No. 10 Utah falls to Arizona 23-10

Utes had no answer for the Wildcats defensive surge

Rob Gray-Imagn Images

No. 10 Utah fell to Arizona 23-10 on Saturday night in a game that saw the Wildcats' defense outshine the Utes' offense. After an impressive win over Oklahoma State the previous week, Utah entered the contest with momentum but struggled to carry that energy into this matchup. Arizona's defensive unit was relentless, overwhelming Utah's offense and preventing them from establishing any consistent rhythm.

Freshman quarterback Isaac Wilson, making his third career start in place of the injured Cam Rising, had a solid performance but it wasn't enough to secure the win. Wilson threw for 281 yards and a touchdown, showcasing his potential for the future. However, his efforts were overshadowed by the dominance of Arizona's defense. The Wildcats' defense recorded seven tackles for loss, three sacks, seven pass deflections, and an interception, keeping constant pressure on Wilson and disrupting the Utes' offensive flow.

Former Arizona wide receiver Dorian Singer had a standout game against his old team, hauling in nine receptions for 155 yards. His performance was one of the few bright spots for the Utes, but it wasn't enough to overcome the defensive onslaught from Arizona. Despite Wilson’s connection with Singer, Utah’s offense struggled to gain traction, managing only 336 yards of total offense and failing to break 100 rushing yards. Running back Micah Bernard led the ground attack with 93 yards, but the Utes couldn't establish a balanced offense.

Arizona’s win handed Utah its first loss of the season, in what could have been a pivotal week for the Utes in the AP Top 25 Poll. With both No. 2 Georgia and No. 6 Ole Miss falling earlier in the day, Utah had a prime opportunity to climb in the rankings but was unable to capitalize. The Utes' inability to establish the run and Arizona’s ability to disrupt their passing game proved to be the deciding factors.

Utah will now have to regroup during their upcoming bye week. With Rising’s return still uncertain, Wilson may continue as the starter for the foreseeable future. The Utes will need to make adjustments and get healthy if they want to remain in contention for a Pac-12 title and a potential spot in the College Football Playoff.