TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Michael Salgado-Medina kicked a 37-yard field goal with 39 seconds left after No. 24 Arizona recovered an onside pooch kick and the Wildcats pulled out an improbable 29-28 victory over TCU early Saturday.
“It was a great feeling, being able to execute it and work so hard for it,” Salgado-Medina said. “And being able to do it on a big stage like that is an amazing feeling.”
The Wildcats (7-2, 4-2 Big 12) pulled to 28-26 on Noah Fifita’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Quincy Craig with 1:45 left, but their 2-point attempt failed. Arizona lined up for an onside kick, and Ian French floated the ball over the Horned Frogs’ front line.
TCU’s Ed Small couldn’t come up with an over-the-shoulder catch on the kick and Arizona’s Zuri Watson recovered at the Horned Frogs’ 26. Salgado-Medina made his field goal four plays later and Tyrese Boss sealed it with an interception, keeping alive the Wildcats’ Big 12 championship hopes.
Arizona has won seven straight home games, its longest streak since 1993-94.
“The players kept believing, the sideline was electric,” Arizona coach Brent Brennan said. “It was just magic the way that thing finished.”
Fifta threw for 313 yards and two touchdowns with an interception that Hudson Hooper returned 93 yards for a touchdown.
TCU’s Jaden Craig ran for two touchdowns, including a 2-yard run that put the Horned Frogs (4-5, 2-4) up 28-20 in the fourth quarter. He threw for 232 yards and hit Jordan Dwyer on a 6-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Arizona had a crisp opening drive, capped by Isaiah Mizell’s diving 20-yard touchdown catch. Salgado-Medina’s 43-yard field late in the first quarter put Arizona up 10-0.
The rest of the half was a struggle.
Fifita had a hard time finding open receivers downfield and the pass protection around him broke down at times.
Arizona’s defense shut down the Horned Frogs for most of the half — 123 total yards — until Craig avoided a sack and scrambled 7 yards up the middle for a touchdown.
When the Wildcats moved deep into TCU territory late in the second quarter, Fifita made a rare mistake.
Throwing a pass to the flat, Fifita didn’t see Hooper, who jumped in front of the intended receiver for an interception — Fifita’s fifth of the season. Hooper broke a tackle near midfield and continued on for a 93-yard touchdown return that put TCU up 14-10 at halftime.
The Horned Frogs were still ahead until late, but watched a road victory over a ranked team slip through their fingers.
“I’m disappointed for our players,” TCU coach Sonny Dykes said. “It’s been a frustrating year. We’ve lost a lot of close games.”
TCU: The Horned Frogs had the win within their grasp, yet found a way to lose. This one stings
Arizona: The Wildcats’ Big championship hopes appeared to be gone, but they somehow found a way to pull out an improbable win.
TCU: Hosts Kansas State on Nov. 14.
Arizona: Hosts No. 3 Utah on Nov. 14.
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