Arizona Wildcats are going bowling after 24-20 win over Kansas

TUCSON – The Arizona Wildcats are going bowling! After a back and forth game saw the Wildcats trailing 20-17 with less than three minutes to play, the offense dug deep as running back Quincy Craig scored the go-ahead touchdown with 39 seconds remaining. The Wildcats finished with 323 yards of total offense, including two scores by Craig, as Arizona defeated Kansas 24-20 on Homecoming in Tucson.

Noah Fifita connected on 16-of-31 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns, while once again protecting the football with zero turnovers. Ismail Mahdi led the Wildcats with 61 yards on seven carries, but it was Quincy Craig who shined in the backfield, finishing with three carries for 41 yards and a touchdown, as well as another touchdown through the air.

The defense gave up 369 yards of total offense and did not record a sack or takeaway, but held Kansas to just three points in the second half, keeping the door open down the stretch for Arizona.

Wildcats and Jayhawks trade first-half blows

Unlike the fast starts Arizona had against Houston and Colorado, the Wildcats opened the game with a three-and-out after a Tre Spivey third down reception was short of the line to gain.

Danny Gonzales’ defense was able to stand strong on its opening possession though. Kansas was unsuccessful moving the ball on the ground on its first two plays. Then, on third and eight, veteran defensive back Treydan Stukes jumped in front of a pass, knocking it to the turf to get the defense off the field.

The Wildcats’ offense found its groove on the second possession of the game. A third down scramble by Noah Fifita helped Arizona march 78 yards down the field in eight plays. Fifita capped off the drive with a 16-yard touchdown to tight end Sam Olson, his first since the season-opener, as Noah moved within one touchdown of tying the program’s all-time passing touchdown record.

Both sides traded ineffective drives after the game’s opening score. Arizona linebacker Taye Brown got home for a tackle-for-loss on third down, forcing a Kansas punt, before the Wildcats gave the ball right back after a third down sack-fumble by Noah Fifita.

After the negative drive by Arizona, Kansas took advantage of the short field which started at the Wildcats’ 46-yard line. The Jayhawks needed just five plays to find the end zone, as Jalon Daniels punched it in for Kansas’ first score from one yard out.

More offensive miscues led to another stalled drive for the Wildcats. Center Ka’ena Decambra and tight end Cam Barmore were called for a chop block, as Arizona went three and out again.

Kansas dominated down the stretch of the second quarter. After the Wildcats’ three and out, Kansas marched down the field with back-to-back 22-yard pickups, before a 24-yard touchdown from Jalon Daniels to Emmanuel Henderson Jr. gave the Jayhawks a 14-7 lead with 11:17 to play in the first half.

Arizona couldn’t respond after another drive stalled. Noah Fifita was sacked on back-to-back plays as Isaac Lovison punted away for the fourth time in the first half, matching the most punts the Wildcats have had in a game this season.

On the next defensive series for the Wildcats, linebacker Max Harris exited game with a gruesome right leg injury, but Arizona’s defense able to bend without breaking, giving up a 46-yard field goal. Arizona trailed 17-7 with 4:16 to play in the first half. Harris would return in the second half and was one of Arizona’s three leading-tacklers with nine tackles.

Finally, Arizona found some life on its final drive of the second quarter. Things almost ended catastrophically, but a 77-yard pick-six by Leroy Harris III was negated after a defensive holding call saved the drive and half for the Wildcats. Two plays later, Noah Fifita found running Quincy Craig for an eight-yard touchdown, cutting Kansas’ lead to three with a score of 17-14. With that touchdown, Noah Fifita tied Nick Foles and Willie Tutitama for the most passing touchdowns in Arizona program history.

Another sluggish third quarter

The defense had about as good of a second half start as Brent Brennan and Danny Gonzales could have asked for, forcing a three and out on Kansas’ first possession out of the locker room. The third quarter was largely uneventful from there. Michael Salgado-Medina connected on a 41-yard field goal at the 11:23 mark, knotting the game at 17 apiece, before Kansas kicker Laith Marjan drilled a 50-yard kick to give Kansas a 20-17 lead with 5:51 to play in the third.

Arizona’s offense continued to struggle late into the fourth quarter. The Wildcats’ second play of the final frame was almost a disaster after a pass from Noah Fifita to Kris Hutson popped up in the air and was nearly an interception. Arizona’s next offensive drive was almost a disaster too, after Kansas defensive back Syeed Gibbs, who missed the first half due to a targeting call last week, nearly intercepted another one of Noah Fifita’s pass.

So you’re saying there’s a chance

But the Wildcats found a way. Kansas kicker Laith Marjan missed a 30-yard field goal 2:39 left to play, leaving the door open for Arizona. It was Marjan’s first miss of the season, after connecting on his previous 14 kicks this season. Arizona took over at its own 20-yard line with 2:39 to play, trailing 20-17. Noah Fifita and Kedrick Reescano used their legs to get Arizona across midfield, before the middle parted on back-to-back plays for running back Quincy Craig, who punched it in for a 24-yard game-winning touchdown with 39 seconds remaining.

Kansas tried could connect on a 53-yard Hail Mary at the end of the game as Arizona survived to clinch bowl legibility for the first time under Brent Brennan.

After finishing last season 4-8, the Wildcats are now 6-3 with a postseason berth secured. Arizona now heads to Cincinnati for a 10:00 AM MST kick on Saturday, November 15, on FS1.