TUCSON, Ariz. — Arizona has a chance to thwart Oregon State’s Rose Bowl hopes.

That’s not the reason the Wildcats are working hard this week, though.

“We are going to focus on what this means to us, and not what it does for them,” Arizona coach Mike Stoops said Monday at his weekly campus news conference. “This game will be another defining moment in this season and how we respond is important to me.”

Oregon State (7-3, 6-1 Pac-10) comes to town on Saturday needing a victory over the Wildcats (6-4, 4-3), and another against Oregon in the regular season finale to clinch a Rose Bowl appearance.

Arizona is looking to bounce back after coming out flat in a 55-45 loss at Oregon last week.

Stoops is telling his team that better not happen again.

“Why practice and play these games if that is all you want? Why waste our time?” Stoops said. “I don’t think our kids are like that. Our kids want to make this a great season.”

Arizona may have gone to sleep after clinching its first bowl game in 10 years. The Wildcats came out looking tired while giving up 45 points and 411 yards to Oregon in the first half. They nearly came back from a 31-point deficit but fell short in the final minutes.

“Obviously we were not ready,” guard Joe Longacre said. “If there was any complacency then, it is gone now. It got beaten out of us fast.”

Arizona’s last postseason appearance was in the 1998 Holiday Bowl. This time, the Sun, Las Vegas, Emerald and Hawaii Bowls are among the possible destinations.

Arizona’s defense will be under the gun again this week after giving up 504 total yards and six touchdowns to the Ducks.

Oregon rushed for 206 yards, and Arizona will look to shore up its run defense against Oregon State freshman Jacquizz Rodgers, the Pac-10 leading rusher at 123 yards per game.

“We seem to play better with our backs against the wall,” Stoops said.

Saturday’s game starts at 4 p.m. and will televised by Versus.