Arizona Wildcats Score Stunning Upset Over Utah Utes in Big 12 Opener
With one touchdown pass, Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita silenced the crowd at Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium and clinched a 23-10 victory over the No. 10 Utah Utes on Saturday night.
The upset victory made the Wildcats (3-1, 1-0 in Big 12) the first unranked team to beat the Utes in Salt Lake City in seven years. It also made them winners in their first official Big 12 game.
After Utah (4-1, 1-1) trimmed Arizona’s lead to 16-10 with 12:03 left in the game, the Wildcats took over at their own 13 after a holding penalty on the kickoff. It appeared the drive might sputter five plays later facing 3rd-and-11 at the Wildcat 25 before a timeout.
Fifita came out of the timeout and stood in the pocket and drilled a 41-yard pass to wide receiver Devin Hyatt to keep the drive going.
Two plays later, he topped it. Rolling to his right he hit a streaking Keyan Burnett in the back of the end zone for a 35-yard touchdown to put the Wildcats back up double-digits.
The Arizona defense — which spent most of the game holding the Utes to three points — took care of the rest.
Fifita threw for 197 yards and two touchdowns. His one interception was costly and set up Utah’s only touchdown of the game.
The interception, by Utah’s Tao Johnson, was in the end zone as Fifita was going for a touchdown to put the game out of reach, with Arizona up 16-3.
Utah quarterback Isaac Wilson eventually hit Caleb Lohner for a 20-yard touchdown pass with 12:03 left to cut Arizona’s lead to 16-10.
Wilson was back in the lineup for seventh-year collegiate Cam Rising. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported earlier on Saturday that Rising’s availability was a game-time decision. But, during the broadcast, ESPN announcers said that Utes coach Kyle Whittingham told his team on Friday that Wilson would start.
He threw for 266 yards and one touchdown, along with two interceptions. But Utah’s offense left points on the field as they failed to convert on fourth down on four different drives, including the first drive of the game, which set the tone for the entire contest.
Arizona turned Utah back deep in its territory as Wildcats cornerback Treydan Stukes tackled Utah running back Mike Mitchell short of a first down.
Stukes didn’t make it through the game. He left in the first half of the game due to an injury. He was in street clothes by Arizona’s final possession of the second quarter. It wasn’t clear what the injury was, but he suffered an injury in the Kansas State game two weeks ago.
Genesis Smith slid into Stukes’ role and had an interception in the second half that led to a Wildcats field goal.
Both teams were able to move the ball, but only Arizona was able to score a touchdown in the first three quarters, as Fifita hit wide receiver Jeremiah Patterson for a 3-yard touchdown with 3:17 left in the second quarter, giving Arizona a 10-3 lead.
Wildcats kicker Tyler Loop hit field goals of 47 yards, 53 yards and 33 yards to help push the lead to 16-3. Utah’s only points in the first 45 minutes came from kicker Cole Becker.
