Noah Fifita sets Arizona’s career passing yards record in Wildcats’ rout of NIU

Tucson football fans saw Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita add another milestone to his record-setting career Saturday night, but the Wildcats needed a dramatic turnaround before the celebration began. Arizona fell behind Northern Illinois 10-0 during the opening six minutes at Casino Del Sol Stadium, then scored 42 unanswered points on the way to a 42-17 victory. The win moved Arizona to 2-1 and gave Fifita the school record for career passing yards in front of a home crowd.

Fifita broke the mark previously held by Nick Foles, the former Arizona quarterback who later became a Super Bowl MVP. With about six minutes remaining, Fifita completed a 7-yard pass to wide receiver Isaiah Mizell, putting his career total at 10,017 yards, six more than Foles accumulated from 2009 through 2011. The record came on the same drive in which Fifita ran 30 yards for a touchdown. Arizona then removed him from the game with the Wildcats leading 42-10. A video honoring the achievement played on the stadium board, including a congratulatory message from Foles, and Fifita exchanged high-fives with teammates and coaches as he left the field.

The fifth-year senior finished with one of the most efficient passing performances in Arizona history. He completed 31 of 34 attempts for 325 yards, threw four touchdown passes without an interception, and added the rushing score. He completed his first eight passes and put together a streak of 19 consecutive completions. His performance also surpassed Foles’ school record for completion percentage in a game in which a quarterback completed at least 30 passes. Fifita already held Arizona’s career record for touchdown passes, a mark he set last season after passing Foles, and he owns the school’s single-game passing yardage record of 527, set against Arizona State in the 2023 Territorial Cup.

Mizell, who caught the record-setting pass, said the moment brought him “ecstasy” and emphasized that Fifita’s focus throughout the week had been on winning rather than chasing an individual achievement. Mizell also scored Arizona’s second touchdown, a 14-yard reception that was the first touchdown of his career. Fifita spread his four touchdown passes among four receivers. Chris Hunter opened Arizona’s scoring with a 38-yard post route, Tre Spivey followed with a 10-yard touchdown catch, and tight end Tyler Powell added a 3-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter.

Powell’s score carried added meaning after a long recovery. He had spent the previous year rehabbing a knee injury suffered on the first play from scrimmage in Arizona’s season opener against Hawaii. The touchdown was Powell’s first as an Arizona player. Spivey also delivered one of the night’s most memorable plays, making a one-handed catch while falling in the end zone on a play-action pass. Arizona finished with 441 total yards, compared with 341 for Northern Illinois, and turned a difficult start into six consecutive touchdown drives after its first-quarter three-and-out.

Northern Illinois controlled the opening minutes. The Huskies moved the ball effectively on their first possession and settled for a 38-yard field goal by JJ Schlenhardt. Arizona’s first drive ended after two sacks, and a 32-yard punt out of bounds gave Northern Illinois possession at the Arizona 48-yard line. Huskies quarterback Taron Dickens then connected with Cam Thompson for a 52-yard touchdown, with Arizona cornerback Tyrese Boss unable to make the play in coverage after stepping in for injured starter Dwight Bootle II. Dickens completed 25 of 37 passes for 228 yards and a touchdown, while Dearee Rogers caught 10 passes for 68 yards.

Arizona’s response included a special teams breakthrough. Freshman receiver and punt returner Caleb “Jet” Smith split two defenders, broke a tackle and raced 69 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. Smith, who came to Arizona from Allen, Texas, became the first Wildcats player to return a punt for a touchdown since Shun Brown in 2017. The play helped Arizona take a 28-10 halftime lead. Northern Illinois did not score again until 13 seconds remained, when Elijah Porter ran for a 1-yard touchdown to end Arizona’s 42-point run.

The Wildcats managed the win while missing several players. Wide receiver Giovanni Richardson was held out because of a lower-body injury suffered during Arizona’s loss to BYU. Linebacker Chase Kennedy and defensive linemen Mays Pese, Zac Siulepa and Ezra Funa were also unavailable. Myron Robinson, a second-year linebacker, started in Kennedy’s place, while Cooper Blomstrom led the defense with 10 tackles and half a sack. Northern Illinois dropped to 0-3 and will visit Georgia State on Sept. 26.

Arizona now travels to Pullman to face Washington State on Sept. 26 at 4:30 p.m. on CBS. The game begins a home-and-home series, with Washington State scheduled to visit Tucson in 2027. Arizona leads the all-time series 28-19, and the Wildcats won the most recent meeting, a 44-6 victory in Pullman that began a seven-game winning streak to close the 2023 season. That game was also Fifita’s first victory as Arizona’s starting quarterback. Washington State, now 1-2, defeated Duquesne 48-7 Saturday and scored on two punt returns. The matchup is part of the changing landscape of college football, as both Washington State and Oregon State remained in the Pac-12 after Arizona joined the Big 12 during the latest conference realignment.