Arizona Wins on Final Play, 30-24

Arizona receiver Bobby Wade said there was no question he caught the game-winning pass against Washington State as time expired on Saturday.

Television replays appeared to show the Hail Mary pass hit the turf in the end zone before Wade had possession. But the freshman insisted he caught the ball cleanly as he lay on his back in the end zone, lifting the Wildcats to a 30-24 victory over the Cougars in a Pacific 10 Conference game.

“I caught the ball,” Wade said. “I showed the ball [to officials] right away, so I was sure they were going to give it to me.”

“I’m in the back of the end zone and it went through everybody’s hands and I was just sitting at the bottom of the pile,” said Wade, who caught five passes for 100 yards.

Washington State, 0-4 overall and 0-2 in the Pac-10, lost its team-record 12th consecutive game, and Coach Mike Price said there was nothing he could do about the call that ended the game.

“I think we won that football game,” Price said. “It’s unfortunate the officials took the ball away from the players who worked so hard.”

The score was tied, 24-24, when Arizona started a drive from its 20 with 1:56 left and moved to the Washington State 42 with five seconds left.

That’s when Arizona quarterback Keith Smith heaved the ball into a stiff wind as a crowd of Wildcats and Cougars gathered in the end zone.

Trung Canidate rushed 34 times for 158 yards and three touchdowns to lead Arizona (3-2, 1-1). Wildcat kicker Mark McDonald missed four field goals and has missed all six of his attempts this season.