2025 High School Football

Fifita breaks Arizona career passing touchdown record, Wildcats clinch winning record

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Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita broke the program career record in touchdown passes with 68, clinching a winning record for the Wildcats in a 30-24 victory Saturday at No. 25 Cincinnati.

Arizona is 7-3 overall and 4-3 in the Big 12 with two regular-season games and a bowl appearance remaining.

“This is an awesome day for our football program,” Arizona coach Brent Brennan told reporters after the game. “We talk about it all the time — our commitment to building the best team in the Big 12. The best team, that’s how we’re going to have to do it at Arizona.

“I think you saw that today. It’s a team that shows up for each other every day in practice, meetings, weight room … it’s so special.”

Fifita eclipsed the previous passing touchdown record he shared with Nick Foles and Willie Tuitama on a 15-yard pass to Gio Richardson with 10:53 left that put the Wildcats ahead 27-17.

Cincinnati (7-3, 5-2) tried to keep its conference championship hopes alive, answering with a 12-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by Zion Johnson with 6:38 left.

Brendan Sorsby, hobbled with an ankle injury in the second half, completed a pivotal 33-yard pass after he was sacked to begin that possession.

Fifita engineered a drive that took 5:04 off the clock, ending with a 51-yard field by Michael Salgado–Medina with 1:34 left to increase Arizona’s lead to 30-24.

The Wildcats’ defense rose to the challenge at the end, forcing a turnover on downs amid “U of A” chants at Nippert Stadium.

“At this time of year, it’s all about execution,” Brennan said. “I felt like our guys executed when they had to.

“I couldn’t be more excited. That locker room, the energy, joy … it’s contagious. It’s fantastic. I love where we’re at, and I love where we’re going.”

Sorsby, hailed by national media as a potential Heisman darkhorse, struggled against Arizona’s defense, completing 15 of 28 pass attempts for only 154 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.

An indication of things to come for Arizona was the first few plays of the game.

On the first play, Jay’Vion Cole had an interception. Two plays later, Ismail Mahdi took a carry up the middle for a 27-yard touchdown. 

Cincinnati responded with touchdown-scoring drives of 75 and 74 yards over its next two possessions.

Salgado-Delgado missed a 50-yard field goal toward the end of the first quarter and his 34-yard attempt was blocked early in the second quarter.

He came through with a 24-yard field goal with 4 seconds left in the half that cut Cincinnati’s lead to 14-10.

Arizona again struggled once in the red zone to open the second half and resorted to a 25-yard field goal by Salgado-Medina with 9:42 left in the third quarter.

The good news for the Wildcats’ offense: it cashed in on every possession in the second half starting with that field goal.

Kedrick Reescano busted loose for a 50-yard touchdown run and Fifita connected with Richardson on the record-making touchdown pass in the next two possessions.

Fifita was 23 of 31 for 294 yards with a touchdown. His top target Kris Hutson had eight catches for 123 yards with many pivotal receptions that prolonged Arizona drives.

Reescano had 94 yards on 13 carries, leading a rushing attack that amassed 181 yards on 42 carries.

Arizona will host Baylor next week on Senior Day, the last home game of the season, before ending the regular season at archrival Arizona State on Nov. 28.

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