Arizona Wildcats Beat West Virginia Mountaineers 52-31 for…

Arizona Wildcats put up 52 points on the road and never let West Virginia Mountaineers get within one score in the second half.

Final: Arizona Wildcats 52, West Virginia Mountaineers 31. Arizona moves to 5-1 while West Virginia falls to 3-3.

This one swung on explosive plays through the air for Arizona and a defensive touchdown that West Virginia never recovered from.

Box score

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Arizona Wildcats	14	10	14	14	52
West Virginia Mountaineers	3	14	7	7	31

See full player stats and game details

How it turned

Arizona led 14-3 after the first quarter and the margin never got tight again. West Virginia actually won the second quarter 14-10 but still trailed 24-17 at halftime.

The scoring plays tell the story of a track meet early. West Virginia's J. Cassidy hit a 25-yard field goal to open things, but Arizona answered with a Fifita touchdown pass to Isaiah Mizell and then, on the very next series, a fumble by Cam Cook was scooped up by L. Molette III and taken 32 yards for a touchdown.

West Virginia clawed back in the second quarter behind Michael Hawkins Jr.'s short touchdown run and a 30-yard score from Cook, but Arizona answered both times, getting a 44-yard field goal from M. Salgado-Medina and a 40-yard touchdown run from Q. Craig to take a 24-17 lead into the locker room.

Arizona then took over in the third quarter. Kedrick Reescano scored on an 8-yard run, and after West Virginia's A. Latimer answered with a short touchdown run, Fifita connected with Mizell again, this time for 72 yards, to make it 38-24 heading to the fourth.

The fourth quarter opened with another Cook touchdown run for West Virginia, but Arizona slammed the door with a 42-yard touchdown catch by Brandon Phelps and a 30-yard touchdown run from Antwan Roberts Jr. to push the final margin to 52-31.

Scoring plays

Q1 10:12 WVU: J. Cassidy 25 yd FG GOOD
Q1 5:35 ARIZ: N. Fifita pass to I. Mizell for 14 yds, for a TD (M. Salgado-Medina KICK)
Q1 5:12 ARIZ: Mi. Hawkins Jr. fumbled, fumbled, C. Cook fumbled, recovered by L. Molette III, return for 32 yds for a TD (M. Salgado-Medina KICK)
Q2 12:59 WVU: Mi. Hawkins Jr. run for 3 yds, for a TD (J. Cassidy KICK)
Q2 9:58 ARIZ: M. Salgado-Medina 44 yd FG GOOD
Q2 7:40 WVU: C. Cook run for 30 yds, for a TD (J. Cassidy KICK)
Q2 2:52 ARIZ: Q. Craig run for 40 yds, for a TD (M. Salgado-Medina KICK)
Q3 13:47 ARIZ: K. Reescano run for 8 yds, for a TD (M. Salgado-Medina KICK)
Q3 1:28 WVU: A. Latimer run for 2 yds, for a TD (J. Cassidy KICK)
Q3 0:13 ARIZ: N. Fifita pass to I. Mizell for 72 yds, for a TD (M. Salgado-Medina KICK)

Top performers

Noah Fifita was the engine for Arizona, going 16 of 23 for 341 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Isaiah Mizell did the most damage on the other end of those throws, catching six passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns, including that 72-yard score. Brandon Phelps added four catches for 88 yards and a touchdown of his own.

Arizona's ground game chipped in too, with Antwan Roberts Jr. picking up 63 yards and a touchdown on seven carries and Kedrick Reescano adding 44 yards and a score on 11 carries. On defense, Cam Chapa led the Wildcats with 15 tackles.

West Virginia leaned on Cam Cook, who carried the ball 34 times for 141 yards and two touchdowns. Michael Hawkins Jr. was busy on both ends, completing 11 of 28 passes for 219 yards while also rushing 25 times for 98 yards and a touchdown. Prince Strachan was his top target, hauling in five catches for 121 yards.

Top performers