{"id":10334,"date":"2025-10-18T23:16:17","date_gmt":"2025-10-18T23:16:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/10334\/"},"modified":"2025-10-18T23:16:17","modified_gmt":"2025-10-18T23:16:17","slug":"arizona-past-byu-slow-start-trades-punches-with-houston","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/10334\/","title":{"rendered":"Arizona past BYU slow start, trades punches with Houston"},"content":{"rendered":"

It didn\u2019t take long for Noah Fifita and the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday to put a gut-wrenching double-overtime loss to BYU<\/a> last week behind them.<\/p>\n

Though Fifita was caught holding the ball too long in the pocket for a sack on the first play at Houston, he quickly rebounded for a nine-yard run and hit receiver Tre Spivey in stride for a 70-yard touchdown. The catch and run was the longest of Spivey\u2019s career and his fifth receiving score of the season.<\/p>\n

Following a drive of similar length and the same result by Houston \u2014 four plays and 75 yards capped by a 52-yard touchdown to receiver Amare Thomas \u2014 Arizona (4-2, 1-2 Big 12) marched down the field for another touchdown, this time on 11 plays and covering 73 yards.<\/p>\n

Nine of the 11 plays went for at least five yards and New Mexico transfer wideout Luke Wysong finished off the drive from 13 yards out with a nifty jab step<\/a> on Houston defensive back Kentrell Webb.<\/p>\n

Two possessions, two scores and Fifita was a perfect 7-for-7 and 116 yards not even nine minutes into the first quarter.<\/p>\n

Just last week in Tucson against the then-No. 18 BYU Cougars, the Wildcats on their opening two possessions only managed 26 yards on eight plays for two punts.<\/p>\n

Wysong, wynot\u2049\ufe0f@LukeWysong<\/a> finds the end zone to put Arizona back on top. pic.twitter.com\/aJ0SndnXTC<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) October 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

By the time curtains called at halftime, nine different receivers had caught a pass from Arizona\u2019s 5-foot-10 junior signal caller, who was 13-for-14 for 171 yards (12.2 yards per completion).<\/p>\n

On his first four carries of the game, running back Ismail Mahdi gained 33 yards. Mahdi entering Saturday had been averaging 5.7 yards per carry.<\/p>\n

The offensive surge was needed to just stay in the game, as Houston (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) used a 33-yard gain on fourth-and-3 at the Arizona 43-yard line to tie things up at 14-14. Quarterback Conner Weigman\u2019s 10-yard rushing touchdown also completed the team\u2019s longest scoring drive of the season (96 yards).<\/p>\n

The Wildcats seemed to be piecing together another scoring drive in response, but failed to pick up a fourth-and-1 on the Houston 31-yard line and Houston rolled the other way.<\/p>\n

Weigman rumbled for 28 yards on a QB-designed run to immediately put the Cougars in striking distance, as they cashed in their third touchdown eight plays later for their first lead of the game.<\/p>\n

For how effective the offense operated in the first half, Arizona\u2019s defense surrendered 121 rushing yards and 6.7 yards per carry.<\/p>\n

Follow @pwmoses11<\/a><\/p>\n

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