By Reggie Gatlin-Holt

ALAMO BOWL

https://www.alamobowl.com/

GAME NOTES

https://arizonawildcats.com/documents/2023/12/18/Alamo_Bowl_Media_Guide.pdf

TUCSON, Ariz. — The No. 14 Arizona Wildcats (9-3, 7-2) are set to square off against the No. 14 Oklahoma Sooners (10-2, 7-2) in the 2023 Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio on Thursday, Dec. 28. Kickoff is set for 7:15 p.m. MST.

The game will be nationally televised on ESPN and broadcast on Wildcats Radio 1290 AM.

Arizona is making their first bowl appearance since 2017 after winning six straight games to close out the regular season. The Wildcats extended win streak, including four wins over ranked opponents, pushed them into the AP Top 25 and the College Football Playoff Top 25, checking in at No. 14 in both polls.

The Wildcats boast one of the top offenses in the nation to go along with the most improved offense in Division I and are seeking their first double-digit win campaign since finishing the 2014 season at 10-4.

A complete preview of the 2023 Valero Alamo Bowl can be found below.

ARIZONA NOTES & NUMBERS

• The #14 Arizona Wildcats will face #12 Oklahoma Sooners in the 31st annual Valero Alamo Bowl on Dec. 28 at 7:15 p.m. MST in the Alamodome and will broadcast live on ESPN.
• Tom Hart (PxP), Jordan Rogers (Analyst) and Cole Cubelic (Sideline) are the ESPN broadcast team.
• The 2023 Valero Alamo Bowl is the first matchup against Oklahoma in a bowl game and the third contest overall (1-1) between these two teams. The last time the Wildcats took on the Sooners was in 1989 when Arizona used a game-winning 40-yard field goal by kicker Doug Pfaff to come away victorious 6-3.
• The Wildcats finished 9-3 overall and 7-2 in the Pac-12 for third in the conference behind Washington (13-0, 9-0) and Oregon (11-2, 8-1). The program’s eight-win improvement from its 1-11 campaign in 2021 is the largest two-year improvement in program history.
• Arizona won six straight games to end the regular season, becoming the longest winning streak since 1998. The nine wins are the most since going 10-4 in 2014, marking the seventh time in program history that Arizona has won nine-plus games in a season.
• The Wildcats last appeared in a bowl game when they participated in the Foster Farms Bowl against Purdue on Dec. 27, 2017. Arizona’s last win in a bowl game came on Dec. 19, 2015, against New Mexico (W, 45-37) in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl.
• Noah Fifita threw for a school-record 527 yards and five touchdowns, Michael Wiley scored three times and No. 16 Arizona put an emphatic end to the Pac-12 era of the Territorial Cup rivalry with a 59-23 rout over Arizona State.
• It marks the second appearance in the Valero Alamo Bowl in program history. First (Dec. 29, 2010 vs. Oklahoma State).

2017 — The Wildcats return to a bowl game for the first time since 2017 with an appearance in the Valero Alamo Bowl for the first time since 2010.

108 — Jacob Manu finished the regular-season with a Pac-12 leading 108 tackles. It is the first time that a Wildcat has recorded over 100 tackles in a season since Colin Schooler made 119 tackles in 2018.

8 — Arizona’s eight-win improvement from its 1-11 campaign in 2021 is the largest two-year improvement in program history.

527 — QB Noah Fifita passed for a school-record 527 yards and career-high five touchdowns in the 59-23 win over Arizona State to conclude the regular season.

9 — Arizona’s nine wins are their most since going 10-4 in 2014, marking the seventh time in program history that Arizona has won nine-plus games in a season.

ABOUT LAST GAME: Noah Fifita threw for a school-record 527 yards and five touchdowns, Michael Wiley scored three times and No. 16 Arizona put an emphatic end to the Pac-12 era of the Territorial Cup rivalry with a 59-23 rout over Arizona State on Saturday. The Wildcats (9-3, 7-2 Pac-12, No. 15 CFP) were humiliated 70-7 by Arizona State two years ago, the wound salted by a mocking billboard erected by Sun Devils’ fans along Interstate 10 between Tempe and Tucson. Arizona fans may want to put up a billboard of their own after the embarrassment shifted north in the final game before the rivals head to the Big 12 next year. The Wildcats took no pity on the injury-riddled Sun Devils (3-9, 2-7), racking up 619 yards of offense. Tetairoa McMillan had a Territorial Cup-record 266 yards and a touchdown on 11 catches. Jacob Cowing had nine catches for 157 yards. Fifita finished 30 of 41 to break Anu Solomon’s school record of 520 yards passing against California in 2014. Arizona also intercepted Jaden Rashada twice – both set up touchdowns – to complete its first six-game winning streak since 1998. Rashada threw for 82 yards and a touchdown on 10-of-22 passing in his first game since Sept. 9 – nowhere close to good enough the way the Wildcats were rolling. Arizona got some relief last season, ending Arizona State’s five-game Territorial Cup winning streak with a three-point home win. The Wildcats wanted even more in their return to Tempe and got it, hitting chunk plays in the passing game to set up short touchdowns while racing off to a 38-7 halftime lead. Tanner McLachlan scored on a 3-yard, side-armed pass from Fifita. Jonah Coleman burst up the middle for a 4-yard touchdown. Wiley scored on runs of 22 and 1 yards. All four touchdowns were set up by passing plays of 15 or more yards to McMillan or Cowing. Fifita had the most passing yards by an Arizona quarterback in Territorial Cup history by halftime, hitting the 357-yard mark on a 22-yard TD pass to Wiley.

THE VALERO ALAMO BOWL: No. 14 Arizona (9-3, 7-2 Pac-12) faces No. 12 Oklahoma (10-2, 7-2 Big 12) in the Valero Alamo Bowl. The Wildcats have faced the Sooners twice in their series history with each team claiming a win. This is the first Bowl Game matchup between Arizona and Oklahoma. It marks the second trip to the Alamo Bowl in program history for the Wildcats. The first was on Dec. 29, 2010, when Arizona fell to Oklahoma State 36-10 in San Antonio. Arizona last faced Oklahoma in 1989 when the Wildcats came away with a 6-3 win in Tucson on Dec. 16. Kicker Doug Pfaff made a 40-yard game-winning field goal. Arizona has a 9-11-1 record all-time in bowl games dating back to 1921. Arizona’s last bowl was the Foster Farms Bowl against Purdue (L, 38-35) on Dec. 27, 2017, in Santa Clara, Calif. The Foster Farms Bowl capped a 7-6 season that included four straight wins from Oct. 7-28. QB Khalil Tate threw for 302 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for 58 yards. Tony Ellison caught four passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns, Shawn Poindexter finished with five receptions for 71 yards and one touchdown, and Shun Brown caught four passes for 62 yards and one touchdown.

SIX PACK: The Wildcats have won six in a row for the first time since the 1998 season when they finished the season with seven straight wins over Oregon State (28-7), Louisiana-Monroe (45-7), Oregon (38-3), Washington State (41-7), California (27-23), Arizona State (50-42), and Nebraska (23-20 in the Holiday Bowl).

COACHING HONORS: The Arizona Wildcats, under the leadership of Head Coach Jedd Fisch, have improved from 1-11 in 2021 to 5-7 to 2022 and 9-3 in 2023. The eight-win two-year improvement is the most in program history.  The Wildcats tied for the second-best two-year turnaround in program history last season, winning four more games in 2022 than 2021. Coach Fisch was named a Finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award on Dec. 5, and a Semifinalist for the George Munger Coach of the Year on Dec. 7. Under Coach Fisch’s leadership, the Wildcats finished third in the Pac-12 and are heading to the Alamo Bowl, making an appearance in a bowl game for the first time since 2017. This is the highest finish in the conference for the Wildcats since winning the South Division and making an appearance in the Pac-12 Championship game against Oregon in 2014.

EXPLOSIVE OFFENSE: Over the past two seasons, Arizona has had one of the most explosive offenses in college football, finishing tied for 14th in the regular season with 72 plays of 20-plus yards in 2023 and finishing 9th in college football with 84 plays of 20-plus yards in 2022. Prior to the last two seasons, the Wildcats were 71st (2021; 57 plays of 20-plus yards), 116th (2020; 20 plays of 20-plus yards), and 47th (2019; 64 plays of 20-plus yards) from 2021 to 2019. Arizona’s 72 plays of 20-plus yards this season are one play behind Valero Alamo Bowl opponent Oklahoma (12th, 73 plays).

ALL-PAC-12 HONORS: Arizona Football quarterback Noah Fifita has been named Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year to lead the Wildcats 13 all-conference selections. Fifita becomes the 2nd Arizona player to lock in the Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year since the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year award was split into the Offensive and Defensive awards before the 2009 season. Fifita finished the regular season second in the Pac-12 in completion percentage (73.6), a mark that is currently the best single-season completion percentage in program history. The first Wildcat to earn this honor was running back J.J. Taylor in 2017. The redshirt freshman from Huntington Beach, California earned Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors a conference-record five times after outstanding performances against Arizona State (527 passing yards, 5 TD), UCLA (300 yards, 3 TD), Oregon State (275 yards, 3 TD), Washington State (342 yards, 34-43 passing), and USC (303 yards, 5 TD).

FIFITA BY THE NUMBERS: 

• 6-2 as the team’s starting quarterback, leading the team on a 6-game win streak to end the regular season.  It’s the longest win streak for Arizona since 1998.
• Arizona is 9-3 this season, the most wins since going 10-4 in 2014.
• 4th in FBS with a 73.6 completion percentage this season, tops among freshmen QB nationally.  Looking to become the 1st quarterback in school history to complete over 70% of their passes in a season (minimum 100 attempts).  The current Arizona record is 69.1% by Nick Foles in 2011 (387-of-560).
• 23 pass TD this season is tied for the most of any FBS freshman (USF’s Byrum Brown).  It’s tied for the 7th most in Arizona single-season history and 2nd most by a Wildcat freshman (Anu Solomon with 28 in 2014).
• 2,515 pass yards this season is currently the 12th most in Arizona history and 2nd most by an Arizona freshman (Anu Solomon with 3,793 in 2014).  Fifita is currently 5th among all FBS freshmen this season in passing yards.
• School-record 527 pass yards in win over Arizona State to also set the record for passing yards by a player on either team in Territorial Cup history. He matched his career high with 5 passing touchdowns, set earlier this season against USC.
• Record 5-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week winner this season, all coming over the final 8 weeks.  The previous high was 4 times by former Arizona State QB Jayden Daniels in 2019, the first season the conference had a weekly award for freshmen.
• Finalist for the national Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.

CLASS OF ’22: Sophomores are at the top of the team tallies in the following statistical categories this season: Rushing yards (1st; Jonah Coleman, 870), rushing touchdowns (1st; Coleman, 5), one ahead of another running back that joined the Wildcats in 2022, DJ Williams (4). Receiving yards (1st; Tetairoa McMillan, 1,242), receiving touchdowns (2nd; McMillan, 10), trailing Jacob Cowing (11) who also joined the Wildcats in 2022. Tackles (1st; Jacob Manu, 108.0), tied for first in interceptions with junior Treydan Stukes (t-1st; Ephesians Prysock, Tacario Davis, Jacob Manu, 1), tackle for loss (2nd; Manu, 8.5-52), sacks (2nd; Manu, 5.5-47), quarterback hurries (1st; Manu, 9), and pass breakups (1st; Tacario Davis, 15 – 1st in Pac-12). Redshirt Freshman Wendell Moe (pronounced: Moi), another member of the Class of ’22, is second on the team in overall offensive ranking (70.0), allowing two sacks in 796 snaps at left guard (per PFF). Sophomore Jonah Savaiinaea is third on the team in overall blocking rating (68.2) per PFF. Savaiinaea is third on the offensive line in overall offensive grade (68.2), allowing two sacks in 821 snaps (138 at RG and 682 at RT).

THE TERRITORIAL CUP RETURNS HOME: The Wildcats won back-to-back games (2022 and 2023) against the Sun Devils for the first time since 2008-09. QB Noah Fifita was named the Bob Moran MVP becoming the first Arizona QU to win the honor since Brandon Dawkins in 2016. Fifita threw for a single-game program record 527 yards and a career-high five touchdowns in the win. Tetairoa McMillan finished the game with 266 receiving yards, marking the second most in program history. His performance was 17 yards shy of Jeremy McDaniel’s single-game record at Cal in 1998. McMillan’s 266 yards were also the most by any player in Territorial Cup history. The previous high-water mark was ASU’s Gerrell Robinson, who tallied 199 receiving yards in 2011. McMillan’s 162 yards in the first half are the second most by an Arizona player in any half since 2012 (most: 182 yards, Cayleb Jones, 1st half, 2015 New Mexico Bowl). Arizona’s 38 first half points against Arizona State are their most in a first half since scoring 51 against NAU on Sept. 7, 2019. They are the most first half points Arizona has scored in a Territorial Cup game since at least 1954. The Wildcats 38 first half points are more than they scored in 88 of the previous 96 editions of the Territorial Cup. Arizona’s final tally of 59 points are the second-most ever scored by the Wildcats in a Territorial Cup (most: 67, 1946).

100 TACKLE CLUB: Sophomore Jacob Manu finished the regular season with 108 tackles which lead the conference. He is the first Wildcat to record 100-plus tackles since Colin Schooler (119) in 2018. Schooler was named AP All-Pac-12 First Team following his season. 27 players in Arizona football program history have surpassed the 100-tackle mark in a single season. Only seven Arizona players have recorded 100-plus tackles in a single season since 2000.

IN THE RANKINGS: Arizona climbs to No. 14 in the AP, Coaches, and CFP after finishing the regular season on a six-game winning streak, it’s longest winning streak in a season since 1998. The Wildcats are ranked its highest since 2014 when the team was ranked 7. This is highest the Wildcats have finished a regular season since 2014 when the team was placed 10th on CFP Selection Sunday. The Cats debuted in the CFP Top-25 at No. 12 in 2014. Five straight weeks in the CFP Top-25 is the most since 2014 when the Wildcats were in the CFP Rankings for seven straight weeks. Since the 2014 season and prior to the 2023 season, Arizona has been ranked by the CFP once (No. 22 in 2017).

COMPLETION MACHINE: Redshirt Freshman QB Noah Fifita continues to guide the Wildcats with a steady hand, completing 73.6-percent of his passes. Fifita is second in the Pac-12 and tied for third among FBS quarterbacks in completion percentage. He is one of two quarterbacks completing passes over a 70-percent clip in the conference (Bo Nix, Oregon). Fifita’s 2,515 passing yards are 7th in the Pac-12. His 23 passing touchdowns are 6th in the conference. Fifita’s 11.59 yards per completion are 7th in the Pac-12. He is averaging 228.64 passing yards per game which is 7th in the conference. Fifita, as of now, with a 73.6 completion percentage leads all quarterbacks in Arizona program history.

DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS: DL Taylor Upshaw has posted a career high 8.5 sacks this season, leading the Wildcats and sitting 5th in the Pac-12 in sacks. He has posted seven solo sacks and one assisted sack this season. Upshaw’s sacks are the most in a single season for the Wildcats since DE Kylan Wilborn recorded 7.5 during the 2017 season. Upshaw has at least one sack in three consecutive games, all victories. DB Tacario Davis leads the conference with 14 pass breakups and 15 passes defended (1 INT). Treydan Stukes is 4th in the conference with eight pass breakups and nine passes defended (1 INT). Dalton Johnson is tied for second in the Pac-12 in fumbles forced with three, marking a career best.

IN THE TRENCHES: Arizona OL Jordan Morgan is 3rd in the Pac-12 in overall offensive rating (82.8) (minimum: 700 snaps). He has allowed only two sacks during 787 snaps. Morgan’s 89.9 pass-blocking rating is the second highest in the Pac-12 with a minimum of 477 passing snaps. Morgan has been superb during his senior season, starting all 12 games for the Wildcats during his final season with the team. Wendell Moe is 7th in pass-blocking grade (84.3) allowing just two sacks in 527 passing snaps.

VS. RANKED OPPONENTS IN PAC-12: Arizona played six straight games against AP Top-25 opponents going 4-2 during that span with losses to No. 7 Washington (31-24) and No. 9 USC (43-41), and wins against No. 19 Washington State (44-6), No. 11 Oregon State (27-24), No. 19 UCLA (27-10), and No. 16 Utah (42-18). It marks the first time in program history that the Wildcats have beaten three straight ranked opponents in a single season. In 2014, the Wildcats won three of four matchups with top 25 opponents, defeating No. 2 Oregon (32-24) on Oct. 2, dropping a 17-7 contest to No. 25 UCLA on Nov.1, and then beating No. 20 Utah 42-10 on Nov. 22, and No. 13 Arizona State 42-35 on Nov. 28.

NATIONAL RANKINGS: The Wildcats are ranked in the top 50 in the nation in the following offensive and defensive categories.
Offense

• 7th in 3rd down conversion percentage (49.7%)
• 8th in team passing efficiency (165.99)
• 12th in passing offense (304.5 yards per game)
• 13th in red zone offense (92.6%)
• T-14th in 4th down conversion percentage (66.7%)
• 18th in total offense (453.4 yards per game)
• 19th in first downs offense (284)
• 22nd in scoring offense (34.3 points per game)

Defense

• 6th in 4th down conversion percentage defense (31.6%)
• 11th in red zone defense percentage (74.5%)
• 19th in rushing defense (111.3 yards allowed per game)
• 26th in scoring defense (20.8 points allowed per game)
• 36th in total defense (340.9 yards allowed per game)
• 47th in first downs defense (232)

CONSECUTIVE RECEPTIONS: Senior wide receiver Jacob Cowing has caught a pass in 56 straight games, marking the second-longest active streak in the nation. The NCAA record for consecutive games with a reception is 57, set by Sam Pinckney (Coastal Carolina) 2018-present breaking the previous record of 54, set by Bryan Anderson (Central Michigan) from 2006-09. Cowing has 4,318 (1,730 at Arizona) yards in his career (leads active FBS players). Since 1956, only 22 players have recorded 4,000-plus receiving yards in their career. His 31-career receiving touchdowns are tied for second among active players (Marvin Harrison Jr., 31), trailing only Zakhari Franklin (38, Ole Miss).

ICE IN HIS VEINS: Kicker Tyler Loop booted a career-long 52-yard field goal at Colorado marking his second made field goal of 50-plus yards this season and surpassing his previous career long of 51-yards against No. 11 Oregon State (10/28). It surpassed his previous best of 48 yards at Washington in 2022. It was also Arizona’s second 50+ yard field goal since Lucas Havrisik connected from 50 yards against Washington in 2021. Loop’s 24-yard field goal as time expired is Arizona’s first late fourth quarter game-winning field goal since Casey Skowron connected from 47 yards to defeat Washington, 27-26, in 2014.  Loop is 46-for-54 on field goal attempts (85.2%) for his career. He is 100-of-100 on extra points. He is second among active field-goal career-percentage leaders in FBS, making 85.2 percent of his field goals since joining the Wildcats in 2021.

ALL-AMERICAN: Arizona Football wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan was named Third-Team AP All-American by the Associated Press. McMillan has been named to the AP All-American Team for the first time. He joins a list of the best players in the country on the Third Team Offense for the AP including Bo Nix (QB, Oregon), Blake Corum (RB, Michigan), Kimani Vidal (RB, Troy), Javon Foster (OL, Missouri), Troy Fautanu (OL, Washington), Christian Haynes (OL, UConn), Luke Kandra (OL, Cincinnati), Zach Frazier (OL, West Virginia), Ben Sinnott (TE, Kansas State), Ricky White (WR, UNLV), Brian Thomas Jr. (WR, LSU), Xavier Worthy (All Purpose, Texas), and Will Reichard (Kicker, Alabama). McMillan earns this honor after finishing the regular season 8th in the nation in receiving yards (1,242), which is 3rd in the Pac-12. He caught 10 touchdowns marking the fifth-most in the conference and tying for the second-most TD receptions in a single season in program history. McMillan averaged 103.5 receiving yards per game, which ranks 8th in the nation after the regular season. He averaged 15.5 yards per reception which was 8th in the Pac-12. McMillan had 80 receptions, which is good for 5th in the conference. The 80 catches by McMillan are 8th in a single season in program history. McMillan’s 1,242-receiving yards are the fourth-most in a single season in Arizona football history. McMillan was named a finalist for the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award for the first time. He joins a list of the best players in the country including Jonah Elliss (Utah), Troy Fautanu (Washington), Taliese Fuaga (Oregon State), Laiatu Latu (UCLA), Jadyn Ott (Cal), Dominick Puni (Kansas), Taulia Tagovailoa (Maryland), J.T. Tuimoloau (Ohio State), and Sione Vaki (Utah).

Tetairoa McMillan End of Season Honors

• The Sporting News Second-Team All-American (12/13)
• AP Third-Team All-American (12/11)
• AP Second-Team All-Pac-12 (12/7)
• Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Finalist (12/7)
• All-Pac-12 Second Team (12/5)

PASS CATCHERS: WR Tetairoa McMillan caught 11 passes for 266 yards against Arizona State in the final game of the  regular season. McMillan’s 266 receiving yards are the most in a single matchup in Territorial Cup history. The 11 receptions by McMillan are tied for the 14th-most in a single game in program history. WR Jacob Cowing caught his 11th touchdown of the season, tying the single-season touchdown reception program record with Juron Criner (2x; 2010, 2011), Mike Thomas (2007), Theopolis Bell (1974), Austin Hill (2012), and Shawn Poindexter (2018). Both McMillan and Cowing have caught 18 touchdowns in their career at Arizona, this total ties for 7th all-time in career-receiving touchdowns at Arizona. It is the first time that two players in the same season have entered the top-10 in program history in touchdown receptions.

TIGHT END U: Senior tight end Tanner McLachlan now sits atop the tight end career receptions at Arizona. Currently, McLachlan has made 42 receptions during the 2023 season which is second-most in a single season for Arizona and most since Rob Gronkowski caught 47 during the 2008 season. He surpassed his 2022 total (34) in the last home game against No. 16 Utah with four catches for 51 yards.

SOLD OUT: The finale home game of the regular season against Utah was a sellout, with 50,800 fans in attendance. It marked the Wildcats second sellout of the season. Arizona now has three sellout crowds under head coach Jedd Fisch after not having one in the five years prior to his arrival. The two sellouts in 2023 are the most sellouts in a single season since 2014 when the Wildcats also had two.

SENIOR DAY: Michael Wiley caught two touchdown passes against No. 16 Utah on Senior Day, tying a career high for the third time that was set against Colorado on Oct. 1, 2022. He leads Arizona in career receptions with 121 surpassing Vance Johnson, who had 104 from 1981-84. Wiley’s career-high in receptions was 36, which was posted in 2022. He made six receptions for 57 yards against NAU in the season opener. His 121 career-receptions and 1,115 receiving yards are the most by a running back in program history.

BEST DEFENSE IN A DECADE: 

• Arizona’s defense has allowed 112 points over its season-ending six-game winning streak, marking an average of 18.7 points per game allowed. The Wildcats have scored 233 points (38.8 ppg) during the six-game winning streak.
• Arizona’s defense has improved in every major category among national rankings. Jumping from 124th in total defense in 2022 to 36th in total defense in 2023.
• Rush defense has been key to the Wildcats success allowing 111.3 yards per game which is 19th in the nation, rising from 124th in 2022 (209.1 ypg).
• Scoring defense jumped from 125th in 2022 (36.5 papg) to 26th (20.8 papg) in 2023.
• 4th down conversion defense posted its highest national ranking in over 11 years (6th), allowing opponents to convert just 31.6% of the time.
• All these national rankings are the highest since 2012, marking a defensive rise for the Arizona history books.

100-YARD RUSHING GAMES: Sophomore running back Jonah Coleman rushed for 179 yards against Colorado (10/11) marking the second-most rushing yards since 2021. It marked his second 100-plus-yard rushing game of the season and his collegiate career. Senior running back Michael Wiley rushed for the most yards (214) in the last three seasons during last year’s 38-35 Territorial Cup win over ASU (11/25/22). Wiley also rushed for the most touchdowns by a player in a single game (3 vs. ASU in 2022) since 2021. Over the last three seasons, the Wildcats’ have recorded two 100-plus-yard-games. Arizona has had 11 100-plus-yard rushing games since 2019.

HISTORICAL BLOCK PART 2: The Wildcats blocked a field goal and returned 85 yards for a touchdown against NAU on Sept. 2, marking the first in 21 years (last: Gary Love, 2002, vs. North Texas, 60 yards). Davis’s and Love’s returns are the only blocked field goals returned for touchdowns since at least 1996 for the Arizona Wildcats. The kick was blocked by Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei and returned by Tacario Davis. Davis’ 85-yard return was the longest blocked field goal returned for a touchdown in the Pac-12 since at least 1996 (next longest: 83 yards, Dennis Weathersby, 2002, for Oregon State vs. UCLA). In the final home game against Utah, Anthony Ward broke through broke through the line to block a Utah punt in the first quarter and returned his own block two yards for a touchdown. It was the first time an Arizona player returned a blocked punt for a score since Rhedi Short accomplished the feat, also against Utah, on Nov. 13, 2021.

WILDCATS IN THE NFL: The Wildcats are once again well represented in the National Football League this year with seven former letterwinners across the league. One of Arizona’s most prestigious alumnus, tight end Rob Gronkowski, retired following the 2021 season after winning the fourth Super Bowl of his career. Gronk was a five-time Pro Bowl selection, a four-time First Team All-Pro selection, and was selected to the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. Over 11 seasons with New England and Tampa Bay, Gronkowski recorded 9,286 yards (5th all time) and 92 touchdowns (3rd all time). The most recent Wildcats to make an NFL roster as an undrafted free agent are defensive lineman Jalen Harris (Chicago Bears) and Christian Young signed a free agent deal with the Green Bay Packers and was assigned to the practice squad. For a complete list of former Wildcats in the NFL, see the comprehensive chart below.
*Practice squad

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