TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) 鈥� Noah Fifita and Arizona’s revamped defense produced the perfect capper to a turnaround season.
Fifita threw for 286 yards and a touchdown, Arizona’s defense forced five turnovers and the Wildcats spoiled rival Arizona State’s Big 12 championship game hopes with a dominating 23-7 win on Friday night.
鈥淚鈥檓 so proud of this Arizona football team,鈥� Arizona coach Brent Brennan said. 鈥淣obody thought they could. Check us out now.鈥�
The reigning Big 12 champion Sun Devils (8-4, 6-3 Big 12, No. 20 CFP) entered the in a decade with a slim chance of reaching the title game again.
Arizona (9-3, 6-3, No. 25 CFP) squeezed the life out of their chances with a suffocating defense that filled up their turnover sword and limited Arizona State to 214 total yards.
Arizona’s Michael Salgado-Medina made two of his three field goals in the second half after missing two kicks and having another blocked. Kedrick Reescano scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:56 left and Dalton Johnson capped Arizona’s fifth straight win with an interception near midfield.
Not bad for a team that finished 4-8 in Brennan’s first season.
鈥淲e always talk about starting fast, but you鈥檝e also got to finish strong,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淲e did a great job of that.鈥�
Sun Devils鈥� quarterback Jeff Sims, making his fourth start for the injured Sam Leavitt, threw three interceptions and lost two fumbles. His botched handoff at Arizona State鈥檚 6 to open the third quarter set up Fifita鈥檚 9-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Barmore that kicked off a run of 20 straight points by Arizona.
Sims finished with 114 yards on 11-of-25 passing.
鈥淛eff is 3-1 as a full-time starter,鈥� Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham said. 鈥淚 feel for him tonight, I really do. I just have so much respect and love 鈥� he鈥檚 such a good human being.鈥�
Arizona State won last year’s game 49-7 in Tucson, but Arizona has taken a huge step forward defensively in Brennan’s second season, ranking in the top 25 nationally in numerous categories after being near the bottom last season.
The Wildcats clamped down on the Sun Devils from the start, holding them to 15 yards in the first quarter. Arizona State found some success on the ground on a 90-yard drive capped by Sims’ 27-yard run, but its only other sustained first-half drive ended when Jesus Gomez’s 49-yard field goal clanked off the right goal post.
鈥淭he challenge was us 鈥� we just had to get out of our own way,鈥� Arizona State tight end Chamon Metayer said. 鈥淏y the time we figured it out, it was too late.鈥�
The Wildcats spent most of the first half stumbling in Arizona State鈥檚 end of the field.
Quincy Craig lost a fumble at the Sun Devils鈥� 8, Salgado-Medina missed a 42-yard field goal and had another from the same distance blocked. Arizona also failed to take advantage of Michael Dansby鈥檚 interception to the ASU 37, punting after failing to gain a yard on three plays.
Salgado-Medina kicked a 37-yard field goal in the closing seconds to cap a quick-hitting drive, making it 7-3 at halftime.
鈥淚 believe in Michael,鈥� Brennan said. 鈥淲e’ll get that worked out for the next one.鈥�
The Wildcats will certainly savor this one.
The takeaway
Arizona: The Wildcats had a hard time finishing drives, but their defense stymied the Sun Devils all night to avenge last season’s lopsided loss.
Arizona State: The Sun Devils fell flat in a must-win game against their rivals, ending the regular season with a thud.
Up next
Arizona: will play in a bowl game for the second time in three years.
Arizona State: will likely play in a lower-tier bowl after reaching the CFP last season.
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