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The Daily Wildcat

The Daily Wildcat

 

Key plays from Arizona football’s loss to USC

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Ryan Wohl

Jamarye Joiner (#10) celebrates after throwing a 72-yard touchdown pass to WR Tayvian Cunningham in the first quarter of their contest on Oct. 30. 

Joiner’s first TD pass

Jamarye Joiner completed a deep pass to Tayvian Cunningham on third and long for a 73-yard touchdown pass. In the Wildcat formation, Joiner throws in traffic and finds Cunningham by placing the ball perfectly. Cunningham outran multiple defenders after flying right through the gap. Cunningham had about 50 yards after the catch to tie the game at seven. USC took the lead in the next possession 14-7.

Pandy has the longest rush?

The Arizona football team was set to punt on 4th down until Anthony Pandy received the snap instead of the punter and ran it 32 yards for the first down, putting the Wildcats on the USC 43-yard line. The trick play was executed perfectly, as Pandy quickly and discreetly took the snap and took it right through the gap with great blocking. This gave the Wildcats some momentum but were still forced to punt, leading to a USC touchdown making the score 21-7.

The Wildcats were driving with Will Plummer, until his completed 8-yard pass to BJ Casteel fumbled at the USC 38-yard line. The fumble was forced by Chris Steele and recovered by Isaiah Pola-Mao, giving the Trojans good field position at their 38-yard line and led to another USC touchdown, making the score 28-7.

Plummer giving Arizona life

Plummer completed a 35-yard pass to Cunningham, as well as a 24-yard pass to Alex Lines that led to a Wildcat touchdown scored by Michael Wiley’s 1-yard run. Plummer was very effective in this drive, completing multiple long passes that led the Wildcats to another touchdown, making the score 28-14. This drive kept the Wildcats in the game. 

After another Slovis TD, Pandy comes up huge 

Following the Wildcats touchdown, the USC Trojans seemed to put it out of reach after driving down the field for another touchdown. Kedon Slovis completed a 15-yard pass to Gary Bryant Jr. in the end zone to make the score 35-14 USC. This score seemed to extend the gap, taking momentum away from the Wildcat offense late in the first half. 

Pandy returned an interception in the first five minutes to make the score 21-35. Pandy struck again after his punt trick play in the third quarter with an interception returned for a touchdown to give the Arizona football offense momentum for their next touchdown after a USC field goal made the score 38-21. 

Late comeback attempt from Plummer

Plummer rushed for a 16-yard touchdown in the fourth. Plummer continued to show great improvement as he led the cats down the field and had a great breakaway rush to make the score 28-38 as the Wildcats continued to gain momentum. 

The Wildcats drove down the field again after stopping the Trojans. Plummer contributed big again, with big runs for first down conversions. This led to a successful 24-yard field goal by kicker Tyler Loop to make it a one-possession game, with a score of 38-31. Plummer continued to compete and drove the Wildcats to another score towards the end of the fourth quarter. In the following drive, the Trojans extended the lead to 41-31, with a 40-yard field goal by Alex Stadthaus with three minutes left in the fourth. 

Loop kicked a successful 40-yard field goal to make the score 41-34 as it returned to a one-possession game. The onside kick was not successful. The score would stay the same as the Trojans ran out the clock to beat the Wildcats. 


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