The Wildcats routed Cincinnati in their Big 12 home opener on Saturday night at Casino Del Sol Stadium, prevailing by a score of 34-7. Arizona overcame initial offensive struggles to dominate an unbeaten opponent, even as three receivers departed the contest due to injury.
The quarterback, Noah Fifita, completed 25 of 37 passes for 284 yards with two touchdowns and added a rushing score of his own. The defensive unit limited a Cincinnati ground game that normally runs for 270 yards to just 74. In the opening half, Arizona held an advantage over the Bearcats in total offensive production at 239-106 while holding a lead of just 10-0.
Three Receivers Leave With Injuries
The first half saw three players leave the game: Gio Richardson, Chris Hunter and Tre Spivey. Richardson was the first to go, departing after the opening drive. Hunter got hurt late in the first quarter, and Spivey went down just before halftime.
Without Richardson, Hunter and Spivey, Isaiah Mizell, Brandon Phelps, Caleb “Jet” Smith, RJ Mosley and tight end Tyler Powell took over as Fifita’s top targets. Their contributions kept the offense balanced, allowing the run game to continue thriving.
The Defense Sets the Tone
Arizona’s defense was the star of the night. The Wildcats held Cincinnati to 74 rushing yards, and quarterback JC French IV threw for just 153 yards on 16-of-29 passing. His 2-yard touchdown run with 1:56 left kept the Bearcats from being shut out entirely.
The Wildcats recorded their first conference shutout since 1993, coming within 1:56 of their first shutout in 13 years. They also ran for 238 yards, the most in a conference game since the 2022 Territorial Cup.
Arizona came within 1:56 of recording its first shutout in 13 years and first in a conference game since 1993.
The First Half Stays Close
The Wildcats’ offense hit trouble from the very start. Fifita was sacked on the opening play of the game for the third week in a row, yet the drive managed to produce points anyway. Kedrick Reescano capped it off with a 10-yard run for a 7-0 lead, with 10:21 remaining in the first quarter.
The Wildcats forced a three-and-out on Cincinnati’s first possession. MJ Cannon then intercepted Fifita at the UA 35, but the Bearcats went nowhere. A 53-yard field goal attempt by Stephen Rusnak hit the right post.
Late in the first quarter, Arizona handed the ball over on downs inside the opponent’s territory. Reescano then lost yardage on a play from 4th and 2, falling back from the 20.
The Second Half Breaks Open
In the third quarter, the contest shifted entirely. Antwan Roberts Jr. broke loose on the opening possession of the half, running 58 yards until he was stripped of the ball from behind at the Cincinnati 12. The ball went back into the end zone, where a Bearcats player knocked it out, a penalty that handed Arizona a fresh set of downs from the 6, a 1st and goal.
Three plays later, Fifita kept it himself for an 8-yard touchdown, giving the Wildcats a 17-0 lead. It was his third rushing touchdown of the season.
Cincinnati responded with its first sustained drive of the game, getting chunk plays to reach the UA 10. The Wildcat defense locked in on 4th down from the 2, with Gavin Hunter breaking up a touchdown pass intended for tight end Gavin Grover.
Arizona’s next drive stalled at the 5, and Michael Salgado-Medina kicked a 23-yard field goal with one second remaining to make it 20-0 at halftime.
The Final Stretch Seals It
Arizona added more points in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats took over after a turnover on downs, where replay confirmed French’s knee came up short of the line on 4th and 5. They moved the ball from their 32, scoring six plays later on a 24-yard pass from Fifita to Phelps. The score became 24-0 with 3:07 remaining in the third.
Salgado-Medina kicked his second field goal of the game from 35 yards out, increasing the margin to 27-0 with 12:11 left on the clock. Powell finished the scoring with a 5-yard touchdown reception with 5:21 still to play.
Arizona now holds a 4-1 mark on the season and a 1-1 record in Big 12 competition after its latest victory.
Key Numbers From the Game
- Arizona: 34 points, 284 passing yards, 238 rushing yards, 2 turnovers
- Cincinnati: 7 points, 153 passing yards, 74 rushing yards, 3 turnovers
- Reescano: 10-yard touchdown run in the first quarter
- Fifita: 284 yards passing, 2 touchdowns, 1 rushing touchdown
- Salgado-Medina: 2 field goals, 23 yards and 35 yards
- Phelps: 24-yard touchdown reception
- Powell: 5-yard touchdown catch
What This Means for the Wildcats
The Wildcats’ depth was on display when it mattered most, with Arizona losing three receivers and still moving the ball efficiently. Players like Mizell, Phelps, Smith, Mosley and Powell stepped into larger roles and helped keep the offense running smoothly.
Big 12 play saw the run game perform at its highest level, with the 238 yards marking the most in a conference game since the 2022 Territorial Cup.
The defensive effort behind the clean sheet merits recognition. Keeping a squad that averages 270 rushing yards limited to just 74 on the ground was a strong showing, and the Wildcats will need similar performance when they face West Virginia next Saturday.
The Road Ahead
West Virginia’s home opener against Arizona will kick off next Saturday at 9 a.m. PT, with the Rich Rodriguez-led Mountaineers coming off a loss to Iowa State. The 3-2, 0-2 team dropped their game by a score of 42-38 earlier Saturday.
Source material: “Arizona football crushes Cincinnati in Big 12 home opener,” Yahoo Sports.
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