Arizona Wildcats Pounded by Colorado Buffaloes in Third Straight Loss
The Arizona Wildcats suffered more injuries and fell for the fourth time in five games as they lost to the Colorado Buffaloes, 34-7, on Saturday at Arizona Stadium.
The Wildcats (3-4, 1-3 in Big 12) have lost their last three games in conference action, but more importantly, they lost three more players to injury at a time when the roster is already at a breaking point.
Arizona defensive lineman Isaiah Johnson didn’t make it to the opening kickoff because he suffered an injury in pre-game warmups. Linebacker Jacob Manu left the game and didn’t play in the second half. Offensive lineman Rhino Tapa'atoutai departed late in the first half and didn’t return.
The Buffaloes (5-2, 3-1) have now won more games than they did a season ago and remain in the running for one of the two berths in the Big 12 Championship game in December. Colorado two-way superstar Travis Hunter played but re-aggravated an injury he suffered last week and was held out of the second half as a precaution, per Fox.
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita finished with 138 yards passing and a touchdown, but he also threw an interception and lost a fumble. Quali Conley led the Wildcats with 42 yards rushing. Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan had a tough day, but he finished with five catches for 38 yards.
Wildcats defensive back Jack Luttrell had two interceptions.
Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders finished with 250 yards passing with two touchdowns and those two picks. He also rushed for a touchdown. Isaiah Augustave led the Buffaloes with 53 rushing yards and a score. Wide receiver LaJohntay Webster had a huge afternoon, as he caught eight passes for 127 yards.
The two teams had a wild first half.
Colorado led, 21-7, but the two teams combined for three turnovers on three consecutive drives late in the second quarter.
Before that, Colorado scored on three straight drives in the first quarter, all touchdowns. The Buffaloes opened the game with the football and drove to a one-yard touchdown run by Augustave. They followed that with another scoring drive as Drelon Miller caught a one-yard touchdown pass from Sanders.
Arizona interrupted the run with Chris Hunter’s one-yard touchdown catch on a pass from Fifita with 1:17 left in the first quarter.
But Colorado answered right away as Will Sheppard caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Sanders to push the Buffs’ lead to 21-7 early in the second quarter.
After the ping-pong of turnovers, the Buffaloes ended up with the football again and Sanders led them to a 28-7 halftime lead as he ran in a touchdown from six yards out.
