It wasn't the prettiest of wins, but after Saturday night, somehow, the No. 21 Arizona Wildcats left Arizona Stadium with a 7-2 record, the best start in coach Rich Rodriguez’s three years as UA coach.
The Wildcats won 38-20 thanks in large part to a solid defensive performance and a 14-point final quarter. Arizona forced four turnovers on the night, including a 22-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Tra’Mayne Bondurant in the second quarter. All told, the Wildcats scored 28 of their 38 points off those four turnovers, a season-high.
In the fourth quarter, both of Arizona’s touchdowns came via Anu Solomon passes to receiver Samajie Grant — the first a 27-yarder with 9:50 to go, the second a 20-yard catch with 5:49 on the clock.
Solomon finished the night completing 21 of 38 passes for 211 yards and four touchdowns, with zero interceptions. Nick Wilson had his first 100-yard rushing day since Sept. 13 against Nevada, getting 153 yards on the ground, and Grant finished with a team-high six catches for 83 yards and the two scores.
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Third quarter: Trying to avoid a massive upset, Arizona is hanging on for dear life tonight at Arizona Stadium.
The Wildcats enter the fourth quarter leading Colorado 24-20 in a back-and-forth affair.
Colorado will have a chance to take the lead early in the quarter when it opens the final frame on its own 35-yard line.
Leading 21-17 at halftime, Arizona increased its lead to a touchdown when Casey Skowron connected from 37 yards. It capped an eight-play, 55-yard drive that spanned 2 minutes and 12 seconds.
The Buffaloes answered back with a field goal of their own when Will Oliver hit from 33 yards out.
Arizona had a chance to extend its 24-20 lead and take control of the game, but was forced to punt. Colorado got the ball back and marched into Arizona territory and had 4th and inches. But the Buffaloes were called for a false start and had to punt.
Nick Wilson then had back-to-back rushes for a total of 51 yards to get Arizona into Colorado territory. But the UA’s drive stalled and Anu Solomon threw an incomplete pass on 4th-and-6.
Second quarter: It hasn’t been pretty, but the Arizona Wildcats have a lead.
The UA holds a 21-17 lead over Colorado at halftime and will get the ball to open the second half.
Tied 7-7 after the first quarter, Arizona scored first in the second quarter when Anu Solomon found Tyrell Johnson for an 8-yard touchdown to give the UA a 14-7 lead.
Colorado answered back less than two minutes later when the Buffaloes pulled out some trickery near the goal line.
Off a reverse, receiver Nelson Spruce tossed a 7-yard touchdown pass to quarterback Sefo Liufau to tie it at 14.
After a couple of back and forth possessions, Colorado regained the lead with 4:09 to play in the half when Will Oliver hit a 19-yard field goal.
The Wildcats closed out the scoring in the quarter when Solomon hit David Richards for a 1-yard touchdown.
The game has been sloppy on both sides at times. Liufau has fumbled twice and thrown an interception. He was picked by Arizona free safety Jourdon Grandon near the end of the second quarter. That set up the final touchdown of the half.
His first turnover — a fumble — was scooped up by a hobbled Tra’Mayne Bondurant and returned 22 yards for a touchdown.
Solomon is 15 for 25 for 138 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. He’s rushed for a career-high 73 yards on six carries. Samaje Grant has four catches for 36 yards to lead the UA.
First quarter: The Arizona Wildcats still appear to have some issues on offense, but the defense has picked up the scoring for them, and after one quarter the UA and Colorado are tied 7-7.
Tra’Mayne Bondurant recovered a fumble off an Anthony Lopez sack and returned it 22 yards for a touchdown near the end of the quarter to tie the game.
Colorado opened the scoring on the very first play of the game when quarterback Sefo Liufau hit freshman receiver Shay Fields for a 75-yard touchdown.
Fields was defended by Cam Denson, who gave up his second 70-plus yard touchdown pass in as many weeks.
The Wildcats drove the length of the field on their first drive and had 1st and goal at the 2-yard line. But Terris Jones-Grigsby was stoned three times and Anu Solomon was stopped once, and the UA turned it over on downs.
Colorado’s offense stalled the next few drives before Liufau was hit and stripped by Lopez.
Arizona’s offensive struggles from a week ago against UCLA have carried over to tonight. The UA’s running backs, Terris Jones-Grigsby and Nick Wilson have combined for just 14 yards on seven carries.
Solomon was 8 for 13 for 66 yards in the first quarter.
Colorado has the ball to start the second.
