Arizona had to sweat this one out, but the Wildcats found a way.
On Friday, Nov. 6, No.
22 Arizona escaped with a 29-28 win over TCU at Casino Del Sol Stadium, moving to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in Big 12 play. The victory snapped the skid and kept Arizona’s Big 12 Conference Championship hopes alive.
The night started with a flash from Isaiah Mizell, who opened the scoring with a diving 20-yard touchdown grab on Arizona’s first drive. With Tre Spivey III out for the season, Mizell has stepped into a bigger role as a fast, vertical threat, and this was another reminder of how dangerous he can be.
Arizona also got a huge lift from its special teams. Junior kicker Michael Salgado-Medina was perfect, drilling all three of his field goals.
The biggest came from 37 yards with 39 seconds left, after defensive back Zuri Watson recovered freshman punter Ian French’s pooch kick. French’s touch and placement made the play work, and so did the confidence from head coach Brent Brennan and special teams coordinator Craig Naivar to call it in that moment.
Noah Fifita’s response after a costly mistake was just as important. After throwing a pick-six at the TCU 7-yard line in the second quarter, the quarterback settled in and helped Arizona score 19 second-half points, including 12 in the fourth quarter. His biggest throw came with 1:43 left, when he hit Quincy Craig out of the backfield on third-and-goal from the 15 to trim the deficit to 26-28 and give Arizona a shot to tie it.
Giovanni Richardson was Arizona’s most productive pass catcher, piling up 11 receptions for 171 yards and more than half of Fifita’s passing yardage. With Mizell stretching the field and Richardson back from the injury he suffered Oct. 3 against Cincinnati, the Wildcats have a clearer one-two punch at receiver. Richardson still has not scored his first touchdown of the season, but he has been steady since returning, with 17 catches for 261 yards in two games.
Arizona’s secondary had its issues again without Jay’Vion Cole. Dwight Bootle II had a rough night in that spot, drawing three pass interference penalties. Even so, the Wildcats made the one play they needed most at the end, as junior transfer Tyrese Boss intercepted TCU on the first snap of the Horned Frogs’ final drive to close it out.
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