Homecoming 2016 hit the Arizona campus and the Wildcat football team welcomed Stanford to Arizona Stadium. Both teams were coming off losses and looking to right the ship on their season.
Brandon Dawkins got the start at quarterback over Anu Solomon, and struggled early on in the contest. He did not complete a pass until the second quarter when he hit Nate Phillips for a 43-yard gain.
Both teams ended up exchanging punts on their first three possessions, as it was a defensive struggle early on. In the first quarter, Arizona and Stanford combined for only 72 yards as neither team could sustain drives.
Stanford would break the stalemate with 14:21 in the second quarter on a Christian McCaffrey 45-yard touchdown run to give Stanford a 7-0 lead.
Arizona’s next drive looked promising but they were unable to convert a forth-and-15 in Stanford territory.
The Cardinal scored again on their next possession as quarterback Keller Chryst completed a pass to a wide open McCaffrey. The duo hooked up from 18 yards out to give Stanford a 14-0 lead.
Arizona responded with a 38-yard touchdown pass from Dawkins to Trey Griffey with 3:40 left in the first half.
Chryst was intercepted on their ensuing possession by Dane Cruikshank but fumbled it away, giving possession right back to Stanford. The Cardinal would capitalize on the miscue, turning it into a field goal. Stanford went into the half leading Arizona 17-7 and Arizona will receive to start the third quarter.
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