, we will be sitting in the driver’s seat. We control our own destiny.”

SF Chronicle: “The ABCs of BCS / Cal finds self-fault in loss to Arizona; focus turns to USC”

Coach Jeff Tedford wanted to shoulder the blame, receiver Lavelle Hawkins said it was his fault and defensive tackle Brandon Mebane tried to take the responsibility. It went on and on from coaches to players and back to coaches, but each was ready to carry the weight of the loss.

“It’s definitely frustrating, but we’re all a team,” Mebane said. “We know we’ll bounce back.”

Whittier Daily News: “Cal’s defeat excites USC”

When USC defeated Oregon late Saturday night, it was the Trojans’ second celebration of the day. The first one occurred in the afternoon at the team’s hotel when Arizona upset California.

“Everyone on our floor was out in the hallway screaming,” offensive tackle Kyle Williams said. “We had a little jumping around party when Cal lost,” linebacker Oscar Lua added.

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Cal’s loss does mean one thing: USC can clinch a Rose Bowl appearance and Pacific-10 Conference title by defeating the Golden Bears on Saturday at the Coliseum.