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Cats Claw Cowboys: Arizona Dominates in 41-13 Blowout

In a dominant display of aerial firepower, the Arizona Wildcats steamrolled the beleaguered Oklahoma State Cowboys 41-13 on Saturday afternoon at Arizona Stadium, matching their entire 2024 win total just five games into the season. Quarterback Noah Fifita dazzled with 376 passing yards and five touchdown strikes on 28-of-38 efficiency, including a pair to wideout Tre Spivey, who finished with 142 receiving yards on eight catches. The Wildcats' defense was equally suffocating, limiting the Cowboys to a measly 158 total yards and just seven first downs while forcing two turnovers and three sacks – the third time this year Arizona held an opponent scoreless on touchdowns.

Arizona jumped out to a 24-6 halftime lead, outgaining Oklahoma State 313-100 in the first half alone, with an interception by cornerback Jay'Vion Cole on the third-quarter's opening snap sparking a turnover frenzy that included a fumble recovery. Fifita connected with Chris Hunter for a 29-yard score midway through the frame, ballooning the lead to 38-6 after the Cowboys' failed fourth-down gamble deep in their territory. Kicker Enzo Salgado-Medina capped the rout with a 57-yard field goal, Arizona's longest of the season. The victory improves the Wildcats to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in Big 12 play, while dropping Oklahoma State to 1-4 and 0-2 in conference action – extending their skid to 11 straight league losses amid a turbulent year that saw the firing of head coach Mike Gundy and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham."

There's a certain physicality, there's a certain mindset that comes with playing with the football in your hands after you catch it, and so to see it in a positive way was good," said Arizona head coach Brent Brennan postgame, praising his receivers' yards-after-catch prowess, which tallied 205 on the day. Fifita echoed the sentiment: "We just fed off the energy from the crowd and kept pushing – this one's for the Bears Up nation." For the Cowboys, interim coach Doug Meacham could only lament defensive lapses: "We knew they'd come out throwing, but we didn't match their intensity. Got to regroup quick for Houston." As No. 23 BYU looms next week, Arizona's statement win signals they're no longer just contenders – they're predators in the Big 12 hunt.

Nice blowout against a team that is in disarray. We were expected to win and nobody was injured. Onto the significant BYU matchup!