The last time Arizona won as a double-digit favorite was in 2003. Note that I said “won,” not “covered.” That game, a 42-7 blowout against UTEP, also marked John Mackovic’s last victory as the Wildcat’s head coach — he was fired four consecutive losses later. With that in mind, maybe beating hapless Idaho 70-0 (easily covering the 27-point spread) is nothing to get too excited about.

But, then again, maybe it is.

Since the 2003 UTEP game, Arizona has been favored by 10 or more points three times (Washington 2005, Stanford and New Mexico 2007). In each contest, they lost straight up. This fast fact is partly due to a scheduling philosophy that offered either Division I-AA — whom Vegas doesn’t set lines for — or non-cupcake teams as out-of-conference contests. Arizona sucking for the better part of a decade also contributes.

Regardless, the program just took a big step towards erasing the stigma that “Stoops loses to teams that he shouldn’t lose to.” Some might argue that he’ll face five such foes in the coming weeks. Jury’s still out, etc. But Arizona has the nation’s highest scoring offense and is tied for first in scoring defense. History will show that Arizona scored more points than any football team — professional or otherwise — in the month of August 2008 (sorry, I don’t see Kentucky, Louisville, Colorado, or Colorado St. — all of whom play today — hanging 70 points on the board). I imagine even USC fans lifted an eyebrow upon seeing the ‘Cats box score in their morning paper.

Seventy. Zero. Covered by 43. Let’s enjoy this for a while…