Just hours before kickoff, Arizona became the active FBS leader in consecutive wins after reigning national champion Michigan lost at home to Texas. The Wildcats nearly held on to that honor for less than 12 hours before getting their act together.

Arizona, ranked 20th, came from a 4-1 halftime deficit to beat NAU 22-10 on Saturday night at Arizona Stadium for its ninth straight win, tying a school record set in 1974-75 and tied in 1997-98.

The UA won despite perhaps its worst offensive performance since a 10-3 win over Cal in 2021 that ended a school-record 20-game losing streak. The Wildcats had 361 yards, 188 of which were on the ground, including 112 from Quali ConleyBut Noah Fifita had his lowest output as a starter with 173 yards on 18 of 26 passing, with one touchdown and one interception.

UA was 0 for 10 on third down and managed just 147 yards in the first half, 26 fewer than its first two drives in last week’s 61-39 win over New Mexico.

It was Arizona’s defense that prevented a second embarrassing loss to NAU in four years, holding the Lumberjacks to 198 total yards and making two huge second-half plays to turn the momentum around. It was the fewest yards UA allowed since giving up 122 against Cal in 2021.

Down 10-6 at halftime, Arizona got a huge stop on defense to turn the tide. NAU went for it at 4^and and short of his own 34 and was filled, with Jacob Manu And Kennedy Chase combine to stop Lumberjacks quarterback Ty Pennington without the first down.

The UA were then saved after a Fifita dismissal was overturned by a face mask penalty, and one game later Jeremiah Patterson broke two tackles en route to a 17-yard touchdown catch to put the Wildcats back ahead 13-10 with 12:06 left in the third period.

Arizona had a chance to build a 2-score lead late in the third quarter, but was again stuck in the red zone. Tyler loop missed a chip shot 27-yarder. The next UA drive stalled at midfield, but a great punt by walk-on Jordan Forbes (who started again Michael Salgado-Medina) was shot down on NAU 1 and two plays later Chubba Ma’ae swallowed run back Darvon Hubbard in the end zone for a safety and a 15-10 lead with 11:33 to go.

It was Arizona’s first safety since the 2022 Territorial Cup and set the tone for Kedrick Reescano to score his first career touchdown, a 56-yard run to make it 22-10 with 9:32 left in the game.

Manu decided the game with a fumble recovery at the UA 44 with 1:46 left on the clock.

Arizona needed just three snaps to get inside the NAU 5, but the drive went downhill from there after Fifita was sacked for the first time this season Loop scored a 32-yard field goal. But the next two drives came to nothing, and the Wildcats led only 3-0 after the first quarter.

That lead was gone just five minutes into the second period when NAU pulled off a trick and took a 7-3 lead. Isaiah Eastman took a jet sweep and then threw over the backed-up defense to a wide open tight end Xander Werner for a 25-yard touchdown catch.

Now trailing, Fifita attempted to force a ball to McMillan in double coverage but threw too high and the tipped pass was intercepted by NAU’s Mikale GreerThe Jacks turned that victory into points with a 38-yard field goal for a 10-3 lead with 6:20 left in the first half.

After forcing another point, Arizona had its best drive since the start of the game and got as far as NAU’s 30, but again had to settle for a field goal. Loop drained the 48-yarder with 32 seconds left before halftime to make it 10-6.

The UA has a short week to prepare for their toughest opponent yet: a visit to No. 17 Kansas State on Friday night.