Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita passes against Texas Tech in the first half at Galaxy Stadium in Lubbock, Texas, on Oct. 31, 2026.
Michael C. Johnson
Fifita has a completion rate of 70% or higher in six games this season for the Wildcats. Fifita has a 19:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio this season.
Said Brennan: “Noah Fifita, what a warrior. Goodness gracious, he’s such a special kid. … I thought Noah did so many things to spark our offense all day. It just speaks to a warrior and what a great player he is.”
The bad
After Arizona took a 23-17 lead with just over five minutes left in the third quarter following a goal-line touchdown run by running back Kedrick Reescano, kicker Michael Salgado-Medina’s PAT was blocked because “there was a little bit of penetration in the A-gap and I’m not sure the trajectory of the kick is where it needed to be,” Brennan said.
Texas Tech scored 17 straight points — highlighted by quarterback Thomas Castellanos’ 27-yard pass to Kenny Johnson and running back J’Koby Williams’ 64-yard touchdown run — and took a two-possession lead, but when the Wildcats trailed 27-23, Arizona faced a critical fourth-down decision in the middle of the fourth quarter.
After Arizona safety Cam Chapa forced a fumble that was recovered by cornerback Dwight Bootle,
Instead of kicking a field goal on fourth-and-1 from the Texas Tech 18-yard line, to make the score 27-26, the Wildcats went for it — a similar situation from their first of the loss of the season to BYU.
Fifita overshot leaping tight end Tyler Powell in the left flat for an incomplete pass — and a turnover on downs. Fifita said, “I don’t know how you miss a 6-7 tight end, but I gotta eat that one.”
“The defense gave us so many opportunities to score points and we didn’t do so,” Fifita said. “We started slow and got stuck as well. I’ll take the blame for that. Gotta find opportunities to keep drives going. The fourth-down miss was a big one. I thought the defense played their asses off. I apologize for not having their back.”