BYU’s win over Arizona on Saturday ended up being more than just a conference result. It also left a strong impression on the Wildcats’ side, especially on the mother of quarterback Noah Fifita, who came away praising the atmosphere in Provo.
Arizona had made no secret of its desire to get even after last season’s double-overtime loss to the Cougars. Fifita said during Big 12 Media Days in July that the BYU game was “circled” on the schedule, and the Wildcats showed that urgency right away. They opened the game with a touchdown drive and grabbed an early lead before BYU settled in and took control on the way to a 28-17 victory at Lavell Edwards Stadium.
Afterward, Fifita’s mother took to social media and called the setting “electric,” while also highlighting how warmly the Arizona contingent was treated throughout the day.
“So much love and respect for BYU, Kalani Sitake, Sione Po'uha, and the people of Provo,” Fifita's mother wrote. “People offered us food and drinks from their tailgates.
Inside the stadium, same thing even ice cream at 2nd quarter. And their crowd was electric.”
She added that the experience stood out to her as a model for how competition can work when respect comes first.
“Made me think, this is what real competition should look like. Welcome people into your home, treat them with respect and grace, then when the ball is kicked off, try to knock each other’s heads off...
And I don’t think it’s a coincidence faith is at the center of BYU’s culture. Jesus welcomed everyone to His table.
Compete hard. Cheer loud.
Want to win BAD. But still love people.
Appreciate the love , Provo.”
The defeat was a tough one for the Fifita family, too, because it means Noah Fifita will finish his Arizona career 0-3 against BYU. Still, the postgame reaction made clear that the family left impressed by both the crowd and the culture they saw in Provo.
Fifita still turned in a strong performance, finishing with 230 passing yards and 38 rushing yards. He was one of the top quarterbacks in the Big 12 and gave the BYU defense plenty to deal with, even in defeat.
Arizona coach Brent Brennan also pointed to the BYU atmosphere when talking this week about the Wildcats’ next game against Northern Illinois. He asked fans to show up in red and help create a similar scene at Casino Del Sol Stadium.
“For us, seeing last week, being at BYU and seeing the environment they create. That's something we want to duplicate here at Casino Del Sol Stadium.”
Brennan called Saturday’s matchup a “Redline game” and said Arizona wants to capture the kind of energy BYU had in Provo. The game is Arizona’s Hispanic Heritage game and will also include partnerships with Davis-Monthan and NASCAR.
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