Arizona Football wins on Khalil Tate’s Record-Setting Night

In a must-win game for the Arizona Football team, the Wildcats responded in a big way on the back of Sophomore Quarterback, Khalil Tate.

If there was any quarterback controversy, those debates should be put to rest for the Arizona Football team. On a chilly evening in Boulder, perhaps it was kismet for what had transpired.

As we noted, Brandon Dawkins was going to be the starter coming into this one, but after taking a dirty hit by Colorado, he would be taken out from the game, and not return, and probably for good reason.

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Weeks of fans and our staff pleading that Khalil Tate get a legitimate chance, finally not even head coach Rich Rodriguez’s stubbornness could keep the talented sophomore out of this one, by pure default.

It only took six minutes into the game, before Tate would set the tone, for what would ultimately be a monstrous and historical evening. His first run in the second series? A 58-yard TD run to the house that would put Arizona up 7-0 early on!

There would be plenty more dazzling plays like that one, but on an evening where the defense seemingly couldn’t stop Colorado’s Phillip Lindsay, Tate had an answer for the Buffs on every drive.

Including this 75-yard rushing touchdown that would be his fourth of the evening!

We’ve all heard the hype, and at Zona Zealots, we’ve believed in it all along. Tate was a standout performer at the perennially talented Serra High School in Southern California, and this is his first game of extended action since last year as a 17-year-old true freshman!

Tate’s performance tonight was so good, he broke the FBS record for most rushing yards in a single game by a quarterback! However, it wasn’t just his legs that did damage against the Buffaloes.

He was also an impressive 12/13 with 154 yards passing, with a 13-yard strike to Shun Brown in the back of the end zone to put the Wildcats up 21-14 in the second quarter! That would be Tate’s lone passing touchdown of the game.

The passing statistics were corrected following the game.

Later he would also connect on a 60-yard pass to Tony Ellison, setting Arizona up for what would essentially be the game-winning field goal!

Khalil would end the evening with an FBS record, 327 yards, and four rushing touchdowns! The performance was so impressive, that naturally social media exploded.

Hard to keep that kind of talent and production on the bench if you’re Arizona’s head coach! After all, as even Tate has said, he doesn’t feel he is the future, he thinks he’s the present! Tonight showed that!

Regardless, we are just happy for the win, and glad that on a night where the Wildcats’ defense was less than stellar, the team was still able to get the win!

Pac-12 highlights of career night:

Listen to the team as they talk about their performance in Boulder!

Must Read: More on Arizona Football

At Zona Zealots, we’re happy for the win, and happy for Khalil on his stellar performance! Bear Down, Arizona!