Arizona erased a 15-point first-half deficit to take its first lead early in the fourth quarter, but costly turnovers and stalled possessions doomed Arizona in a 28-22 loss to Texas Tech at Arizona Stadium Saturday night in its first Big-12 home game.
A 37-yard field goal by Tyler Loop gave Arizona (3-2, 1-1) a 19-18 lead with just over 10 minutes remaining, but Gino Garcia’s 41-yard field goal with about two minutes on the clock regained the lead for Texas Tech (5-1, 3-0) at 21-19, and the Red Raiders never looked back.
Following Garcia’s field goal, Tetairoa McMillan fumbled at the end of an 18-yard reception, and Texas Tech recovered the ball on Arizona’s 43-yard line, leading to a 32-yard rushing touchdown from Tahj Brooks that put Texas Tech up 28-19. Loop’s 52-yard field goal with under a minute cut Texas Tech’s lead to 28-22. Arizona could not recover the onside kick that followed and The Red Raiders kneeled and ran down the clock.
Arizona outgained Texas Tech 422-332 in the loss but turned the ball over on downs or settled with field goals three times in the red zone, not including one field goal that came on a drive that ended at Texas Tech’s 22-yard line.
“First of all, congratulations to Texas Tech, coach McGuire (Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire), that staff and those players. They came in here and played a good game,” Arizona head coach Brent Brennan said. “I was encouraged by how our team responded in the second half. We need to score touchdowns in the red zone, not field goals in those situations.”
“You turn it over four times and it will be hard to beat anybody, and that’s just the facts of football,” Arizona head coach Brent Brennan said after a 28-22 loss to Texas Tech. @AllSportsTucson pic.twitter.com/wE3hlVp1wd
— Kevin Murphy (@KevinMurfee) October 6, 2024
Texas Tech got out to a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter when Behren Morton connected with Micah Hudson on a 38-yard pass that set up a 3-yard rushing touchdown from Brooks. Loop’s 47-yard field goal later in the quarter cut Texas Tech’s lead to 7-3.
Arizona had a series of costly possessions to close out the first half.
The Wildcats had a turnover on downs at Texas Tech’s 20-yard line early in the second quarter, and Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita threw two interceptions on the next two possessions for the Wildcats, ending drives on Texas Tech’s 43-yard line and 27-yard line.
“I feel like every time we got something going, I would make a mistake or two that stalled the drive. So, I take full responsibility,” Fifita said.
Noah Fifita: “I feel like every time we got something going, I would make a mistake or two that stalled the drive. So, I take full responsibility.” @AllSportsTucson pic.twitter.com/j0NEne3p9J
— Kevin Murphy (@KevinMurfee) October 6, 2024
Brooks scored a 9-yard rushing touchdown, and Texas Tech added a 2-point conversion to extend its lead to 15-3 with 1:38 remaining in the second quarter. As time expired in the first half, Garcia kicked a 30-yard field goal to further extend Texas Tech’s lead to 18-3.
Loop had a career-high five made field goals, with his only miss coming on a 48-yard attempt that hooked wide left with just under five minutes to go.
Brennan said he will assess Arizona’s game plan accordingly, given the schematic mistakes made by the team Saturday.
“I just have to coach better. I need to look at, ‘Are we carrying to much scheme?’ ‘Are the details where they need to be for us to get done on game day what we want to get done?’ Because it didn’t look like that tonight,” he said.
McMillan had eight receptions for 161 yards.
Fifita completed 28 of 49 passes for 301 yards and two interceptions.
Quali Conley had 97 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown.
Arizona next plays No. 17 BYU (5-0, 2-0) in Provo on Saturday at 1 p.m. Tucson time.
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