After two-hour weather delay, Arizona clobbers Weber State 48-3 in the battle of the Wildcats

You can take Arizona away from Pac-12 After Dark, but you can't take the Pac-12 After Dark away from the Wildcats. 

Arizona's 48-3 blowout win over Weber State on Saturday was delayed over two hours due to nearby lightning. 

After initially scheduled to start at 7 p.m., the battle of the Wildcats kicked off at 9:10 p.m. It's the latest kickoff at Arizona Stadium since its 8:15 p.m. contest against Houston last season. 

Arizona is 2-0 for the second straight season under head coach Brent Brennan. The last time Arizona had back-to-back 2-0 starts was in 2014 and '15. 

Turning Point

Following one of his most inefficient passing performances at the UA, Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita had one of his best passing performances as a Wildcat, completing 17 of 22 passes for 353 yards, five touchdowns (tied for a career high) and no interceptions. 

In the first quarter, Fifita launched a 31-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Javin "Nunu" Whatley, who also hauled in an 85-yard touchdown reception with just under nine minutes left in the first quarter to lift Arizona to a 14-0 lead. Fifita's 85-yard pass to Whatley is the longest of his career.  

Offensive MVP

Dating back to the final possession against Hawaii last week, Fifita completed 14 straight passes, which is the longest streak of his career. 

Fifita completed the first 10 passes on Saturday. Fifita's streak ended with just over nine minutes left in the second quarter, when he attempted to flip a 3-yard pass in the middle of the end zone to tight end Sam Olson, who dropped the pass.  

Fifita had more passing yards (196) and touchdowns (three) in the first quarter than he threw in the entire game against Hawaii. Fifita's top eight pass catchers on Saturday were Whatley, Luke Wysong, Kris Hutson, Chris Hunter, running back Ismail Mahdi, Brandon Phelps, Tre Spivey and Gio Richardson. Phelps and Spivey both caught their first touchdowns at Arizona.   

Arizona's 34 first-quarter points were the most in an opening quarter since it scored 34 against Washington State in 2014. 

In Arizona's eight drives with Fifita under center, the Wildcats scored five touchdowns and two field goals. The only possession that didn't result in points was when Arizona kneeled to end the first half.

Fifita passed Anu Solomon for the fourth-most career touchdowns in UA history. Fifita is eight touchdowns away from passing Khalil Tate. Fifita recorded his first 300-yard passing performance since the Texas Tech game last October. Fifita's 77% completion rate is the best since he completed 78% of his passes against UCLA in 2023.

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

Defensive MVP

Arizona safety Genesis Smith intercepted Weber State quarterback Jackson Gilkey late in the first quarter, which marked Smith's first interception since he was Co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week against Houston last season. Smith had a team-high seven tackles. 

Smith had the first of two interceptions on the night. Arizona cornerback Jay'Vion Cole had a pick-six in the second half — the first since Anthony Pandy against USC in 2021. 

Unsung Hero

Whatley was Fifita's top target with five catches for 168 yards and two touchdowns. It's the most yards for Whatley since he had 10 catches for 168 yards and a touchdown for Chattanooga against Furman. 

Whatley became the first Arizona receiver not named Tetairoa McMillan to have 150-plus yards in a game since Dorian Singer against Washington State in 2022. 

Injury Report

Arizona had an abundance of players return to action on Saturday, including offensive tackle Rhino Tapa'atoutai, who started at right tackle in place of Michigan transfer Tristan Bounds. Tapa'atoutai, who played his first game in 322 days after suffering a season-ending knee injury against Colorado last season, started alongside left tackle Ty Buchanan, left guard Michael Wooten, center Ka'ena Decambra and right guard Alexander Doost. Tapa'atoutai exited the game in the second quarter. 

Hutson and Montana transfer linebacker Riley Wilson made their Arizona debuts. Hutson was third in receiving with two catches for 51 yards. Wilson didn't play until the second half, but finished third in tackles (six).  

Arizona defensive back Treydan Stukes, who is recovering from a knee injury he suffered nearly a year ago, remained sidelined. Cornerback Marquis Groves-Killebrew made his season debut on Saturday.

Tight end Keyan Burnett made his Arizona debut, but didn't record any receptions. UA running back Kedrick Reescano missed Saturday and was seen wearing a walking boot on the sideline.  

What’s Next

Arizona (2-0) will face the Kansas State Wildcats (1-2), which was upset by Army in Manhattan on Saturday. The nonconference battle of the Wildcats at Arizona Stadium is on Friday at 6 p.m. on Fox. Arizona lost to Kansas State 31-7 in the first game of the home-and-home series in Manhattan, which snapped Arizona's nine-game winning streak. Friday night will be a homecoming for former UA safety and Alamo Bowl Defensive MVP Gunner Maldonado, who transferred to KSU in December. 

Photos: Arizona smothers Weber State 48-3, NCAA football