After weather delay, BYU edges Arizona in double-overtime thriller

Big 12 after dark, anyone?

The overtime showdown between the Arizona Wildcats and the 18th-ranked BYU Cougars on Oct. 12 in Tucson was expected to be impacted by Tropical Storm Priscilla. 

The impact was felt at 5:50 p.m., when Arizona and BYU concluded the second quarter and went into a weather delay due to nearby lightning.

Seventy-five minutes later, along with a shortened halftime break, the Wildcats and Cougars resumed play — and Arizona swung back, but the Wildcats fell to the Cougars, 33-27, in double-overtime despite overcoming an early 14-point deficit. It's the Wildcats' first double-overtime game at Arizona Stadium since their win over Utah in 2015.   

Arizona (4-2) has lost five straight to BYU since beating the Cougars in the 2008 Las Vegas Bowl. 

BYU's (6-0) triumph over the Wildcats made the Cougars bowl eligible.

"We just battled the first-place team in the Big 12 for four quarters and two overtimes and we never backed down," said Arizona head coach Brent Brennan. "We didn't get the result we wanted, but those kids played their hearts out and that's something to be excited about. The goal is to win, and I understand that. We're a better football team. We're halfway through the season and we have a lot work on, but we have a lot to feel good about. ... The thing that's so hard about it is that we were unable to get it done."   

Turning point

For Arizona, the turning point happened in the second quarter. The first third-and-long situation of the night for BYU resulted in an incomplete pass by BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier, who was the Cougars' second-leading rusher behind BYU star running back LJ Martin, who had 25 carries for 162 yards and a touchdown.  

Martin and Bachmeier combined for 47 carries and 251 yards on the ground — BYU had 51 rushes for 258 yards as a team. 

In the drive after the weather delay in the second quarter, BYU opted to fake punt, but punter Sam Vander Haar was tackled short of the line of gain by safety Dalton Johnson. 

Trailing 14-7, the Wildcats scored 17 straight points, including 10 points to end the first half to take a 17-14 lead at halftime.

The turning point of the game? 

Arizona led BYU 24-17 with 4:08 remaining, but went three-and-out. Australian punter Isaac Lovison's tackle on BYU's Parker Kingston, who had five receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown, save a potential touchdown. An 11-play drive, capped by Bachmeier's 2-yard touchdown, tied the game with 19 seconds remaining.  

Offensive MVP

Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita completed 25 of 45 passes for 219 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Fifita connected with seven different pass catchers. 

Fifita's top target was senior wide receiver Kris Hutson, who hauled in a season-high nine catches for 106 yards and a touchdown. It's the most yards for Hutson since last season when he played at Washington State. 

Fifita's second completion to wide receiver Chris Hunter was a 35-yard over-the-shoulder pass in the end zone for a touchdown with 40 seconds left in the second quarter.  Fifita's 3-yard run in the second quarter was one of four fourth-down conversions for the Wildcats. Fifita passed Khalil Tate for the third-most career passing touchdowns (58) by a Wildcat.

"I thought there were moments there where Noah was playing great football and we were making plays and we found some run game," Brennan said. "People haven't run the ball on them like that. I thought that was a positive."

Fifita nearly completed a game-tying touchdown to wide receiver Javin Whatley in the corner of the end zone in the second overtime period, but the ball went off Whatley's fingertips. 

"We need to complete that ball," Brennan said. 

Defensive MVP

Arizona linebacker Taye Brown led the Wildcats with a career-high 14 tackles and combined for a TFL with safety Genesis Smith. Brown also broke up a pass by Bachmeier in the backfield. Brown had more tackles on Oct. 12 than in the previous three games combined. Brown, Smith and Johnson each had double-digit tackles; Smith and Johnson had 10 tackles apiece. 

Unsung hero

In addition to Johnson's stop on the fake punt in the first half, he also recorded his first interception since the 2023 Territorial Cup.

A snap went over Bachmeier's head, but the BYU quarterback recovered, rolled to his right and fired a pass over the middle that was intercepted by Johnson. Between Treydan Stukes and Johnson's interceptions, Bachmeier doubled his season interception total on the season. 

Even though the Wildcats allowed their first passing touchdown of the season, they didn't allow a passing touchdown the final three quarters and two overtime periods. 

Injury report

Arizona left guard Chubba Maae exited the game in the third quarter with an injury. Maae was helped off the field and replaced by redshirt junior Michael Wooten. Maae returned to the game in the fourth quarter. 

Arizona defensive lineman Chancellor Owens was sidelined with an undisclosed injury. 

Here's who was listed as out for Arizona on the final availability report, which was released 90 minutes prior to kickoff: wide receiver Jeremiah Patterson, defensive end Tre Smith (out for the season), defensive backs Jack Luttrell, JShawn Frausto-Ramos, Gianni Edwards, Dajon Hinton and tight ends Tyler Powell, Keyan Burnett (redshirting), Kellan Ford and Chase Randall, offensive linemen Jordan Brown and Keona Peat.  

BYU star linebacker Jack Kelly was initially labeled doubtful, but was moved to a game-time decision and didn't play. 

What's next

Arizona hits the road to face the Houston Cougars on Oct. 18 at 9 a.m. on FS1. 

It's the fifth consecutive game with a kickoff time before 7 p.m. PT. It's the first morning kickoff for Arizona since its last game in Houston in 2018.  

Arizona is 2-3 all-time against Houston since their first contest in 1969. The Wildcats won the first Big 12 matchup with the Cougars, 27-3, last season. In Arizona's last trip to Houston in 2018, which was former head coach Kevin Sumlin's inaugural season at the UA, the Wildcats lost 45-18. 

Houston is 5-1 this season and its only setback is against ninth-ranked Texas Tech. The Cougars routed Oklahoma State, 39-17, on Oct. 12 in Stillwater. Arizona beat the Cougars in Tucson last season.

"I'm proud of this football team," Brennan said. "I think we're making progress. I'm sick about the result tonight, but I believe in these players, I believe in these coaches and I'm excited what's coming the next couple of weeks."  

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: After weather delay, BYU edges Arizona in double-overtime thriller