Arizona looked like they had a real shot in their first big test of the season against BYU in Provo, but a brutal second half shutout absolutely killed all that first half confidence, leading to a tough 28-17 loss. Coach Brent Brennan’s squad is gonna have to hit the reset button big time, ’cause there’s a lot of season left to play, and this game could either be a massive learning lesson or something that drags them down.
The Offense Fizzled Out When It Mattered Most
Man, that offense started hot, right? On their first drive, they marched 12 plays down the field, with Noah Fifita capping it off himself with an 11-yard touchdown run. He was money, too, going 6-7 and hitting Giovanni Richardson on three of those passes for an early 34 yards. But then, ouch, Fifita threw his first pick of the season on the very next drive. They did manage to get back down the field later but had to settle for a field goal try, and then a punt. Right before the half, though, they reclaimed the lead with a ten play, 72-yard drive, finished off by Shane King’s first career touchdown grab from 16 yards out. Fifita even showed off his wheels with a 20-yard run that set that up.
But then, the second half happened. Nothing. Zero points in the third quarter. Same story in the fourth. The game was ultimately lost late when Rodney Gallgher III couldn’t hit the first down marker on fourth down. Fifita finished 23-31 for 230 yards with one touchdown and that crucial interception, plus 11 rushes for 38 yards. Kedrick Reescano was the leading rusher with 49 yards on 15 carries, and Giovanni Richardson, even though he didn’t finish the game, led receivers with five catches for 48 yards. Total yards for the offense were 327, split between 230 through the air and 97 on the ground. They showed flashes of being able to do whatever they wanted, but that completely vanished in the second half. And that left side of the offensive line? Gotta clean that up as the season rolls on.
Defense Had Its Moments, But Gave Up The Lead
The defense actually started strong, too. They forced a three-and-out on BYU’s first drive, and Jay’Vion Cole nearly had a pick-six, jumping a quick slant on third down. But then Fifita’s interception gave BYU a short field, and they capitalized, punching it in two plays later. BYU found the endzone again on the next drive, taking their first lead of the game. After that, in a must-stop situation, Arizona’s defense
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Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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