Arizona fell just short at home against No. 2 Utah, losing 40-39 at Casino Del Sol Stadium on Saturday night. The Wildcats’ quarterback, Noah Fifita, earned an impressive 88.0 grade from Pro Football Focus but it wasn’t enough to keep Arizona from dropping its first home game in over a year.
Fifita played 78 snaps and led Arizona’s offense, which received a solid overall grade of 76.1 from PFF. The Wildcats finished the game with a 74.1 team grade, boosted by an 84.6 mark for passing. Despite the high marks for their aerial attack, Arizona’s defense struggled, posting a 64.2 grade, with tackling rated the lowest on the team at 49.8.
Wide receivers Chris Hunter III, Isaiah Mizell, and Giovanni Richardson all contributed with grades above 70. Hunter earned a 73.7 on 57 snaps, Mizell had a 70.9 on 72 snaps, and Richardson posted 70.7 on 61 snaps. On the offensive line, Matthew Lado and Zach Henning both graded 68.5 while Rhino Tapa’atoutai led in pass blocking with an 89.3 grade.
Defensively, cornerback Jay’Vion Cole was the standout with an 83.5 grade on 36 snaps, the highest on the team after Fifita. Defensive end Mays Pese, who was involved in a key fumble recovery during the third quarter, earned a 72.2 grade, while linebackers Cooper Blomstrom and Taye Brown registered 70.6 and 69.4, respectively.
Despite the individual efforts, the Wildcats’ defense allowed 40 points to Utah, which proved to be the difference. Arizona’s tackling issues contributed to the defensive struggles, with many players posting grades below 60 in that category. Safety Gavin Hunter and defensive tackle Kaisi Lafitaga had some of the lowest marks, at 45.0 and 45.6, respectively.
Utah’s offense managed to edge Arizona by a single point in a tight contest, handing the Wildcats their third loss of the season and ending their home winning streak that had lasted more than a year. Arizona now stands at 7-3 overall and 4-3 in the Big 12.
Fifita’s performance was a highlight, combining efficiency and accuracy to earn the highest offensive grade on the team. The Wildcats’ passing game clearly posed problems for Utah’s defense, but the narrow defeat underlined the team’s challenges in stopping the Utes’ attack.
The Wildcats will look to bounce back in their remaining games while trying to shore up defensive weaknesses exposed by Utah’s offense. The latest PFF grades illustrate the areas where Arizona excelled and where improvement is needed as they push toward the end of the season.
According to Yahoo Sports.
