Arizona never let Northern Arizona breathe in a 35-7 win, building a 21-0 halftime cushion and then putting the game away with a third-quarter burst before a late NAU pick-six broke up the shutout.
The Wildcats opened fast and never really looked back. On their first possession, Arizona marched 75 yards in nine plays, with Tre Spivey doing most of the damage through the air. He finished the drive with a 20-yard touchdown grab from Noah Fifita, and Arizona was on top 7-0 with 11:32 left in the first quarter.
That early scoring drive came after a pregame list of absences that left Arizona without linebacker Everett Roussaw, running back Cornelius Warren, offensive lineman Isaac Perez, defensive lineman Ezra Funa, and defensive back Dajon Hinton. Ismail Mahdi and Max Harris, who filed suit on Friday, had not been granted a TRO yet and were also out.
Arizona’s offense kept stacking first downs in the opening half, even after a brief hiccup when Gio Richardson fumbled on a 31-yard completion. The Wildcats answered that possession by striking again in the second quarter, this time with Fifita finding Brandon Phelps for a 21-yard touchdown to make it 14-0 with 10:41 left before halftime.
The ground game helped Arizona keep control from there. A 56-yard march late in the half ended with Kedrick Reescano scoring from less than a yard out, pushing the lead to 21-0 with 3:20 remaining. Northern Arizona did move the ball a bit before the break, but the Lumberjacks stalled out after a hook and ladder and missed a 34-yard field goal wide.
After a quiet start to the third quarter, Arizona found another gear. Quincy Craig and Richardson helped the Wildcats flip field position, then Antwan Roberts scored on a 14-yard run on his first touch of the game to make it 28-0 with 5:01 left in the third.
The Wildcats weren’t done creating short fields, either. Quinn Olson intercepted Pennington on first down, giving Arizona the ball at the NAU 32. That set up another long possession that carried into the fourth quarter.
Arizona finished that drive with Reescano catching a seven-yard pass on third-and-goal from the 8, then punching in the touchdown on fourth down to stretch the lead to 35-0 with 13:52 remaining.
NAU finally got on the board after that, when Sawyer Anderson entered the game and on his second play threw a 36-yard pick-six on a screen pass. That cut the margin to 35-7 with 10:55 left.
Arizona still kept moving the ball after that. Wesley Yarbrough, RJ Mosley, Caleb Smith, Isaiah Mizell, Anderson, and Roberts all contributed on the next series before Roberts fumbled, and NAU recovered on a play that looked like it should have been blown dead.
In Other News...
Arizona Heads Into BYU With An Early Season Concern
Arizona got the result it needed in its opener against Northern Arizona, but not much else went cleanly from a betting standpoint. The Wildcats now head into a much stiffer test at BYU, where the Cougars looked sharp in their first game by rolling past Utah Tech and will have the home-field edge when Arizona arrives for a better read on where this team really stands.
The early concern for Arizona is that BYU is not just coming off a convincing win, it may also be getting healthier in key spots while still dealing with some uncertainty of its own on defense. Kalani Sitake said senior safety Raider Damuni is working through a left knee injury, and senior linebacker Isaiah Glasker was held out as a precaution, a reminder that even in September, availability can shape a matchup before kickoff ever gets there. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Gave Fans A Lot To Like Before The BYU Test
Arizona opened its 2026 season with a convincing win over Northern Arizona, and there was plenty for Wildcats fans to appreciate beyond the final score. The offense looked sharp, the defense set the tone early, special teams did its part and the coaching staff drew strong marks across the board, giving the program a clean start before the schedule stiffens.
Noah Fifita steadied the passing game and Kedrick Reescano provided the finishing touch on the ground, while the defense kept NAU from ever finding much rhythm. Arizona now turns to BYU, and the challenge there will be far different, which is why the opener mattered so much as a snapshot of what this group can do when it is clicking on all three sides. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Opens With A Win Fans Can Feel Good About
Arizona's season opener gave fans plenty to like at Casino Del Sol Stadium, where the Wildcats rolled past Northern Arizona 35-7 and looked sharp on both sides of the ball. Noah Fifita led the way with two touchdown passes, and Arizona's defense set the tone by keeping NAU stuck at negative rushing yards while piling up five sacks.
Fifita's night added another layer beyond the scoreboard, as he kept moving up Arizona's record book while directing an offense that was efficient when it needed to be. The only real blemish came late, when the shutout slipped away, but the broader takeaway was clear: Arizona came out of the gate looking organized, physical and very much in control. [Read more 🡒]