Three BOLD Observations From Arizona's Win
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Throughout the Brent Brennan era, thus far, Arizona has struggled on the road losing 5-straight games and having a 1-5 record. In the last game, the Wildcats battled back from a 28-14 deficit but couldn’t complete the comeback falling 31-28 against Houston.
Now, Arizona (5-3, 2-3 Big 12) went up against Colorado following the bye-week and started off hot hitting receiver Tre Spivey for a 57-yard touchdown setting the tone early in the game. From that point on, it was all Wildcats as they went on to hammer the Buffaloes 52-17 sealing the fifth win of the year.
Although the WIldcats lost to Houston, quarterback Noah Fifita had his best passing game of the season going 24 of 26 for 269 yards and two touchdowns. Fifita was able to build on that solid performance against Colorado.
Against Colorado, Fifita had another high-level passing game and was able to surgically pick apart the defense, going an impressive 11-for-19 totaling 213 yards while racking up four touchdowns on the night.
With the four passing touchdowns, Fifita is getting closer to the top of the all-time record sitting at 65, which puts him third on the list.
However, he is now two touchdowns away from tying the record held by quarterbacks Willie Tuitama and Nick Foles.
Not only was Arizona able to get an elite passing performance by Fifita but the offense was able to score fast when it had the ball with five scoring drives under four minutes.
The game was so out of hand that with six minutes left in the third quarter, Arizona turned to backup quarterback Braedyn Locke to finish off the rest of the game.
As an offensive unit, Arizona racked up 390 total yards, 213 passing yards and rushed the ball for 177 yards while finding the end zone three times on the ground.
On the defensive side of the ball, Arizona has struggled the last two games giving up 490 yards on the ground. Both BYU and Houston were able to run right through the defense having the most success on the ground against the Wildcats than any other opponent this season.
Against Colorado, Arizona was able to hold the Buffs to 128 yards rushing and forced them into passing situations all game long.
In all, the defense gave up 261 yards in total offense and 133 yards passing. However, the defense was that Danny Gonzales’ unit was able to create five turnovers helping flip the field for the Wildcats’ explosive offense.
Not only did the Wildcats snap their 5-game road losing streak but it was the largest win on the road dating back to the 2023 season against ASU where Arizona won 59-23, sealing a trip to the Alamo Bowl.
Arizona has gotten back in the win column and we at Arizona Wildcats On SI have put together our three observations from the game.
Three Observations
Tre Spivey
- Arizona and Fifita have done a great job of spreading the football around this season with several different receivers and tight ends hauling in passes and making an impact on the offense. However, one receiver has been finding the end zone at a rapid rate in Spivey.
- So far this season, Spivey has recorded 11 catches and has one rushing attempt where he has racked up 283 yards. But, the impressive thing is that he has scored SEVEN touchdowns on the year.
- Clearly, this is a weapon Arizona and Doege need to start getting the ball to more and has proven to be one of the top receivers on the roster.
Starting Strong
- One of the quickest ways to take an opposing crowd out of the game on the road is scoring quickly and getting off to an early lead.
- Arizona has been able to do that in back-to-back games on the road and both thanks to long touchdowns by wide receiver Tre Spivey on quick passes by Noah Fifita against Houston two weeks ago and Colorado on Saturday.
- Earlier this season in Arizona's first road game against Iowa State, the Wildcats fell behind 8-0 early and 22-0 by the end of the first half.
- Fast starts will be critical for Arizona in its final two road games of the season against Cincinnati and Arizona State.
Creating Turnovers
- The Arizona defense was suffocating all night, only yielding 17 points from the Buffaloes and one of those being a field goal in the final minutes of the game.
- The Wildcats forced five turnovers, three of those being interceptions and two from fumbles. Those five turnovers resulted in 21 points being scored, showing that the Wildcats can be advantageous when given the opportunities
- Arizona’s aggressive defense that swarms to the quarterback and gives constant pressure is the reason why it is second in the Big 12, now with 12 interceptions on the season.
- A heavy amount of turnovers has got to add some confidence to a defense that failed to record any in the last game against Houston.
Please be sure to share your thoughts on our three observations from the Wildcats’ win over Colorado. To do so, follow us on our X account by clicking on the link.
Troy Hutchison grew up attending Arizona athletic events, which gave him a unique perspective and knowledge of the athletic department's rich history. He attended UA and began covering the Wildcats in 2018. As the Arizona Wildcats Beat Writer on SI, he is set to deliver wall-to-wall coverage to give fans an in-depth perspective.
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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.
Nathaniel Martinez and a set of shoulder pads at 7 years old. He later graduated from Pima Community College in 2023, where he began writing for the Pima Post. He is working to achieve a Bachelor’s in Mass Communication and Media Studies.