The 2013 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats played their home games at Arizona Stadium in Tucson for the 85th straight year. The 2013 season was Arizona's third in the South Division of the Pac-12 Conference and the second for head coach Rich Rodriguez.
In the 2012 season, head coach Rich Rodriguez's first at Arizona, the Wildcats went 8âÂÂ5 overall and 4âÂÂ5 in Pac-12 play. The team defeated Nevada 49âÂÂ48 in the 2012 New Mexico Bowl after trailing 48âÂÂ35 with 1:48 remaining in the game.
No Arizona player was taken in the NFL draft for the first time since 2005, although three signed with teams as free agents. Quarterback Matt Scott signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, center Kyle Quinn signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, and wide receiver Dan Bucker signed with the Arizona Cardinals.
Arizona held fifteen spring practices from March 12 through April 13 including an hour-long scrimmage at Phoenix College on March 29. The team's defense won the scrimmage by one point after stopping the offense on its final drive. Quarterback B.J. Denker threw for four touchdowns and 176 yards. Javelle Allen had 57 yards passing and 50 through the air. Coach Rodriguez rested all-American running back Ka'Deem Carey, who appeared for only one series. Several key defensive players were held out entirely, including Jake Fischer, Marquis Flowers, Jonathan McKnight, Shaquille Richardson, C.J. Dozier, Jourdon Grandon and Dan Pettinato.
Arizona's offense won the 2013 spring game, held on April 13 in front of 4,095 at the program's practice facility, Kindall/Sancet Stadium, and televised on Pac-12 Arizona. Carey and Fischer again sat out, among others. Denker went 13âÂÂ20, 246 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception; Jesse Scroggins went 6âÂÂ14, 44 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception; and Jack Nykaza went 8âÂÂ12, 89 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Dakota Conwell and Shane Wilson led the defense with 5 tackles apiece. Dame Ndiaye had 4 tackles, 1 sack (âÂÂ10 yards), 1 tackle-for-loss (âÂÂ1), a pass-broken-up, and a forced-fumble. William Parks and Tra'mayne Bondurant each made an interception.
Arizona played six of twelve regular season games at home: two of three non-conference games and four of nine Pac-12 games. The Cats played neither Oregon State nor Stanford in both 2013 and 2014. They played the Boston College Eagles in the 2013 AdvoCare V100 Bowl to conclude the season, which they won 42âÂÂ19.
Offense
Defense
Special teams
Junior RB KaâÂÂDeem Carey, the nation's leading rusher and a consensus All-American in 2012, saw his first action of the season after serving a one-game suspension related to offseason off-the-field issues.
In their previous meeting in 2001, Arizona defeated the Rebels 38âÂÂ21 and Arizona leads the all-time series 2âÂÂ0.
Ka'Deem Carey ran for 206 yards and four touchdowns, becoming Arizona's all-time leading rusher, and the Wildcats pulled off a monumental upset by taking advantage of numerous miscues, shocking the fifth-ranked Oregon Ducks 42âÂÂ16 in Tucson.
The Wildcats achieved their first win over a top-five team since knocking off #2 Oregon in 2007.
Carey carried a school-record 48 times while scoring on runs of 6, 1, 9 and 2 yards to break Art Luppino's career record of 48 total touchdowns set from 1953 to 1956. Carey also reached 3,913 career yards rushing, breaking the mark of 3,824 set by Trung Canidate from 1996 to 1999.
Quarterback B.J. Denker was named Offensive MVP.
Safety Will Parks was named Defensive MVP.
TraâÂÂMayne Bondurant
B.J. Denker
Jake Smith
Nate Phillips
Team total offense
Rushing yards â career
The following Arizona players were selected in the 2014 NFL draft.