Arizona crushes Iowa State 39-3 to become bowl eligible: 3 takeaways
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Homecoming weekend was a sweet one in Tucson, with Brent Brennan and the Arizona Wildcats getting out to an explosive start and coasting to a 39-3 win over Iowa State on Saturday evening.
Arizona (6-1, 3-1) has now won five straight, carrying major momentum into what should be a top 25 showdown against the Texas Tech Red Raiders on Halloween.
Noah Fifita found Isaiah Mizell on the second play of the game for a 71 yard touchdown, and the Wildcats didn't let off the gas until the second half - scoring on every drive until Michael Salgado-Medina missed a 31-yard field goal as the clock expired to send the teams into halftime.
It was another dominant performance on both sides of the football for Arizona, who is now bowl eligible for the second straight year - something that has not happened since 2014-2015.
Below is a look at three key takeaways after Arizona's 36 point win over Iowa State on Homecoming weekend:
1. Arizona's slow starts are officially a thing of the past
It's hard to believe a big storyline for Arizona earlier this season was getting off to slow starts, with how the last few games have gone.
Saturday the Wildcats gave the homecoming crowd something to cheer about 30 seconds into the game, when Fifita found Isaiah Mizell on the sideline and hit him in stride for a 71 yard touchdown. Henry Gabalis then took a direct snap and found Tyler Powell for a two point conversion, making it an 8-0 game before most people had even found their seats.
Arizona then forced a very quick three and out, got the ball back at the 20 yard line, and methodically marched 80 yards over 13 plays and nearly seven minutes of game time before Quincy Craig punched one in from six yards out to make it 15-0.
The Wildcats set the tone early, getting the home crowd involved and putting Iowa State on their heels right out of the gate - where they never really recovered.
2. Wildcats defense shuts down Iowa State's biggest weapon
Iowa State has one of the most unique offensive weapons in college football on its squad in Aiden Flora, a running back with nearly 700 rushing yards and six touchdowns coming into Saturday's game. But Flora has also made big plays in the air, and has thrown a pair of touchdown passes on the season as well.
Arizona didn't let him do much of anything on Saturday, however, holding the star back to an ugly 36 rushing yards on 12 carries, along with three receptions for 15 yards in the air. He didn't get a chance to do any damage with his arm either, ultimately becoming a non-factor on a night when Iowa State could hardly generate anything offensively.
To add insult to injury, Arizona had their own 'Flora' performance by Henry Gabalis, who threw for a two point conversion on the first drive of the game - and caught his first career touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter.
The Cyclones finished the night with a putrid 1.9 yards per carry in what was another very strong performance from Danny Gonzalez's defense.
3. The Fifita family steals the show on Homecoming
Noah Fifita was predictably excellent on Saturday, completing 27 of 34 passes for 308 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He got the game off to an electric start with the 71 yard touchdown strike to Isiah Mizell, and controlled the game all the way until he gave way to Sawyer Anderson late in the fourth quarter - who added to the total with a rushing touchdown for good measure.
But he wasn't the only Fifita to have a massive night at Casino Del Sol Stadium. Linebacker Dash Fifita led Arizona with six total tackles, including two sacks, in far and away the best game of the freshman's career.
Homecoming had some extra meaning for the Fifita family this year, and Arizona fans can look forward to another few years of a Fifita dominating in the red and blue - just on the other side of the football.
The Wildcats won't have much time to celebrate Saturday's win with next week's Halloween showdown against Texas Tech looming large. The Wildcats and Red Raiders are set to kick off at 9:00 AM MST on Oct. 31 in what should be a top 25 battle in the Big 12.
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Andy Patton is a college basketball writer with deep ties to both Gonzaga and Arizona. A Gonzaga alumnus who graduated in 2013, he has hosted the Locked On Zags podcast covering Gonzaga basketball since 2021 and has co-hosted the Locked On College Basketball podcast since 2022. His years covering the Bulldogs have also given him extensive familiarity with Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd, who spent more than two decades on Mark Few’s staff at Gonzaga before taking over the Wildcats in 2021. Andy has worked in sports media since 2017, with experience covering nearly every major sport. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for USA TODAY from 2017–21, where he also spent time covering the USC Trojans and Oregon Ducks, and previously served as lead writer for College Sports Wire. He has also covered the NBA, NHL and MLB for various TEGNA outlets, including KREM in Spokane, 12News in Phoenix and KING 5 in Seattle. Andy now lives in Spokane, Washington, with his wife, daughter and dog.
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