No. 14 BYU used two turnovers by Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita deep in Wildcats territory early in the third quarter to seize momentum in a 41-19 victory Saturday in a Big 12 game at Provo, Utah.
Arizona’s first play of the second half resulted in an interception by Jakob Robinson, who leaped and grabbed a short pass attempt by Fifita.
BYU (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) scored on the next play from the Arizona 9-yard line on Jake Retzlaff’s pass to Chase Roberts to increase the lead to 21-7.
Two plays into Arizona’s next possession, Fifita fumbled the ball while sacked by Isaiah Glasker. Harrison Taggart recovered the ball at the Arizona 15.
The turnover resulted in a 33-yard field goal by Will Ferrin with 13:11 left in the third quarter, putting BYU ahead 24-7.
Arizona (3-3, 1-2) cut the lead to 34-19 on Quali Conley’s 2-yard touchdown run with 2:58 left.
An onside kick was unsuccessful, but the Wildcats gained possession after Hinckley Ropati fumbled the ball away on BYU’s first play from scrimmage at the Arizona 32 with 2:49 left.
Arizona then turned the ball over on downs following four plays.
Given another opportunity after Arizona burned its three timeouts to force a punt, Fifita threw an interception that was returned 21 yards for a touchdown by Glasker with 1:02 left.
Fifita completed 26 of 52 passes for 275 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions.
Retzlaff passed for 218 yards while completing 18 of 32 pass attempts with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
With the game tied at 7, Arizona was at the BYU 28 when Fifita threw an interception that was caught by Tanner Wall at the Cougars’ 1 with 10:10 left in the second quarter.
BYU drove 99 yards on seven plays for a touchdown.
Parker Kingston took a lateral throw from Retzlaff and connected with LJ Martin for a touchdown on the trick play with 6:30 left in the second quarter, putting BYU ahead 14-7.
Arizona’s last possession of the first half ended with a turnover on downs at BYU 24 when Conley was stopped just short of the line to gain.
–Field Level Media
