Arizona wasted no time turning a shaky opening into a runaway Saturday, rolling past Northern Illinois 42-17 after a first quarter that briefly had the Huskies in front.
The Wildcats were already short-handed before kickoff. Defensive lineman Mays Pese was out, wide receiver Gio Richardson was out, linebacker Chase Kennedy was a game time decision, linebacker Everett Roussaw Jr. remained out, starting cornerback Dwight Bootle II was out and Tyrese Boss was in line to start in his place, and defensive lineman Zac Siulepa was not dressed.
Northern Illinois struck first and did it in a hurry. The Huskies opened with a 10-play, 54-yard drive capped by a 38-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead with 11:24 left in the first quarter. Then Taron Dickens found Cam Thompson for a 52-yard touchdown on the next possession, stretching the NIU edge to 10-0 just 9:07 into the game.
Arizona answered with a big-play burst of its own. Tre Spivey set up the response with a 43-yard catch, and Chris Hunter finished the drive with a 38-yard touchdown to cut the margin to 10-7 with 6:01 left in the opening quarter. Northern Illinois had one more promising drive in the period, but a 41-yard field-goal try missed.
From there, Arizona took control. The Wildcats opened the second quarter with a 12-play march that ended when Isaiah Mizell caught a 14-yard touchdown to put Arizona ahead 14-10. That drive included completions to Rusk and Spivey, plus runs from Quincy Craig and Kedrick Reescano.
Arizona kept the pressure on and quickly widened the gap. On its next scoring drive, Rodney Gallagher III and Brandon Phelps helped move the ball before Spivey caught a 10-yard touchdown to make it 21-10 with 3:54 left in the half. Then came the special-teams knockout: Caleb Smith returned a punt 69 yards for a touchdown, pushing the lead to 28-10 with 2:13 remaining before intermission.
The Wildcats didn’t slow down after halftime. Their third-quarter possession covered 75 yards in 13 plays and ended with Tyler Powell hauling in his first career touchdown, giving Arizona a 35-10 lead with 9:01 left in the period.
Northern Illinois tried to answer, but the Arizona defense slammed the door. Cooper Blomstrom delivered a sack on fourth and goal from the 10 to end the Huskies’ drive and send the Wildcats back to the ball with 42 seconds left in the quarter.
Arizona opened the fourth quarter in scoring position and finished the job. Noah Fifita helped move the chains with both his arm and legs before breaking loose for a 30-yard touchdown run that made it 42-10 with 11:32 remaining. Later in the quarter, a seven-yard completion to Mizell moved Fifita into Arizona’s all-time passing lead.
Northern Illinois did not go quietly, but by then the game was long decided. The Huskies missed a field goal, and Arizona closed out the 42-17 win.
In Other News...
Arizona Defense Faces A New Test From Washington State's Ground Game
Washington States offense gave Arizona a fresh reason to pay attention after its opener, leaning on the run in a way the Cougars have not done in a long time. Against Duquesne, the ground game controlled the game from the start and turned into the kind of performance that can change how a defense prepares for the next week, especially when a team is still trying to establish identity in the trenches.
For Arizona, the challenge is less about what the Cougars did once and more about whether that kind of physical push is becoming part of the plan. Washington States coaches have already pointed to run-blocking as a point of emphasis, and the Wildcats will have to sort out how to handle a backfield that can stay fresh and punish missed fits if the lane stays open. [Read more 🡒]
Noah Fifita's Arizona Legacy Just Added Another Milestone
Noah Fifita kept adding to his place in Arizona history during the win over Northern Illinois, when a routine completion in the fourth quarter pushed him past Nick Foles for the Wildcats' career passing yards record. The milestone fit the broader arc of his career in Tucson, where he has already become the program's benchmark for touchdown passes and continues to stack accomplishments while leading Arizona's offense.
Fifita's latest number sits at 10,017 career passing yards, and his 80 touchdown passes remain the standard for the Wildcats. With the season still moving along, he is also on pace to challenge additional Arizona records for completions and attempts, giving this record book chase a little more room to grow before it is finished. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Faces An Early Test Brent Brennan Cant Keep Ignoring
Arizona has kept winning enough under Brent Brennan to stay on track, but the betting market has not exactly been impressed. Even after a recent victory, the Wildcats have now failed to cover the spread in three straight games, a stretch that suggests the results have looked a little cleaner on the scoreboard than they have to oddsmakers and anyone tracking the weekly margins.
That makes this week at Washington State a useful measuring stick for Arizona, especially with a sizable number attached to the game. The Cougars are only 1-2 and have been outscored by FBS opponents this season, so the Wildcats should be expected to handle business. The question Brennan cant quite avoid yet is whether Arizona can start pairing the wins with more convincing finishes. [Read more 🡒]