TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Noah Fifita threw for two touchdowns, Quali Conley scored twice and Arizona ended a five-game losing streak with a 27-3 win over Houston on Friday night.
Fifita hit Tetairoa McMillan on a touchdown pass in the first quarter and found Conley for another score to open the third. Conley added a 50-yard touchdown run and the Wildcats (4-6, 2-5 Big 12) shut down the Cougars most of the night to bounce back from a blowout loss to UCF two weeks ago.
Houston (4-6, 3-4) couldn’t sustain the momentum from consecutive wins over Utah and No. 20 Kansas State. The Cougars moved the ball fairly well in the first half, but lost two fumbles, threw an interception and turned it over on downs four times.
J’Marion Burnette lost a fumble on Houston’s opening drive, Zeon Chriss threw an interception and the Cougars turned it over on downs twice in Arizona’s end in the first half — one on fourth-and-goal from the 2. Houston’s only points came on Jack Martin’s 49-yard field goal.
Arizona was only slightly better.
The Wildcats went three and out four times in the first half and didn’t get a field goal off when holder Michael Salgado-Medina bobbled the snap.
Arizona had the half’s lone touchdown on a free play when Houston jumped offsides. Fifita threw the ball up for grabs in the end zone and McMillan outleaped the defensive back for a 33-yard touchdown. Tyler Loop kicked a school-record 62-yard field goal on the final play to give Arizona a 10-3 lead.
Arizona ran away with it in the second half.
The Wildcats moved quickly down the field on their opening drive of the third quarter, going up 17-3 on Conley’s 13-yard touchdown catch.
Houston opened the second half with another miscue. The Cougars tried a fake punt, but the pass was incomplete, setting up Arizona for a 51-yard field goal by Loop.
Conley put the game out of reach with his 50-yard TD run up the middle that made it 27-3.
BIG PICTURE
Arizona played the way it needed to in ending a long losing streak. Fifita threw for 224 yards on 20-of-35 passing and the defense had far better tackling than the previous five games. Houston couldn’t take advantage of its early offensive successes and let the game get away by being outscored 17-0 in the third quarter.
UP NEXT
Houston: hosts Baylor next Saturday.
Arizona: plays at TCU next Saturday.
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