TUCSON, Arizona – Iowa State fell on the road at No. 25 Arizona, 39-3, Saturday night inside Casino Del Sol Stadium.
The Wildcats (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) jumped on the Cyclones (3-4, 1-3 Big 12) early in the game when Noah Fifita linked up with Isaiah Mizell for a 71-yard touchdown pass on the game’s second play. Arizona took a 15-0 lead in the game’s first nine minutes as Fifita threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns in the game.
Connor Moberly replaced Jaylen Raynor at quarterback to start the second half and finished the game 7-of-17 for 63 yards. Raynor was 8-of-10 for 106 yards passing. Vince Benetti, Ty Claiborne and Aiden Flora all tallied three receptions in the game.
Sullivan Schlimgen finished with 15 tackles a sack and two TFL to become the first Cyclone since Beau Freyler in 2023 with 15 tackles in a game. Carson Willich totaled 10 tackles.
Fifita completed 27-of-34 passes and hit Henry Gabalis on a 40-yard touchdown with 6:41 left before sitting out the rest of the game. Mizell finished with eight catches for 134 yards.
Arizona held the Cyclones to 221 total yards, including 52 yards on 31 carries to end their 23-game streak of running for at least 100 yards. Flora, who entered the game ranked ninth nationally in rushing yards per game (113.3), had 36 yards on 12 carries.
Iowa State crossed Arizona’s 40-yard line three times, its only points coming on Kyle Konrady’s 40-yard field goal. The Cyclones failed on a fourth-and-3 from the Wildcats 22, thanks to an open-field tackle by Cam Chapa, and lost a fumble on an ill-advised pitch by Raynor while trying to avoid a sack.
The Wildcats held the Cyclones to 112 first-half yards as they took a 25-3 lead in the locker room.
The ISU defense held Arizona off the scoreboard in the second half until the Wildcats scored two late touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Next up for the Cyclones is a home game on October 31 against Oklahoma St., kickoff at 6 pm, Cyclones Pre Game at 4 pm on KSOM.
