Noah Fifita tosses 2 TDs as Arizona beats Houston to end skid

Field Level Media|published: Sat 16th November, 01:57 2024

Nov 15, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita (11) throws the ball during the first quarter against the Houston Cougars at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Arizona's Noah Fifita passed for two touchdowns, Tyler Loop kicked a school-record 62-yard field goal and the Wildcats snapped a five-game losing streak with a 27-3 victory over Houston on Friday night in Tucson, Ariz.

Fifita completed 20 of 35 passes for 224 yards for the Wildcats (4-6, 2-5 Big 12), who never trailed and went up 27-3 on Quali Conley's 50-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter. Conley had scored on a 13-yard reception earlier in the quarter.

Houston (4-6, 3-4), which entered the game third-to-last nationally in scoring (15.2 points per game), committed three turnovers and turned the ball over on downs four times, including on fourth-and-goal from the 1 in the second quarter and on a fake punt near midfield in the third quarter.

Loop ended the first half with his 62-yard field goal, breaking the Arizona record of 57, held by four players. Loop added a 51-yard field goal in the third quarter.

Conley finished with 107 yards on 11 carries. Tetairoa McMillan caught six passes for 70 yards and a touchdown. Arizona safety Genesis Smith had an interception and a fumble recovery to go with seven tackles, 1.5 for loss.

Houston, which had won three of its previous four games, failed to reach double-digit points for the fourth time this season. The Cougars' final scoring chance was thwarted on a fumble inside the Arizona 10 with 4:27 to go.

Cougars quarterback Zeon Chriss completed 16 of 27 passes for 191 yards with an interception. He also rushed for 55 yards on 18 carries.

The Wildcats struck first on a 33-yard touchdown pass to McMillan midway through the first quarter as Fifita scrambled to his left and heaved a pass to the back of the end zone. Arizona preserved the lead early in the second quarter by breaking up a pass on fourth-and-goal from the 1.

Arizona squandered a chance with about four minutes to go before half when holder Michael Salgado-Medina dropped the snap on a 28-yard field-goal attempt.

Houston's Jack Martin kicked a 49-yard field goal to make it 7-3 with 42 seconds to go before halftime before the Wildcats moved into position for Loop's 62-yarder. He is 5 of 7 this season on field goals of 50-plus yards.

--Field Level Media