November 18th’s Arizona versus Utah matchup proved to be one for the books, ending with a 42-18 win for the U of A. Going into the game, the Wildcats were ranked #19 (AP) and the Utes #16, and both teams had a record of 7-3. Tickets were sold out and the 50,800 fans filled the stadium with excitement.

To set the field, this matchup has been led by Utah (26-19-2), and they had a six-game winning streak going in. Arizona had not won since 2015, and last year they were destroyed 45-20. The coaching of Jedd Fisch can be partially attributed to the win. Since he was hired in 2020, and began in 2021, the team has continuously improved: (1-11) in 2021, (5-7) in 2022, and so far (8-3) this year.

The U of A started the game with the ball, and they did not disappoint. They clearly dominated for the first half, especially the first quarter. They ended the 1st quarter with three touchdowns, one of which was a recovered punt block by linebacker Anthony Ward.  

Another outstanding touchdown was a trick play – one the U of A has been attempting all year but hasn’t made until now – where quarterback Noah Fifta made a pass behind the line of scrimmage to wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who then made a pass to running back Michael Wiley for the touchdown.  

Utah failed to score for the entire first quarter and Arizona’s lead was also clearly shown in the stats. The U of A had 154 receiving yards compared to Utah’s mere 17. Utah only had 6 rushing yards while Arizona had 42. The biggest issue however for Utah was their inability to convert on downs. They had only ONE first down, while U of A had 10.  

Defensively, U of A held Utah to an average of 2.3 yards per play, while Utah allowed a whopping 10.3 yards per play. Neither team had any interceptions, sacks, or fumbles. Both teams did well in terms of penalties, with only one against the Utes.  

Utah, however, made some improvements in the second quarter, and both teams scored a touchdown. Utah made it into the Red Zone for their first time in the game, and after a slow, but seemingly promising drive, Utah quarterback, Bryson Barnes’s pass was intercepted by Jacob Manu. He successfully brought the ball to his own team’s 46 yard-line. The U of A was unable to make much of the defensive play and punted for their first time in the game.  

Here’s where things started to turn around for the Utes – at least by a small fraction. They brought the ball down the field, and into the Red Zone. They had a penalty that brought them back outside, but they were able to bring the drive back around. Devaughn Vele got the team on the board after making an impressive catch for 20 yards and a touchdown.  

Statistically, Utah outplayed Arizona with 152 total yards – compared to U of A’s 77 (still more than Utah’s embarrassing first quarter). Rushing yards were a little more even for the teams – 37 for the Utes and 33 for the Wildcats. Passing is where the U of A was suffering; they had 44 yards while Utah had 115. The Utes held possession for most of the quarter – having the ball for 11:42.  

In terms of defense, U of A had their one interception; Utah had none, but there were still no sacks or fumbles. They were almost even for yards per play: Utah with 6.6 and U of A with 6.4.  

The third quarter was less exciting than either of the quarters in the first half. The only score was a field goal from Utah (the U of A attempted one but did not make it). It was less impressive in yardage as well – Utah had 93 total yards; the U of A only had 61. Arizona had a mere 7 rushing yards – still somehow more than Utah did the first half – and Utah came through with 39 yards rushing. They both had 54 pass yards.  

The fourth quarter is where things get good again. Arizona scored two touchdowns – we’ll get to the breakdown in a minute – and Utah scored one with a successful two-point conversion.

With 7:57 left in the game, Jonah Coleman rushed (for one yard) into the endzone for a touchdown. This was followed up by a successful extra point by Tyler Loop to make the score 35-10. The Wildcat’s second touchdown was extra special for the team because it was from Jayden de Laura, a quarterback who was benched for an injury and did not return to the starting lineup once he had recovered. During the fourth quarter, he got his chance to shine – and shine he did. De Laura threw a 51-yard pass to Tetairoa McMillan with only 32 seconds left in the game. After another successful extra point, the score was 42-18. Offensive lineman Jordan Morgan spoke on de Laura’s touchdown during the postgame press conference saying, “I’m sure it meant a lot to him. I mean I look back after he threw it and he was so excited. He had a smile on his face…”

Yards were back up for both teams, with more for Utah. The Utes had 185 total yards compared to Arizona’s 109. The Wildcats had 36 rushing yards, and Utah 51. For passing, Utah had 134 and the U of A had a little over half that, with 73.

Defensively, the game had its first sacks: Arizona walked away with three sacks and Utah had one. The U of A also had one interception.

Overall, U of A dominated the competition. If we’re talking yardage, it was pretty even. Utah had 453 total yards and U of A had 443. Arizona’s completion percentage was 76%, and between the two quarterbacks and McMillan (for one pass), they were 25-33. Utah had 31 completions for 53 passes (58%). Defense is really where the Wildcats took the game (besides scoring of course). They had 79 tackles against Utah’s 57, 3 sacks to their one, two interceptions versus their zero, and a blocked punt for a touchdown. Throughout the entire season, Arizona has had a total of two interceptions – in this game alone they had two.

Some of the game’s most crucial players were – for Utah – wide receiver Devaughn Vele who had one touchdown and 111 yards, and quarterback Bryson Barnes who had 59 rushing yards and 320 passing yards. For Arizona, safety Dalton Johnson had 11 tackles – 8 of which being single – and one sack; quarterback Noah Fifita, who is also a freshman, had 253 passing yards, no interceptions, and two touchdowns. Another noticeable Wildcat was Michael Wiley, a running back who had been injured for the last couple of games, but came back to score big with 29 rushing yards, 68 receiving yards, and two touchdowns.

Even though some players had more yards or scored more touchdowns, the skill level of the entire Wildcats’ team was what made the game special. Dalton Johnson said that a big factor in the team’s confidence is how their “…trust has grown as a team. We just go out there knowing that everyone’s going to do their job…We love our brothers and that’s just what helps us.”

Next week in the Territorial Cup, the U of A faces their in-state rival, Arizona State. “I think our team will be very excited for the game against ASU. There won’t be a question about that. They understand the importance of the game. We want to keep the territorial cup here in Tucson and our guys recognize that, understand that and we will put all of our focus, starting tomorrow at 9 am, into that game,” said Jedd Fisch in a post-game press conference.