'We came a long way': Arizona's six takeaways lift Wildcats over Oklahoma in Alamo Bowl

SAN ANTONIO — In their first bowl appearance in six years, the 14th-ranked Arizona Wildcats had just exactly that many takeaways — six — to knock off No. 12 Oklahoma 38-24 in Valero Alamo Bowl Thursday night at the Alamodome.

Arizona's triumph is the first postseason win for the Wildcats since 2015 and the first of head coach Jedd Fisch's tenure.

The Wildcats finish 2023 10-3 just two years after a 1-11 campaign, Thursday became the fourth team in program history to win at least 10 games in a season. Arizona ended the season on a seven-game winning streak, and its three losses this year were by a combined 16 points.

"It means a lot," said Arizona safety Dalton Johnson. "There were some dark times that first year. ... But I believed in Coach Fisch, believed in the coaches he brought in and the people we had in the building. U of A is home, and this win means everything. We came a long way, and this whole team, the whole staff, the whole facility deserves it."

The Wildcats' six takeaways is the most by the program in bowl history. Arizona's cactus-shaped "turnover sword" stacked so many footballs there wasn't room for a seventh. Fisch said, "The way our team played this game I thought was just pretty amazing."

"Defensively, six takeaways in a game, they kept us in the game," Fisch said. "They made plays at the right time. ... I can't say enough of our defensive staff, our defensive players and what they did for this game. Just amazing."

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables credited Arizona for its come-from-behind victory and said the Wildcats "played their guts out today."

"Certainly deserved to win," he added.  

Arizona forced three turnovers in the first half and jumped out to a 13-0 lead, but Oklahoma scored a pair of second-quarter touchdowns to give the bowl-seasoned Sooners — OU is playing in a bowl game for the 25th consecutive season — the tight lead at the intermission.

Following a batted down pass on the first play from scrimmage, Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita — who completed 34 of 48 passes for two touchdowns and an interception — quickly regrouped to connect with wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan on a slant route for a 40-yard gain into Oklahoma territory; the Wildcats' opening drive resulted in a 39-yard field goal by kicker Tyler Loop. 

Arizona scored just 22 seconds later on a 35-yard pass over the middle to senior wide receiver Jacob Cowing to give the Wildcats that near-two-touchdown lead.

Making his first-ever collegiate start and replacing former starter Dillon Gabriel, who transferred to Oregon after two years in Norman, Oklahoma freshman quarterback Jackson Arnold, who threw for 363 yards and two touchdowns, tossed his first of three interceptions to Arizona freshman safety Genesis Smith three plays after Loops first field goal. It was Smith's first interception a Wildcat.

That pick resulted in Cowing's program-record 12th touchdown reception of the season on Arizona's next offensive snap; he ended the season with 13. Cowing was previously tied with former Wildcats Juron Criner (twice), Theo Bell, Mike Thomas, Austin Hill and Shawn Poindexter. 

In addition to Smith's interception, safety Gunner Maldonado intercepted Arnold on a play-action pass down the Arizona sideline while defensive back-converted-linebacker Martell Irby, in his last-ever college football game, "peanut-punched" OU receiver Jalil Farooq for a forced fumble that was recovered by Maldonado.

After three straight games without a takeaway, the Wildcats have now so far produced eight takeaways in their most recent three games against Utah, Arizona State and now Oklahoma.

Arizona dominated the first quarter with 181 yards of total offense to OU's 34, but the Sooners out-gained the Wildcats by a combined 353-54 in the second and third quarters, after cornerback Tacario Davis suffered an injury in the first half. OU's 562 yards of total offense is the most Arizona surrendered all season. 

Oklahoma's defense exploited Arizona's changeup on the offensive line time and again. With senior left tackle Jordan Morgan opting out to prepare for the NFL Draft, the Wildcats installed freshman right guard Raymond Pulido in his place and put Jonah Savaiinaea at right guard; Savaiinaea started all 12 games at guard as a true freshman last season. Redshirt sophomore Joseph Borjon started at right tackle, but was benched in the fourth quarter, moving Savaiinaea back to right tackle with redshirt sophomore Leif Magnuson at guard.

Fisch said Oklahoma "brought some challenging looks, challenging fronts that made it difficult" for the offensive line.

"But in the end we were shuffling around and we were trying to get our best five out there," Fisch said. "Jordan Morgan is a first-round pick, so when you lose him for the last game at the left tackle position, you're going to end up having a couple challenges early. But I think the guys settled in, and we were able to get done what we needed to."

Oklahoma's pass-rush tipped three of Fifita's passes in the first half, one intercepted by sophomore cornerback Kani Walker, and hit the Wildcats quarterback five times — sacking him twice — in the first half. The second of OU's sacks knocked Fifita back 12 yards and out of field goal range. The Wildcats only recorded 29 rushing yards.  

The Sooners' second-quarter touchdowns came on an 18-yard run by Gavin Sawchuk and a 10-yard touchdown pass from Arnold to Nic Anderson.

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On the second play from scrimmage in the second half, Oklahoma's Brenen Thompson hauled in a 63-yard touchdown pass from Arnold; a 22-yard field goal by the Sooners put them ahead of Arizona 24-13. It was the first multi-possession deficit for Arizona since trailing by 14 against Washington. Arizona's six drives in the second and third quarters resulted in one interception and five straight punts.

The Wildcats were in dire need of a spark. And they got one in a timely manner.

Then Maldonado, the Alamo Bowl defensive MVP and one of the most improved players on Arizona's defense this season, returned a ball that was flipped up by Johnson for 87 yards. Arizona pulled within a field goal after Montana Lemonious-Craig hauled in a two-point conversion. Irby picked off Arnold on the following drive to start the fourth quarter, with Loop tying the game 24-24. Loop made all three of his field-goal attempts and PATs on Thursday. 

"I can't thank Arizona enough. I can't thank my brothers enough. ... I couldn't have scripted this any better," said Irby, who joined the Wildcats as a senior walk-on this season, on ESPN. "Just going to take it for what it is, embrace it and I'll worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. I'm just thankful. I couldn't have pictured this."

Cowing's 57-yard touchdown with just over five minutes remaining gave Arizona its first lead since the first half. Cowing, the offensive MVP for the Alamo Bowl, and McMillan combined for 17 catches and 352 yards on Thursday. McMlllan's 1,402 yards this season ranks second all-time by a Wildcat behind Dennis Northcutt (1,422). 

"Every time you need a play you know they're going to make it," Fifita said of Cowing and McMillan. "Every time something needs to happen, you can trust that they're going to do it with no hesitation. ... They make my job real easy."

The Wildcats' final takeaway of the night was a sack-fumble by edge rusher Isaiah Ward and recovered by defensive tackle Jacob Kongaika. Arizona senior running back DJ Williams scampered in for a 19-yard touchdown for the final points of the night.

"Our guys hung with the plan," Fisch said. "We adjusted a couple things here or there, and DJ brought us home, as he always does, with that final run."

Arizona ended the game scoring 25 unanswered points and scored 28 points off its six turnovers. The Wildcats had 17 fourth-quarter points.

"You don't win the game in the first quarter and you don't win the game in the second quarter and you don't win the game in the third quarter," said Fisch. "If you learn that and you believe that, then these guys go out there and they don't flinch. They know that the fourth quarter is going to be the time that they've got to be at their best."

Balloons and confetti floated down, "We Are Champions" by Queen played over the Alamodome speakers, players and coaches hugged each other and family members, and "U of A" chants echoed throughout the stadium in celebration of Arizona's historic season in Fisch's third season at the helm. The scent of cigar smoke filled the lower concourse of the Alamodone near the UA locker room.

Arizona started its era in the Pac-10/12 with a win over Kansas State in 1978, and it ended its 44-year run in the "Conference of Champions" with a victory over SEC-bound Oklahoma — two teams in the Big 12, the Wildcats' future conference. 

With a majority of their starters returning in 2024, Fisch said the Wildcats are "going into the Big 12 with a lot of momentum." Starting Jan. 10, the Cats will "start working our way through the process of getting ready for the next conference."

"But I love our players, and I think the reason why we can do what we do is because our players stay and our players work hard and our players believe," Fisch said.

"Where else would you rather be than go try to be in the Top 10 or better next year?"

Photos: No. 14 Arizona gets offensive late to drop No. 12 Oklahoma 38-24 in the Alamo Bowl