Arizona Desert Swarm - Utah vs. Arizona: Wildcats upset Utes on Senior NightYour No. 1 free source for all things Arizona Wildcatshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46873/ds-fave.png2015-11-15T18:01:26-08:00http://www.azdesertswarm.com/rss/stream/94579472015-11-15T18:01:26-08:002015-11-15T18:01:26-08:00Skowron perfect in more than just kicking vs. Utah
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<figcaption>Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>If there's one guy who got everything out of the Utah game that he could, it was Arizona's kicker</p> <p>There were still about 90 minutes until kickoff, and Arizona Stadium was still largely empty. We were getting set for the final non-bowl game of the year in the stadium, and a Senior Night matchup against a No. 10 Utah team. There were a couple of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azdesertswarm.com/">Arizona Wildcats</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blocku.com/">Utah Utes</a> warming up in cut-off Ts, just going through the motions to get ready for some late-night football in Tucson.</p>
<p>Then one guy walked out in full uniform to start going through his pregame paces. That guy? Arizona kicker <span>Casey Skowron</span>.</p>
<p>He was out there, going back and forth just north of the 50-yard line, getting those legs loose. Guys in uniform would slowly trickle out to join him, but Skowron was there first.</p>
<p>Fast forward to five minutes before kick, after all of the seniors had their families escort them out onto the field. After the band's pregame show. But just seconds before the fireworks go off.</p>
<p>Skowron emerges from the north tunnel <a href="http://www.azdesertswarm.com/2015/11/14/9736920/arizonas-casey-skowron-runs-the-french-flag-out-of-the-tunnel" target="_blank">with the flag of France raised above his head</a>, with punter <span>Drew Riggleman</span> carrying the U.S. flag right beside him. This was obviously Arizona's way of showing support for those affected by the horrible tragedy in Paris late Friday night, and the kicker got the nod to lead the way.</p>
<p>"Drew just kind of came up to me before the game and he said 'Hey, we're taking out the flags, and you have the flag for France'," Skowron said of how he learned he would be doing that. "It was an honor to be selected for that. I don't know if it had to do with us being featured on the program or what, but it was a big honor to carry that out there."</p>
<p>Casey had his name called again soon after that, but this time for his services on the field. Just more than two minutes into the game, Skowron attempted a 47-yard field goal, and put it right through the uprights. That was just one yard shy of his longest field goal this year, a 48-yarder that came at Colorado earlier this year, and just two yards shorter than his career-long 49-yarder against UNLV in 2014.</p>
<p>After a couple of extra points, Skowron got another shot at three points, this time from 40 yards out after a botched snap from <span>Cayman Bundage</span> with Arizona at the two. It felt like a moment where everything would fall apart, but Skowron kept the sequence from being a total disaster, and converted to put Arizona up 20-10 at the time.</p>
<p>The Wildcats would only score one touchdown in the second half, and of course, Skowron nailed that extra point as well. That would be the final point scored in regulation, as neither team scored in the fourth quarter.</p>
<p>It was time for some overtime in Tucson.</p>
<p>Utah got the ball first, and after Arizona's defense did not allow a first down, Skowron's counterpart <span>Andy Phillips</span> was up. He made it, but man did he make it interesting by banging the ball off the inside of the right goal post. It banked in, and the 'Cats would need at least three points to keep its hopes of an upset alive.</p>
<p>Arizona would also go three-and-out, setting up a 35-yard attempt for Casey.</p>
<p>"I was a little bit (nervous)," Skowron said about when he was walking out to attempt it. "But I had faith in myself and I was ready to execute."</p>
<p>He did execute, sending the game into a second overtime period.</p>
<p>Arizona got the ball first for the second overtime, and <span>Jerrard Randall</span> proceeded to find <span>Nate Phillips</span> in <a href="http://www.azdesertswarm.com/2015/11/14/9737620/watch-the-arizona-winning-play-by-nate-phillips" target="_blank">the endzone for his only completion of the night</a>. Skowron would tack on the final point of the night after that. That was his 214th career point, 7th-most in school history.</p>
<p>The defense would keep Utah out of the endzone, and held on for the 37-30 upset win.</p>
<p>"It's amazing to come back after a rough few weeks the last few weeks to come back and get this win," Skowron added about the team's performance.</p>
<p>There were seniors contributing everywhere to pull the upset on Senior Night, but from start to finish on Saturday evening, I don't think any of them made as much of the moment as Casey Skowron did.</p>
<p>It was a perfect night for him in more ways than one.</p>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2015/11/15/9740136/arizona-wildcats-football-casey-skowron-made-the-most-out-of-senior-nightJason Bartel2015-11-15T12:07:47-08:002015-11-15T12:07:47-08:00Will Parks and a Pac-12 ref have a moment<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/Pac12Networks/status/665776593315328000">Will Parks and a Pac-12 ref have a&nbsp;moment</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>Not sure what happened here, but it's the most awkward game of tag ever</p></p></div>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/2015/11/15/9739532/will-parks-and-a-pac-12-ref-have-a-momentJason Bartel2015-11-15T11:00:02-08:002015-11-15T11:00:02-08:00Grading Arizona's upset of Utah
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<p>Let's make a report card</p> <p>It finally happened. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azdesertswarm.com/">Arizona Wildcats</a> found a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2015/11/14/9737264/utah-utes-vs-arizona-wildcats-final-score">season-defining win</a>, and it came against the No. 10 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blocku.com/">Utah Utes</a>.</p>
<p>So how did each position group do? Let's figure that out in this week's report card:</p>
<h4>Quarterbacks: B+</h4>
<p>That was the <span>Anu Solomon</span> that we enjoyed watching during the first part of last season. He was running (10 carries for 86 yards), he was connecting on passes (17-27, 277 yards, 2 TDs). Everything was flowing.</p>
<p>There were a couple of questionable decisions where Solomon decided to throw, when he clearly had enough running room to pick up the first down and more in those spots. And an awful interception was thrown in there on one of those plays he should have run as well.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Anu Solomon is gonna look at that INT in film & be like it looked so much better in real time <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/arizona?src=hash">#arizona</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wil?src=hash">#Wil</a>... <a href="https://t.co/zuryTYaaon">https://t.co/zuryTYaaon</a></p>
— SportsGrind (@SportsGrind) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsGrind/status/665759056649408512">November 15, 2015</a>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/jasonbartel/status/665821872769093632" target="_blank">Then he got hurt</a>, and <span>Jerrard Randall</span> came in, and the offense stalled out like none other. He had four carries for -3 yards. And he was 0-for-4 through the air, until <a href="http://www.azdesertswarm.com/2015/11/14/9737620/watch-the-arizona-winning-play-by-nate-phillips" target="_blank">the fateful toss</a> to <span>Nate Phillips</span>.</p>
<p>"You know, I'm pretty satisfied with that touchdown pass at the end of the game," <a href="http://www.azdesertswarm.com/2015/11/14/9737662/arizona-players-talk-after-big-utah-win" target="_blank">Randall said afterwards</a>. "I would have like to have had a few more passes, but it doesn't work out like that. I'm just happy with myself that I fought the adversity that I had."</p>
<h4>Running backs: B-</h4>
<p>There was nothing extraordinary that happened in the ground game, which is bizarre considering that's how Arizona has beat Utah in the past. <span>Nick Wilson</span> got a little nicked up, and finished with six carries for 27 yards. <span>Jared Baker</span> had 13 totes for 67 yards.</p>
<p>Arizona averaged 4.6 yards per carry. The longest run of the night was 19 yards. Nothing spectacular here, but enough.</p>
<h4>Wide receivers: A</h4>
<p>It felt so good to see <span>Cayleb Jones</span> and <span>Samajie Grant</span> get involved early and often. Outside of an early drop by <span>David Richards</span>, the receivers as a whole were making plays that we haven't seen all year. Then of course it all came to a head when Nate Phillips made that spectacular catch in the second overtime. Just great stuff overall.</p>
<h4>Offensive line: A-</h4>
<p>They get downgraded because of a bad <span>Cayman Bundage</span> snap late in the second quarter that would have cost Arizona the game because of the huge change in momentum after that play. But being real here, Arizona quarterbacks were not sacked once in this game. That is a phenomenal accomplishment considering how Utah's defensive line had performed to this point so far this year.</p>
<h4>Defensive line: A</h4>
<p>On the flip side, Arizona had FOUR sacks on the night. FOUR. They had been averaging 1.9 per game. <span>Reggie Gilbert</span> had five tackles, including a big one in overtime. Jeff Worthy had a very timely sack. <span>Jack Banda</span> and <span>Parker Zellers</span> were making plays. That may have been the best performance by an Arizona defensive line in at least the last two years.</p>
<h4>Linebackers: A-</h4>
<p>There were about two drives where <span>Devontae Booker</span> was able to gash the Arizona defense. Outside of that? Everyone up front was stout. Paul Magloire and <span>DeAndre' Miller</span> each had six tackles. <span>Sir Thomas Jackson</span> made a big play in overtime. <span>Jake Matthews</span> had four tackles before suffering a leg injury late in the fourth quarter. I was just really impressed with the defense as a whole on Saturday.</p>
<h4>Secondary: B+</h4>
<p>There were a couple of blown coverages that prevent this group from getting an A. But I'd like to focus on the positives. <span>Tellas Jones</span> was the best player out there, making plays in the backfield, in coverage, everywhere. It was crazy. <span>Anthony Lopez</span> was his typical self, recording a sack on a safety blitz.</p>
<p>At corner, <span>Jarvis McCall</span> looked good, and made a huge play that led to a <span>Jamar Allah</span> interception. McCall and DaVonte' Neal were basically the only corners to see the field Saturday night. That's a nice change of pace from the revolving door that we've seen at those positions.</p>
<h4>Special teams: A</h4>
<p><span>Casey Skowron</span> was 3-for-3 on field goals and 4-for-4 on extra points. And five of his six kickoffs were touchbacks.</p>
<p><span>Drew Riggleman</span> punted three times, averaging 47 yards a punt.</p>
<p>That'll get the job done, and all of these things certainly combined to make it the biggest win of the season for Arizona, and secured bowl eligibility.</p>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2015/11/15/9737860/utah-vs-arizona-grading-the-wildcats-position-groupsJason Bartel2015-11-15T09:00:02-08:002015-11-15T09:00:02-08:00Players of the game in Arizona's upset win vs Utah
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<figcaption>Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Three guys who helped lead the way in Arizona's victory over Utah</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.azdesertswarm.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Arizona Wildcats</a> took down the No. 10 ranked <a href="https://www.blocku.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Utah Utes</a>, and needed big time plays in all three phases to do so. The offense played about as well as it could, only having a few hiccups. On defense, Arizona was swarming to the ball, and gave <span>Travis Wilson</span> trouble all night long. And then on special teams, we'll just save the surprise, it was senior <span>Casey Skowron</span> who led the Wildcats.</p>
<h3>Offense: <span>Cayleb Jones</span>
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<p>This is the Cayleb Jones we've been waiting to see all season long. He ended the day with 5 receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown. His longest reception, which went for 50 yards, gave the Wildcats a huge momentum boost, weaving through the defense and finding the open space to get downfield.</p>
<p>This is all coming off of a one reception game vs. USC, which happened late in the game, for a 4-yard touchdown lob. Jones has now recorded a touchdown in three of the last four games, and he might have only two games remaining in his Arizona career.</p>
<p>He's been a hot prospect this year, despite his lack of production, mostly due to the thin wide receiver class. This performance was truly his best of the season, and that is definitely going to turn the heads of draft scouts.</p>
<h3>Defense: <span>Tellas Jones</span>
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<p>Tellas Jones led the team in tackles with 9, but it wasn't just his stats that told the story. He was able to pressure <span>Travis Wilson</span> all night long and give him some nice shots to the ground.</p>
<div>He also finished with half a sack, 1.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup. Good news; Tellas Jones will be returning to this unit next year.</div>
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<h4><span>Special Teams: Casey Skowron</span></h4>
<p>Casey Skowron <a target="_blank" href="http://www.azdesertswarm.com/2015/11/14/9736920/arizonas-casey-skowron-runs-the-french-flag-out-of-the-tunnel">ran the French Flag out of the tunnel</a> to start the night, and boy was it fitting. He went 3-3 on field goals, and helped secure the win for Arizona. He hit a 47-yard field goal with just under 13 minutes left to give Arizona the lead in the first quarter, and then hit a 40-yard field goal with just over 2 minutes to go in the half for a 20-10 lead.</p>
<p>He wasn't called upon until overtime, when he hit a 35-yard field goal in the first overtime to force another OT period.</p>
<p>What a night for Casey Skowron, going out on his senior night on top, with a win over No. 10 Utah.</p>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2015/11/15/9736664/utah-vs-arizona-players-of-the-game-in-wildcats-upset-victory-over-utes-jones-cayleb-tellas-skowronGabe Encinas2015-11-15T07:00:02-08:002015-11-15T07:00:02-08:00Anu Solomon injury changed the game
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<figcaption>Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Illegal or not, the play completely changed the complexion of the game.</p> <p>I'm getting too old for this. #Pac12AfterDark is alive and well. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azdesertswarm.com/">Arizona Wildcats</a> upset the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blocku.com/">Utah Utes</a> in double overtime, and <a href="http://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2015/11/14/9737264/utah-utes-vs-arizona-wildcats-final-score" target="_blank">it had all the drama</a>.<br><br>My initial inclination was to immediately center this post around the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.azdesertswarm.com/2015/11/14/9737620/watch-the-arizona-winning-play-by-nate-phillips">game-winning touchdown pass</a> from <span>Jerrard Randall</span> to <span>Nate Phillips</span> in overtime. That said, I'm going to try and stay true to the point and highlight the play responsible for affecting the most change in the course of the game, not necessarily the game-<i>deciding </i>play. And nothing changed the complexion of this game more than when <span>Anu Solomon</span> was knocked out of the game by Utah's Jason Fanaika during a collision on a QB scramble. The play was not flagged for targeting on the field, but there's an argument to be made that it could have been called.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Anu Solomon taken out of Utah game <a href="https://t.co/DKuL3N2mbc">https://t.co/DKuL3N2mbc</a></p>
— Jason Bartel (@jasonbartel) <a href="https://twitter.com/jasonbartel/status/665821872769093632">November 15, 2015</a>
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<p>From this point on, it was a completely different ballgame.</p>
<p>If Saturday night does not put to bed the Jerrard Randall over Anu Solomon debate, I'm not sure what will. Anu's stat line was outstanding before the injury: 17/27 for 277 yards and 2 touchdowns and, most surprisingly, 10 carries for 86 yards and a touchdown. The argument for Randall has always been his ability to keep defenses off guard with his legs, but Anu was doing a fantastic job of that tonight. The difference is Anu's ability to move the offense through the air, which Randall has showed time and time again he lacks.</p>
<p>Without Solomon behind center, Arizona's offense was one-dimensional and completely ineffective. Prior to the touchdown pass in overtime, Arizona ran 13 plays with Randall at quarterback. Those 13 plays netted 44 yards, an interception, and two punts. The only saving grace for Randall and the offense was that the defense played outside of their minds in the fourth quarter and overtime, holding Utah to only 3 points over that span. Randall looked lost, launching deep balls into double coverage, and even forcing Rich Rodriguez to use Arizona's only timeout in overtime on their first possession. Outside of the incredible catch by Phillips, Randall did not complete a single pass and contributed -3 yards on the ground.</p>
<p>This was a great win and Wildcat fans should enjoy it as long as possible. This snaps a three-game losing streak, makes Arizona bowl eligible, and provides momentum going into the Territorial Cup. But once the euphoria wears off, the stark reality is this: due to this game-changing play, there's a chance that Jerrard Randall will be the starting quarterback for Arizona against ASU, and that does not bode well for Arizona's chances to keep the Territorial Cup in Tucson.</p>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/2015/11/15/9737410/arizona-wildcats-vs-utah-utes-game-changing-playJimmyAZ2015-11-15T01:59:54-08:002015-11-15T01:59:54-08:00Video: Anu Solomon suffers head injury vs. Utah<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/jasonbartel/status/665821872769093632">Video: Anu Solomon suffers head injury vs.&nbsp;Utah</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>Here's the hit that took the Wildcats' quarterback out of the Utah game. He did tell me after the game that he was feeling alright</p></p></div>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/2015/11/15/9737898/video-anu-solomon-suffers-head-injury-vs-utahJason Bartel2015-11-14T23:37:05-08:002015-11-14T23:37:05-08:00Rich Rodriguez post-Utah press conference<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BJoYp0UfLlU" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>
<div class="source source-img"><p><p>Coach talks to the media after a big win for the program</p></p></div>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/2015/11/14/9737674/rich-rodriguez-post-utah-press-conferenceJason Bartel2015-11-14T23:34:36-08:002015-11-14T23:34:36-08:00Arizona players talk after big Utah win<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DvN81gvRp8Q" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe>
<div class="source source-img"><p><p>Here are the main guys talking about the upset win</p></p></div>
https://www.azdesertswarm.com/2015/11/14/9737662/arizona-players-talk-after-big-utah-winJason Bartel