After two weeks of losing, Arizona found its mojo at the most opportune time, upsetting the No. 10 ranked Utes 23-10 on Saturday night at Rice-Eccles Stadium for the UA’s Big 12 opener .

The win is Arizona’s first victory over the Utes in Salt Lake City since 2014. The Wildcats’ victory, their first in Big 12 play, is the program’s first victory over a Top 10 team on the road since 2022, when they upset ninth place. UCLA.

After giving up 31 unanswered points in the last road game against Kansas State – and being dominated at the line of scrimmage, Arizona’s defense set an aggressive and physical tone on defense.

Utah’s first two trips to the red zone resulted in two stops by the UA defense on fourth down, including a pass breakup by cornerback Tacario Davis – his first of the season after leading the Pac-12 with 15 last season led – and Treydan Stukes back. , who left with an injury in the first half, stopped Utes running back Mike Mitchell at the Arizona 11-yard line on the opening drive.

Utah named freshman Isaac Wilson, the younger brother of NFL quarterback Zach Wilson, as the starter for the third straight game, while seventh-year starter Cameron Rising continued to rehabilitate a hand injury he suffered earlier this month at Baylor.

He got up dressed, took part in the pre-match warm-ups and captained the coin toss, but Wilson got the nod and went on for 280 metres. Wilson’s top target was former Wildcat Dorian Singer, who finished the night with nine catches for 155 yards, his most productive game since his final season at the UA in 2022.

After surrendering 279 rushing yards to opposing quarterbacks, Wilson had minus-9 yards yards on Saturday. The Wildcats outgained the Utes by 161 yards to 84.

Arizona’s offensive play-calling had more creativity and utilized more playmakers besides star wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. Although McMillan had six catches for 50 yards, Arizona’s passing attack featured junior tight end Keyan Burnett, who had five catches for 76 yards and a touchdown, and slot receiver Jeremiah Patterson, who also scored a touchdown Saturday.

Before the snap of Patterson’s 3-yard touchdown catch on third down, the junior-college transfer lined up outside, gestured inside and ran his route to the pylon for Arizona’s first touchdown of the night. Arizona running back Kedrick Reescano’s 36-yard run up the middle put the Wildcats at the Utah 11-yard line to set up Patterson’s touchdown.

Although the Wildcats found the end zone twice Saturday, kicker Tyler Loop continued to extend Arizona’s lead with three field goals for a career-high. Loop had field goals of 47, 53 and 33 yards; his last cut Arizona’s lead to two possessions, 16-3, entering the fourth quarter.

As Arizona chipped away at the lead, the Wildcats’ defense continued to pressure Wilson with their defensive line and blitzes from linebackers Jacob Manu and Taye Brown. Sophomore defensive back Genesis Smith, Stukes’ rotation at nickel back, intercepted Wilson in the third quarter.

Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita’s interception resulted in Utah scoring its only touchdown of the night, which was set up by a highlight-reel 37-yard catch by Singer. Wilson connected with Caleb Lohner for a 20-yard touchdown to start the fourth quarter.

Leading 16-10 in the fourth quarter, with an amplified crowd at Rice-Eccles Stadium, Fifita completed two critical third-and-11 passes. The first, a 41-yard dart over the middle to wide receiver Devin Hyatt. The second was the ultimate knockout punch, a 35-yard heave to the back of the end zone to Burnett, his first career touchdown as a Wildcat, to take a 23–10 lead with just over eight minutes remaining to play.

And once again, Arizona forced a fourth down stop – its fourth of the night – to regain possession and escape Salt Lake City with its biggest win of the season in the Big 12 home opener against Texas Tech (4-1) for a late-night matchup on Saturday at Arizona Stadium.

• Due to a “mechanical issue,” the flight from Arizona to Salt Lake City was delayed for several hours at Tucson International Airport on Friday. The team left late Friday night and landed in Salt Lake City early Saturday morning, about 20 hours after kickoff.
• Northwestern transfer Alexander Doost started Saturday at right guard above Leif Magnuson and Ryan Stewart.
• Sophomore cornerback Emmanuel Karnley made his first career start, replacing Marquis Groves-Killebrew, who played Saturday.
• Freshman Michael Salgado-Medina started at punter after Jordan Forbes and Loop punted the last two games.
• Arizona came into Saturday as one of the most penalized teams in college football, but finished with five penalties for 35 yards on Saturday; Utah had three penalties for 20 yards.