Fifita Shines in Rout: Arizona Dismantles Weber State 48-3 After Lengthy Weather Delay

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TUCSON, Ariz. — A two-hour lightning delay did little to dim the firepower of Noah Fifita and the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday night, as the junior quarterback torched Weber State for 373 yards and five touchdowns in a 48-3 blowout at Arizona Stadium. Fifita was nearly flawless, completing 17 of 22 passes and throwing four first-half touchdowns before exiting late in the third quarter with the game well in hand. The win pushes Arizona to 2-0 on the season, while Weber State drops to 0-2 following another lopsided defeat.

“Staying mission focused, that was the main thing for us in the locker room,” said Arizona linebacker Max Harris after the extended delay. “Adversity's going to hit, it's going to come in different ways. We just stayed locked in.”

The Wildcats wasted no time asserting dominance, jumping out to a 24-0 lead in the first quarter behind big plays and stifling defense. Fifita connected with Javin Whatley for touchdowns of 31 and 85 yards on Arizona’s first two possessions, setting the tone early. Whatley finished with 168 yards on five receptions, averaging a staggering 33.6 yards per catch.

“Seeing those explosive plays really got the team going,” Arizona head coach Brent Brennan said. “Noah had great command of the offense the entire game. It was good to see him operating and executing at such a high level.”

Offensive coordinator Seth Doege had emphasized improving the passing game after last week's 40-6 win over Hawaii, and Arizona responded by racking up 556 total yards, including 407 through the air. Fifita also found Tre Spivey (10 yards) and Brandon Phelps (13 yards) for scores, while running back Ismail Mahdi turned a third-and-22 screen pass into a 27-yard touchdown to open the second half. The Arizona defense was equally dominant, limiting Weber State to just 184 yards and forcing two turnovers. Cornerback Jay'Vion Cole capped the defensive effort with a 27-yard pick-six in the third quarter to make it 48-0.

Weber State’s only points came on a 33-yard field goal from Sloan Calder early in the fourth quarter, denying Arizona its first shutout since 2013. Despite the blowout, penalties continued to be a concern for Arizona. The team was flagged 10 times for 80 yards, including two holding calls that wiped out Fifita rushing touchdowns and a targeting penalty on linebacker Jabari Mann that led to his ejection.

“We’ve got to clean that up,” Brennan said. “Those kinds of mistakes can cost you in tight games.”

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Arizona now turns its attention to a tougher test as it prepares to host Kansas State on a short week next Friday night. Meanwhile, Weber State will look to regroup when it travels to face McNeese State next Saturday.