SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Noah Fifita threw for 197 yards and two touchdowns and Arizona’s defense stopped No. 10 Utah four times on fourth down to help the Wildcats beat the Utes 23-10 on Saturday night. Arizona (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) turned in a stellar defensive performance with two interceptions, eight pass breakups and seven tackles for loss.
Utah (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) played without QB Cam Rising again. Freshman Isaac Wilson moved the ball but couldn’t convert in the red zone and threw a pair of interceptions. Fifita hit Tetairoa McMillan for a 41-yard pass on third-and-11 and then threw a 35-yard touchdown to Keyan Burnett on another third-and-11 to make it 23-10 with 8:13 to play.
Tao Johnson intercepted Fafita in the end zone on the first play of the fourth quarter before Wilson drove the field and found Caleb Lohner for a 20-yard TD reception to cut the lead to 16-10 with 11:54 to play. But the Wildcat defense held strong . In the third quarter after Tyler Loop’s 53-yard field goal, Wilson was intercepted by Genesis Smith on the next play.
Loop’s ensuing 33-yard field goal gave the Wildcats a 16-3 lead. Fifita used quick passes to avoid Utah’s pass rush and capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive with a 3-yard TD pass to Jeremiah Patterson to give Arizona a 10-3 lead at halftime. Fifita completed all seven passes on the Wildcats’ opening drive but it was Kedrick Reescano’s 23-yard run that set up Loop’s 47-yard field goal.
The Wildcats stopped the Utes’ first two .
