Arizona football (3-3, 1-2 Big 12) lost to No. 14 BYU 41-19 on Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium. The team was not able to respond coming off their first ever Big 12 loss last week vs Texas Tech University and has now dropped back to back Big 12 games.
Offense
With the game being on Big Noon Kickoff, a lot of pregame hype came Arizona’s way and the team delivered early with a first drive touchdown to Montana Lemonious-Craig from 14 yards out. Lemonious-Craig scored his first touchdown of the season with the catch after getting three last year.
On Arizona’s second drive of the game Noah Fifita was intercepted by BYU Safety Tanner Wall at the BYU 1 yard line. The interception continued Fifita’s streak as he has thrown a pick in every game this season.
Arizona once again failed to score 10 points in the first half for the fourth time this season after Quali Conley was short on a fourth down run in BYUs territory. The Wildcats trailed 14-7 at the end of the first half. The team needed to get read, however, as they would be receiving the second half kickoff.
On the first play of the second half, Fifita was picked off for the second time, this one being on a screen pass by cornerback Jakob Robinson which led to another BYU touchdown. It would only get worse for the offense as the next drive almost ended just as quickly, as Fifita fumbled the ball while he was sack. After these two turnovers BYU took a commanding lead going up 24-7.
The offense was able to work a good drive into field goal range for Tyler Loop, who nailed a 47 yarder to make the game 24-10. Loop, the reigning Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week, is now 14/17 on field goals this year.
After a BYU field goal, the offense once again moved the ball down the field for another Loop field goal after an 18 play drive that took almost eight minutes. The score was now 27-13 with only nine minutes left in the game.
Quali Conley was able to get a late game touchdown to make the score 34-19 after an unsuccessful two point conversion for Arizona.
After a turnover on downs and a pick six the offense ran out the clock to end the game.
Noah Fifita threw for 275 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions to set a new career high in picks in a single game. Tetairoa McMillan had five catches for 78 yards to lead the receivers and Kedrick Reescano led the running backs with nine carries for 48 yards.
Defense
The defense took a massive hit minutes into the game when linebacker Jacob Manu got called for a targeting penalty and was disqualified for the rest of the game. Despite this loss, the defense was able to stop BYU on fourth and four inside Arizona’s 10 yard line to get the offense the ball.
After the offense scored, the defense allowed a five minute drive to BYU which ended in a 20 yard touchdown from quarterback Jake Retzlaff to wide receiver Parker Kingston.
The defensive struggles continued as the Wildcats let a 99 yard touchdown drive that was capped off by a trick play touchdown. As the throw came from BYU’s wide receiver Kingston, it marks the second time in his career that he has caught and thrown for a touchdown in the same game.
Arizona’s defense was daunted by short fields off of the offense’s turnovers and gave up a touchdown and field goal in back to back drives to start the second half. The defense was unable to get consistent stops, allowing back to back scoring drives for BYU.
Arizona got their one and only turnover of the game with less than 3 minutes to go when defensive back Demetrius Freeney recovered a fumble.
Looking ahead
Arizona’s next game will be Saturday Oct. 19 at home in Tucson against University of Colorado Boulder at 1 p.m. for this years homecoming game.
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