Inside The Wildcats

Arizona Wildcats vs. Colorado Buffaloes Live Game Thread

Arizona football heads to Boulder to take on Colorado in a Big 12 conference game on Saturday.
Ari Koslow|
Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Arizona head coach Brent Brennan and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders talk on stage during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Arizona head coach Brent Brennan and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders talk on stage during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Boulder, CO. -- Arizona is set to begin its final stretch of the season on the road against Colorado.

Prior to their bye week, the Wildcats dropped back-to-back heartbreakers against BYU in double overtime and Houston on a last second field goal. Arizona sits at 4-3 on the season, needing to win two of its final five games to reach a bowl game.

Arizon
Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Houston head coach Willie Fritz shakes the hand of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders on stage while Arizona head coach Brent Brennan looks on during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Colorado enters Saturday at 3-5 on the season, coming off a 53-7 blowout loss against Utah. The Buffaloes are 1-3 to start conference play as are the Wildcats.

It is a fairly clean Availability Report for Arizona outside of defensive back Marquis Groves-Killebrew and offensive lineman Jordan Brown being ruled out. Colorado is expected to be without several more players, including four different players ruled out on its defensive line.

The big area Arizona will be looking to clean up is its run defense, particularly stopping the opposing quarterback. If it is Kaidon Salter starting at quarterback for the Buffaloes, he is very mobile which will be a factor to monitor for the Wildcats.

Arizona coach Brent Brennan talked earlier this week about the matchup against Colorado, who are coming off a blowout loss.

"Any given Saturday in the Big 12 is a challenge," he said. "Any given Saturday in college football, if you're watching the games this weekend, I think every team in this conference is really good, and every time you line up, you've got to be ready to play."

Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. (MST) and will be aired on FS1.

First Quarter

  • Scoring update No. 1: Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita finds wide receiver Tre Spivey on a quick pass and long run for a 57-yard touchdown. 
  • Drive summary (3 plays, 75 yards, 1:05)
  • Scoring update No. 2: Arizona kicker Michael Salgado-Medina connects on a 49-yard field goal.
  • Drive summary (8 plays, 19 yards, 3:35)
  • TURNOVER: Colorado quarterback Kaidon Salter fumbles and Arizona recovers inside the Colorado 15-yard line.
  • Scoring update No. 3: Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita finds wide receiver Kris Hutson for a 12-yard touchdown. 
  • Drive summary (1 plays, 12 yards, 0:06)

Start of the Second Quarter

  • Scoring update No. 4: Colorado quarterback Kaidon Salter finds wide receiver Omarion Miller in the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown.
  • Drive summary (17 plays, 75 yards, 7:40)
  • Scoring update No. 5: Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita finds wide receiver Gio Richardson up the middle for a 60-yard catch and run touchdown.
  • Drive summary (4 plays, 75 yards, 1:50)
  • Turnover: Arizona defensive back Dalton Johnson intercepts Colorado quarterback Kaidon Salter. 
  • Scoring update No. 6: Arizona wide receiver Javin Whatley takes a handoff for a 13-yard rushing score. 
  • Drive summary (2 plays, 8 yards, 0:46)
  • Scoring update No. 7: Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita hits wide receiver Javin Whatley in the back of the end zone for a 34-yard touchdown pass.
  • Drive summary (9 plays, 65 yards, 2:35)

HALFTIME: Arizona leads Colorado 38-7

Start of the Third Quarter

  • Turnover: Arizona defensive back Jay'Vion Cole intercepts Colorado quarterback Ryan Staub. 
  • Turnover: Arizona wide receiver Kris Hutson catches a pass and fumbles. The ball is recovered by Colorado safety Tawfiq Byard.
  • Turnover: Colorado quarterback Ryan Staub is intercepted by Arizona defensive back Ayden Garnes. 
  • Scoring update No. 8: Arizona running back Ismail Mahdi finds the end zone for a 7-yard score. 
  • Drive summary (2 plays, 17 yards, 0:47)
  • Scoring update No. 9: Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis finds wide receiver Omarion Miller deep for a 59-yard touchdown.
  • Drive summary (5 plays, 75 yards, 1:53)
  • Scoring update No. 10: Arizona running back Kedrick Reescano finds the end zone for a 1-yard score. It was a 68-yard run by running back Ismail Mahdi that opened the drive to set-up the score. 
  • Drive summary (4 plays, 75 yards, 1:02)
  • Turnover: Colorado wide receiver Sincere Brown catches a pass and fumbles the ball that is forced by Arizona defensive back Jay'Vion Cole. Arizona defensive back Genesis Smith picks up the fumble and brings it inside the Colorado 5-yard line. 
  • Missed field goal: Arizona kicker Michael Salgado-Medina misses a 30-yard field goal. 

Start of the Fourth Quarter

  • Turnover: Arizona running back Cornelius Warren III fumbles and Colorado recovers.
  • Scoring update No. 11: Colorado kicker Alejandro Mata connects on a 31-yard field goal.

(FINAL) ARIZONA 52, COLORADO 17

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Ari Koslow
ARI KOSLOW

Ari Koslow is a sports writer covering the University of Arizona athletics at On SI. Koslow has been covering Arizona sports for several years. Born and raised in Seattle, he is a diehard Seahawks fan and a longtime sufferer of the Mariners. He is a huge fantasy football fanatic. Koslow is a graduate of Arizona’s School of Journalism.