Arizona WR Gio Richardson exits Cincinnati game after returning from injury
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The Arizona Wildcats made it clear how valuable star wide receiver Gio Richardson is on Saturday against Cincinnati, going to him twice on the first drive of the game after the sophomore missed the last two games with a leg injury.
But after hauling in two catches for 26 yards, Richardson went back into the locker room during the first drive - eventually returning to the sideline in shorts and without his helmet, a clear indication his night is done with less than five minutes of time off the clock.
Richardson had a seven yard gain on first and ten to push Arizona across midfield, and hauled in a 19 yard gain two plays later to push the Wildcats to the 18-yard line. Running back Kedrick Reescano scored two plays later to give Arizona a 7-0 lead.
Big start for sophomore star
Richardson was Arizona's clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver in Week 1 when he hauled in nine catches for 113 yards against NAU, and he had five receptions for 48 yards in the first half against BYU before exiting with the injury that ultimately cost him Week 3 against NIU and Week 4 at Washington State.
There's no doubt the coaches and players were thrilled to have the slot receiver back for the Big 12 home opener against the Bearcats on Saturday, even if they went 2-0 with wins over NIU and WSU without him.
Richardson was a quality piece for the Wildcats as a true freshman in 2025, hauling in 21 receptions for 299 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and his early performance in 2026 had him among the biggest breakout candidates in the Big 12, and all of college football.
Now he's out for at least the rest of this contest, with an update from coach Brennan expected after the game - news that could have far reaching impacts on this program the rest of the way.
What's next for Arizona?
Arizona went 2-0 without Richardson, thanks to improved play from veterans Tre Spivey and Chris Hunter - not to mention an excellent ground attack in the road win over Washington State - and Noah Fifita is excellent at spraying the ball all over the field.
Expect to see a heavy dose of Spivey the rest of the way, especially with Hunter also in the medical tent as of this writing.
Should Richardson miss more time, the Wildcats will lean on slot receiver Rodney Gallagher, as well as receivers Isaiah Mizell, Brandon Phelps, and even true freshman Caleb 'Jet' Smith, who has been impressive in the offense and on the special teams to begin his college career.
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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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