Arizona Football is trounced by No. 7 Utah on Senior Day

TUCSON, AZ – The No. 7 Utah Utes (10-1, 7-1) were every bit as good as advertised, racing past the Arizona Football team (4-7, 2-6) by a 35-7 final.

It was Senior night at Arizona Stadium, and nothing could be more emblematic of the evening went, as well as the current state of Arizona Football as one of its most notable players would have his name spelt wrong on the Jumbotron.

A team that has been deflated these past few weeks, would certainly have their backs up against the wall this one, especially as the playoff-contending No. 7 Utes came to town.

Arizona Wildcats

To make matters worse, Arizona entered this one riding a five-game losing streak, and down four players across the offensive line.

The challenge would certainly be on, and from the get go, it was ugly.

Facing the No. 3 total defense, the Wildcats would turn to the freshman Grant Gunnell for his second-straight start, hoping for some kind of offensive spark, and on the first series, Arizona would go just 14 yards on five plays before punting it away.

Just 11 plays later, the tie would be broken, as the Utes would find the end zone for the first time in this one, when Brant Kuithe would run for three yards on an end around for the touchdown to make it 7-0.

The very next Utah offensive series would end in yet another touchdown. This time a 10-play drive that would go 72 yards and would be capped by a three-yard pass from quarterback Tyler Huntley to Demari Simpkins to make it 14-0, Utah.

And then the route would on…

With the game surely in hand after just the first quarter, nothing showed to be more disrespectful to a deflated Wildcats team, than Utah going for it on fourth-and-one at the Arizona 23 to try and further open their lead.

Instead, the Utes were stopped, and Arizona got the ball after the turnover on downs. Perhaps that was the spark the Cats needed, right?

Facing a three-and-two at their own 32, Khalil Tate would deliver a strike to a wide open receiver in Jalen Johnson, but a dropped pass would force Arizona to punt the ball right back and that would be the theme of the evening and more so this season, disappointing.

Once again, Utah would drive the field, and the lead still surely in hand, the Utes would have another crucial fourth down again, this time at the Arizona one-yard line, and once again the defense stood tall, holding Utah to zero points.

However, those two defensive stands would be about the only bright spots in this one.

Trailing 14-0 at the break, Utah would come out in the second half even stronger, scoring on their first drive when running back Zack Moss would find the end zone from 41-yards out to make it 21-0.

A turnover on downs by Arizona would give Utah the ball right back, where they would find the end zone again. This time on another Kuithe run, this one from six-yards out to make it 28-0, Utah.

Needing something, anything, Arizona’s defense would come up with another big play, this one an interception by Lorenzo Burns in the end zone. But a bad judgement by Burns to run it out of the end zone instead of kneeling it, would cost the Wildcats field position, as just a few plays later, Utah would score their fifth and final touchdown of the day, this one a one-yard run by TJ Green.

Trailing 35-0 with 6:50 to play, Arizona would finally put a good offensive series together, driving 85 yards on 12 plays, scoring on a seven-yard touchdown run from Gunnell.

However, it was too little too late as the Wildcats fell by a 35-7 final.

With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 4-7 (2-6) on the year, and will be officially bowl-less for the second-straight season.

All that matters now, is beating rival ASU in Tempe, who will be riding high after knocking off No. 6 Oregon at home on Saturday.

Listen to head coach Kevin Sumlin discuss his teams’ loss to Utah:

At Zona Zealots, we’re just hoping the Cats can end the season on a high note, otherwise it’s going to a long and painful off-season for this program. As always, Bear Down, Arizona!