Defensive Struggles Continue As West Virginia Falls To Arizona 52-31

The West Virginia Mountaineers (3-3) (0-3 Big 12) were overpowered by the Arizona Wildcats (5-1) (2-1 Big 12) on Saturday by a score of 52-31. The Mountaineers defense continued ti struggle as the Wildcats posted 9.9 yards per play. The 52 points scored by the Wildcats were the most that an opponent had scored on West Virginia since the Texas tech Red Raiders put up the same number of points up on the Mountaineers back in 2024.

The Mountaineers wasted no time moving the ball down the field. However, the Mountaineers 13-play drive came up just short of the end zone, as they settled for a field goal to jump out to an early 3-0 lead.

The lead did not last long for West Virginia, as they allowed Arizona to walk down the field with ease, and the Wildcats scored on a pass from fifth-year quarterback Noah Fifita to sophomore receiver Isaiah Mizell. Arizona committed three offensive penalties on the drive, but it didn't matter for the Wildcats' offense as they took a 7-3 lead.

West Virginia University quarterback Mike Hawkins Jr. | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

The hits kept coming for the Mountaineers, as Michael Hawkings Jr. tried to pitch the ball late to Cam Cook, but was unable to haul it in as it fell to the turf. The fumble was then recovered by fifth-year senior safety Lee Molette III, who walked into the end zone to make it 14-3 in favor of the Wildcats.

The Mountaineers stuck to their run game as they moved the ball downfield against the Wildcats' defense. Everyone at Milan Puskar Stadium held their breath as a nasty facemask by the Wildcats' defense kept Hawkins Jr. off the field for a play. However, the Mountaineers star quarterback was able to return to the contest after missing just a play. The Mountaineers offense came up just short again, as they failed to convert on a fourth-and-goal opportunity from the three-yard line. The score remained 14-3 in favor of Arizona as they took over on downs.

West Virginia’s defense came up big, as senior defensive lineman David Afogho intercepted a batted Fifita pass, setting the Mountaineers up at the Arizona 3-yard line. On the first play, Hawkins Jr. plunged into the end zone to make it 14-10 in favor of Arizona.

The Wildcats offense continued to add to their lead, as kicker Michael Salgado-Medina notched a 44-yard field goal to extend the Arizona lead to 17-10.

West Virginia’s offense continued to keep pace, as Cook took a toss into the end zone from 30 yards out to tie the game at 17 with 7:40 left to play in the first half. The touchdown run was set up by a pass interference call that set up the Mountaineers in prime field position.

Arizona responded in a big way with a touchdown of their own. Fifth-year senior running back Quincy Craig juked a Mountaineer defender on his way to the end zone on his 40-yard touchdown scamper to make it 24-17 Wildcats.

Working their way down the field and looking to tie the game at 24 before halftime, Cam Cook coughed up the ball at the Wildcats ' three-yard line, continuing the Mountaineers struggles in goal-to-go situations in this contest. With under a minute left to play, the Wildcats elected to play it safe and go into the half with a 24-17 lead over the Mountaineers.

Arizona opened up the second half with some explosives, as they traveled 75 yards in just three plays. Fifita stepped into a pass where he found Mizell streaking wide open downfield. The chunk play put Mizell over 100 yards in the contest. Senior running back Kedrick Reescano plunged into the end zone from 8 yards out to extend the Wildcats' lead to 31-17.

After the touchdown to open the half for the Wildcats, it was a bit of a quiet quarter. That was until West Virginia put together a slow, methodical, 16-play, 92-yard touchdown drive that lasted six minutes and 40 seconds. It was the freshman Amari Lattimer who got the call from the two-yard line, and he punched it into the end zone to make it a one-possession game again at 31-24.

West Virginia University running back Amari Latimer | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

With just over a minute to play in the third quarter, the Wildcats offense moved swiftly. On a third-and-short situation, Fifita found Mizell wide open across the middle as West Virginia elected to bring pressure. That proved to be costly, as Mizell took it 72 yards to the house for the games longest play, once again putting Arizona up by multiple scores, 38-24.

The Mountaineers refused to go away despite being down several scores to start the fourth quarter. They used a 9-play, 75-yard drive to bring the lead back within a score at 38-31 after a Cam Cook 1-yard rushing touchdown.

However, it only took two plays for the Wildcats to answer in a big play. There was nobody near junior receiver Brandon Phelps, as Fifita found him wide open downfield for a 42-yard touchdown. The Wildcats, once again, went up multiple scores, 45-31 with 11:35 left to play in the game.

After a three-and-out by the Mountaineers offense, Arizona continued to pour it on. It only took two running plays to go 52 yards, as Antawn Roberts took it in from 30 yards out to make it 52-31 for the Wildcats.

The rest of the game was more or less just a formaility, as the damage had been done. The Wildcats moved to 5-1 overall, while the Mountaineers dropped their third straight after their 3-0 start to the season. WVU will continue to search for their first Big 12 Conference win of the season next weekend when they take on the Cincinnati Bearcats in Morgantown.

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