Arizona’s Big 12 home opener had the kind of finish that can make a team feel like it’s building something real. The Wildcats handled Cincinnati 34-7 on “Family Weekend,” improved to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in Big 12 play, and stayed unbeaten at Casino Del Sol Stadium.
The next stop is a road trip to West Virginia for the RichRod Bowl, but before that, Arizona can feel good about how it won this one. The offense piled up 522 total yards, the defense nearly delivered a shutout, and the special teams did their part without a hitch.
Noah Fifita and the offense shook off an early hiccup and kept finding answers. The first series started badly when Fifita was sacked on the opening snap for the third straight week, but he quickly settled in by hitting Chris Hunter III and Giovanni Richardson for gains of 13 and 19 yards. Kedrick Reescano finished that drive with a screen pass for eight yards and then punched in a 10-yard touchdown.
There were bumps after that. Fifita was intercepted on the second drive, Arizona came up empty on a fourth-down run by Reescano after getting inside the Cincinnati 25, and another possession ended in a punt. Even so, the Wildcats kept leaning on the ground game, and before halftime they marched all the way to the five-yard line before settling for a field goal and taking a double-digit lead into the break.
The second half opened with the play that cracked things wide open. Antwan Roberts Jr. ripped off a 70-yard run, then chaos followed when the ball was punched out.
Cincinnati was flagged for an illegal batting out of the end zone, so Arizona kept the ball at the six. Three plays later, Fifita ran it in for his third rushing touchdown of the season.
From there, the Wildcats started stacking scores. Fifita connected with Isaiah Mizell for 36 yards, then found Brandon Phelps on a 24-yard catch-and-run touchdown.
Later, Arizona added more separation with gains from Roberts Jr. and Phelps, then tacked on a field goal. Fifita closed the scoring with a five-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Powell in the fourth quarter.
Fifita finished 25 of 37 for 284 yards and two touchdowns through the air, while also adding 17 rushing yards and a score on the ground. Roberts Jr. led the run game with 87 yards on five carries. Powell led the team with five catches for 40 yards and a touchdown, and Mizell topped Arizona’s receivers with 67 yards on four grabs.
The defense set the tone early and rarely let Cincinnati breathe. Arizona opened with a quick three-and-out, helped by a four-yard tackle for loss from Cooper Blomstrom and Chase Kennedy. After the offense’s interception, the defense answered with another three-and-out, and Tyrese Boss added his first sack of the season.
Cincinnati did eventually push deep into Arizona territory, reaching the two-yard line, but Gavin Hunter broke up a pass on fourth-and-goal to keep the Bearcats off the board. After halftime, the Wildcats stalled Cincinnati around midfield, then later got another fourth-down stop with Kennedy and Kaisi Lafitaga combining on a sack.
Arizona added two more three-and-outs before Cincinnati finally scored with less than two minutes left, ending the shutout bid. The Wildcats allowed just 227 total yards, including 153 passing yards and 74 rushing yards. Kennedy and Taye Brown led the team with seven tackles apiece, and Lafitaga, Boss and Dominic Lolesio joined Kennedy in recording either a half sack or a full sack.
Special teams were clean and efficient. Michael Salgado-Medina made both of his field-goal tries, hitting from 23 yards late in the first half and from 35 yards in the fourth quarter. Chase Ridley had one punt, and it traveled 42 yards.
The coaching grade matched the result. Arizona came out with clear intent, played physically from the opening kick and controlled the game even if it wasn’t perfectly tidy.
The Wildcats did it while missing all three starting wide receivers, and the replacements stepped in and delivered. The run game turned in its best showing of the season, the defense limited explosive plays, and the team stayed in sync for most of the night.
There are still things to clean up, especially ball security and penalties. But the bigger picture from this one was obvious: Arizona showed up with physicality and made Cincinnati feel it for four quarters.
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Arizonas run defense has already passed one major test. In the 34-7 win over Cincinnati, the Wildcats held one of the nations better rushing attacks to 74 yards, another sign that this group is no longer just holding its own but becoming a real strength. Through the season, Arizona has trimmed opponents to an average of 79 rushing yards per game, a pace that puts this defense among the best run-stopping units in school history.
Now comes the part that will tell the fuller story. The Wildcats have leaned on a heavy rotation under their defensive coordinator to keep legs fresh and pressure steady, and that approach will be under a harsher spotlight against a much more punishing ground game. Arizona has looked the part against quality resistance already, but this matchup will show whether the depth and discipline that carried the day against Cincinnati can hold up when the workload gets heavier and the margin for error shrinks. [Read more 🡒]
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Arizonas defensive front earned some deserved recognition after helping set the tone in last weeks win over Cincinnati, when the Bearcats were held to 74 rushing yards. The performance drew praise for a unit that has clearly made stopping the run a priority, something head coach Brent Brennan has stressed and linebacker Chase Kennedy pointed to as a key part of securing the victory.
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Arizonas Late-Season Surge Could Set Up A Bowl Shot At Revenge
Arizonas 34-7 win over previously undefeated Cincinnati turned heads in a hurry, mostly because it was built on the kind of formula that travels well in November. The Wildcats leaned on a strong running game and a run defense that held the Bearcats to a season-low 74 rushing yards, a sign that this late-season surge is being powered by more than just one hot afternoon.
Next up is a conference date with West Virginia on TNT, and Arizona still has plenty to sort out before any postseason picture comes into focus. Even so, the Wildcats are tracking toward a bowl appearance that would add another layer of intrigue to the finish, especially with a matchup that would bring back a familiar opponent from last winter. [Read more 🡒]