Arizona shuts down Cincinnati 34–7 despite receiver injuries

Arizona held Cincinnati scoreless until the final two minutes and handed the Bearcats their first loss of the season, 34–7, Saturday night in Tucson. Noah Fifita threw two touchdown passes and ran for another as the Wildcats combined a 238-yard rushing performance with a defense that allowed just 227 total yards.

Both teams are now 4–1 overall and 1–1 in the Big 12. Arizona led only 10–0 at halftime, but touchdowns on its first two second-half possessions gave it a 24-point cushion. Cincinnati did not score until JC French IV's two-yard touchdown run with 1:56 remaining.

The Wildcats' offense kept producing while losing receivers. Arizona Sports reporter David Veenstra reported that Giovanni Richardson and Chris Hunter left during the first quarter and did not return, while Tre Spivey exited before halftime and later appeared with a boot and crutches. Their future availability was not established in that report.

Fifita completed 25 of 37 passes for 284 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Isaiah Mizell led Arizona with 67 receiving yards on four catches. Brandon Phelps caught a 24-yard touchdown in the third quarter, and Tyler Powell's five-yard score in the fourth put the Wildcats ahead 34–0.

Arizona opened the scoring with Kedrick Reescano's ten-yard touchdown run, completing a 75-yard drive. Cincinnati then had chances to answer. MJ Cannon intercepted Fifita to give the Bearcats possession at the Arizona 32, but Stephen Rusnak's 53-yard field-goal attempt hit the right upright.

A second-quarter Cincinnati drive reached the Arizona two, where the Wildcats forced an incompletion on fourth-and-goal. Arizona followed that stop with a sixteen-play, 92-yard possession, ending in Michael Salgado-Medina's 23-yard field goal on the final play before halftime.

The Wildcats' next scoring drive survived an unusual play. Antwan Roberts Jr. broke loose down the left side, but Jacob Finley forced a fumble near the Cincinnati end zone. Arizona retained possession because Antwan Peek Jr. was penalized for illegally batting the loose ball out of the back of the end zone. Fifita later scored on an eight-yard run.

Phelps' touchdown followed another Cincinnati possession that ended on downs. Salgado-Medina added a 35-yard field goal before Powell's touchdown completed Arizona's scoring. The Wildcats converted nine of fourteen third downs and held possession for 35:39.

French finished 16 of 29 for 153 yards without a passing touchdown. Cincinnati gained 74 yards on the ground, with French accounting for 29 and Gi'Bran Payne 24. Arizona's rushing production was spread among Roberts, who gained 87 yards on five carries, Quincy Craig with 77, and Reescano with 57.

Arizona visits West Virginia next Saturday. Cincinnati has a bye before its own trip to West Virginia on October 17. The Wildcats leave this game with a conference victory and questions about their receiving corps, while Cincinnati's unbeaten start ends after repeated scoring opportunities produced too little.