Arizona knocks off No. 20 UCLA to win 3rd straight vs. ranked opponents

A sentence that hasn't been uttered in six years: the Arizona Wildcats are bowl-bound — and there's still plenty of room for more wins.

In the final matchup as Pac-12 opponents, Arizona took down No. 19 UCLA 27-10 at Arizona Stadium on Saturday night to capture its sixth win of the season, making the Wildcats bowl eligible for the first time since 2017.

It's also the most wins the Wildcats have tallied in a season under head coach Jedd Fisch; they matched their wins from the previous two seasons combined. Fisch started his postgame press conference with, "We're bowling!"

"We're excited about that," Fisch said. "We're excited about getting to that spot. Six wins is a big deal and for us to get there nine games into the season, I'm really excited about that. I thought we played a really good football team tonight and we played really good. When that happens, good things go your way. I thought our guys were ready to play all week."

Arizona's (6-3) second straight triumph over the 19th-ranked Bruins (6-3) also marked the first time ever the Wildcats have beaten three straight ranked teams; the UA beat No. 19 Washington State and No. 11 Oregon State before Saturday.

With Rob Gronkowski, who was inducted into the UA Sports Hall of Fame this week, and other UA greats on the sideline for homecoming weekend, fans from Arizona's "white out" crowd stormed the field. "U of A" chants echoed throughout the bowels of Arizona Stadium.

"That was awesome. That was the best environment that we've had since I've been the head coach here," Fisch said. "The crowd was great, they were into it, they stayed, they were fired up, the student section was awesome. I hope we don't have to beg for sellouts. I hope they just start happening now. … Our kids embraced it and our kids loved it."

UCLA's defense, which ranks first in the Pac-12 in rushing defense and sacks, has been lauded as one of the top units in the conference, led by potential Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in edge rusher Laiatu Latu, who had six tackles, three stops for loss and a pass breakup. The Bruins finished with 11 tackles for loss.

However, Arizona's defense, which has allowed 10 or fewer points in four games this season (which hasn't been done since 2010), "played fantastic," said Fisch.

Arizona's defense held UCLA to 2-for-5 in red-zone scoring. Two of those trips were off two miscues by the Wildcats that set up the Bruins in Arizona territory: an interception on the opening drive and Kyle Ostendorp's blocked punt that was recovered on the UA 31-yard line with just over 11 minutes left in the game, when UCLA trailed 24-10. A pair of false start penalties, including one from UCLA left tackle and ex-Salpointe Catholic Lancer star Bruno Fina, backed up the Bruins offense that came up scoreless and turned it over on downs.

In the first half, UCLA had a field goal blocked by cornerback Ephesians Prysock; the Bruins also missed their first 42-yard attempt in the first half. Fisch said the two missed field goals were "big-time plays."

Arizona changed up its lineup and inserted defensive back Martell Irby into a linebacker role alongside Jacob Manu, who led the team with 12 tackles and a sack. It's the third time this season Manu has produced 12 tackles in a game.

"Whatever coaches bring to me Sunday for the game plan, I'm going to buy in," Irby said. "That's what our whole team does regardless. … I don't even ask questions as this point. I trust my coaches from top to bottom. … Whatever they bring in to us, we buy in, we make it happen and bring home dubs."

Irby, who played running back and defensive back for the Bruins before retiring for one season prior to joining the Wildcats in the spring, called his performance a "full-circle moment."

"It was just a great moment," Irby said.

The Wildcats offense amassed 429 yards of total offense, including 129 rushing yards, which is the most the Bruins have surrendered this season.

In his fifth straight start, Arizona redshirt freshman quarterback Noah Fifita completed 25 of 32 passes (78%) for 300 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Fifita's fourth interception of the season was targeted to tight end Tanner McLachlan thrown "into zone coverage and he wound up reading it wrong."

"We just misread the play," Fisch said. "The play should've gone to somebody else, but he snapped right back. … We all just reset and went to the next play. He reset, wound up making great decisions the rest of the game and made some spectacular throws."

Each of Fifita's three touchdowns were thrown to Arizona's starting receiving trio of Jacob Cowing, Tetairoa McMillan and Montana Lemonious-Craig. To start the fourth quarter, McMillan, who ended the night with four catches for 81 yards, ran a corner route, pirouetted, high-pointed a pass from Fifita, despite smothering coverage from UCLA defensive back John Humphrey, and kept his footing in bounds. McMillan's touchdown was initially ruled incomplete until officials reviewed the play and overturned the call.

"I think you gotta give T-Mac credit," said UCLA head coach Chip Kelly, who is 1-2 against Fisch. "We always felt he was one of the top receivers — if not, the top receiver — in the country. The catches he made today, we had people on him, they were contested and he still makes the catch. … He's a heck of a player. He ran two deep over routes, guys are draped on him and he makes the catch. Sometimes you just gotta tip your hat. He's a really good football player and I thought the quarterback put the ball specifically where he can catch it and he came up with it."

McLachlan posted a season-high five catches for 66 yards and had a critical 30-yard reception on third-and-8 near the end of the third quarter that extended Arizona's drive and resulted in McMillan's touchdown to start the final period.

"The throw to Tanner down the seam on third down was ridiculous. … The throw Noah made in the end zone to T-Mac, the ball was put in the only place the ball could've gone for that catch, and T was able to come down with it," Fisch said.

The Wildcats were 11-for-16 on third-down conversions and scored on all five of their trips in the red zone.

"We made a big commitment (to red-zone offense and defense) and we really believe you get what you practice," Fisch said. "When you practice and believe in red-zone offense and red-zone defense, I think we're reaping the benefits now."

Fisch said, "It was as good of a game as I've been a part of here," as the Wildcats prepare for their final out-of-state road game at Colorado on Saturday at noon.

"I've said that now a few weeks in a row and I think that's what makes it cool," Fisch said. "That we can keep saying that we're getting better. We're not content with where we are. Our goal is to be better next Saturday at (noon) in Boulder than we were tonight at 7:45 (p.m.), but we will enjoy this one, our team is enjoying it right now. We're going to get back to work and the best part about this is we get to do it again next week."

Arizona will most likely secure a spot in the Associated Press Top 25 poll on Sunday for the first time since the '17 season. Fisch said, "I think we should be ranked."

"I really do," he said. "I think we've earned that right. … I think our team has proven to be in that conversation. … If not, we'll try to win the next one."

Besides the Wildcats' six wins, their three losses this season are by a combined 16 points, including two overtime games at Mississippi State and USC. Including Arizona's win over UCLA last season, the Wildcats are 8-4 in their last 12 games, after starting 4-17 under Fisch.

"Our team believes they're going to win every game we play and I think they've proven themselves that they can," Fisch said.

Fisch added Arizona's triple-overtime loss to USC as a "turning point in our program for this season."

"Everyone ran into that locker room with a sense of 'we belong.' When you feel you belong, you go into every game after that with an expectation to win," Fisch said. "When you feel you don't belong is when you feel like you have to hope and pray.

"I think our team feels they belong."

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona knocks off No. 20 UCLA to win 3rd straight vs. ranked opponents