Arizona dropped it’s fourth straight game in the program’s first ever head-to-head matchup against the West Virginia Mountaineers in a 31-26 loss. Check out our thoughts on last night’s game below:
Offense
– After putting up just 245 yards of offense against Colorado, the Wildcats’ offense showed some signs of life last night, finishing with 386 total yards. The UA went 6-12 on 3rd down, 2-2 on 4th down, and 2-2 in the red zone. Noah Fifita had his first turnover free game of the season and found the end zone three times (including his first-career rushing touchdown). T-Mac finished with 202 yards and a score (his first since the season opener), averaging 20.2 yards per reception.
– The offensive line is still an area of concern, but flipping the line around so Noah Fifita could see Michael Wooten better, while having Big Jonah protect his blind side was a smart move by the offensive staff. Kudos!
– Even with superstars Noah Fifita and T-Mac returning, Arizona’s offensive talent is not what is was last year. The Wildcats are missing guys like wide receiver Jacob Cowing (90 receptions, 848 yards, 13 TDs – single-season program record), tight end Tanner McLachlan (79 career receptions, most by a TE in program history), and left tackle Jordan Morgan (first player drafted in the first-round since 2008). Yes, the offensive scheme and play-calling are struggling, but the talent on the field is not the same with those players leaving for the NFL.
Defense
– Defensive injuries finally caught up to Arizona last night. No defensive tackles Chubba Ma’ae (missed fifth straight game) or Isaiah Johnson (missed second straight game), along with ball-hawking linebacker, Arizona’s leading tackler (before last night), and team captain Jacob Manu left the Cats undersized up front, allowing West Virginia to rush for 5.1 yards per carry. While Genesis Smith, Jack Luttrell, and Owen Goss are all improving, they continue to show their age by getting out leveraged and beat at the point of attack. Dalton Johnson (team-high 13 tackles against West Virginia) can only do so much without Treydan Stukes and Gunner Maldonado.
Fans
– Before fans leave the stadium early, ask yourself, “WWPOAD”, or, “What Would the Pride of Arizona Do?” The POA never has, and never will leave early, and neither should Wildcat Nation. Arizona put together a dynamic fourth quarter, exploding for 148 yards, 13 points, and some exciting backyard football between Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan. Arizona ultimately couldn’t keep West Virginia from converting a 3rd and seven with two minutes remaining, but if Arizona Stadium had still been packed, who knows if the outcome might have been different.
With the 31-26 loss against West Virginia, Arizona will now need to win three of their next four games to secure a bowl game berth. The Wildcats head to UCF next week before rounding out the season by hosting Houston, visiting TCU, and the Territorial Cup versus ASU at home. Can the Wildcats do it?