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Noah Fifita throws two touchdowns as Arizona beats Houston to end the skid
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Noah Fifita throws two touchdowns as Arizona beats Houston to end the skid

NCAA Football: Houston at ArizonaNovember 15, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita (11) throws the ball during the first quarter against the Houston Cougars at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory credits: Aryanna Frank-Imagn images

Arizona’s Noah Fifita passed for two touchdowns, Tyler Loop made a school-record 62-yard field goal and the Wildcats snapped a five-game losing streak with a 27-3 win over Houston on Friday night in Tucson, Ariz.

Fifita completed 20 of 35 passes for 224 yards for the Wildcats (4-6, 2-5 Big 12), who never trailed and went up 27-3 on Quali Conley’s 50-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter. Conley had scored on a 13-yard reception earlier in the quarter.

Houston (4-6, 3-4), which entered the final game ranked third nationally in scoring (15.2 points per game), committed three turnovers and turned the ball over four times on downs, including on fourth-and- goal from the 1 in the second quarter and on a fake punt near midfield in the third quarter.

Loop ended the first half with his 62-yard field goal, breaking the Arizona record of 57, held by four players. Loop added a 51-yard field goal in the third quarter.

Conley finished with 107 yards on 11 carries. Tetairoa McMillan caught six passes for 70 yards and a touchdown. Arizona safety Genesis Smith had an interception and a fumble recovery with seven tackles, 1.5 for loss.

Houston, which had won three of its previous four games, failed to reach double-digit points for the fourth time this season. The Cougars’ final scoring opportunity was thwarted on a fumble at the Arizona 10 with 4:27 remaining.

Cougars quarterback Zeon Chriss completed 16 of 27 passes for 191 yards with an interception. He also rushed for 55 yards on 18 carries.

The Wildcats struck first on a 33-yard touchdown pass to McMillan midway through the first quarter when Fifita scrambled to his left and threw a pass toward the back of the end zone. Arizona kept the lead early in the second quarter with a pass on fourth-and-goal from the 1.

Arizona squandered a chance with about four minutes left before halftime when holder Michael Salgado-Medina dropped the ball on a 28-yard field goal attempt.

Houston’s Jack Martin kicked a 49-yard field goal to make it 7-3 with 42 seconds left before halftime before the Wildcats got into position for Loop’s 62-yarder. He is 5 of 7 on field goals of 50+ yards this season.

–Field-level media