In the pandemic period of college football, the most benign term in in the game has become “no contest.”
It’s the operative phrase meant to define the implication of canceled games. No winner, no loser, no forfeit.
But on Saturday night in Seattle, Arizona went back to pre-pandemic times when “no contest” was the most indelicate term in college football. It meant you didn’t have — pick one — the energy, toughness, discipline, effort or execution to be competitive.
In a 44-27 loss to Washington, the Wildcats picked the wrong time to exhibit the lack of all five elements.