Shun Brown did something Arizona didn’t do all of last season, score on special teams. Brown took a 66-yard punt to the house five minutes into the first quarter and attempted to spark the Wildcats.

However, NAU had different ideas as on the next series running back Cory Young, a transfer from Boise State, took a handoff and ran it 58 yards to the end zone to tie the game up at seven.

The Arizona defense forced a couple turnovers to halt Lumberjack drives and was able to manufacture scores of their own. UA scored on a 46-yard Nick Wilson run and a 43-yard Tony Ellison reception to go up 21-7. NAU would score again on another Cory Young rush but the Wildcats answered quickly on a 55-yard Tyrell Johnson reverse that catapulted the Wildcats to a 14-point lead.

Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles picked of NAU quarterback Case Cookus who threw for 191 yards in the first half, twice. One of those picks stopped a Lumberjack scoring attempt in the red-zone. The other set up the Wildcats at the 50 yard line with less than three minutes.

The score could have been even greater if not for two crucial holding calls, both occurring during long Brandon Dawkins touchdown runs. Dawkins would score later in the quarter with 21 seconds on the clock to put Arizona up by 20 going into the half.

The Wildcats have continued to struggle in the air, completing only six passes for 74 yards.

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