Playing on the road at Rice-Eccles Stadium is never an easy task facing an always stout Utah team especially when Arizona (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) was 20-63-1 against AP Top 10 teams as well as 5-32-1 in away games of the same criteria. However, head coach Brent Brennan marched the Wildcats into Salt Lake City and knocked off the No. 10 Utes in a 23-10 upset victory.

The dagger was delivered by none other than quarterback Noah Fifita, who was able to connect on a third and 11 with Devin Hyatt on a 41-pass and then on a third and 10 found Keyan Burnett for the 35-yard touchdown pass to put the Wildcats up by 13 with 8:13 left in the game.

Arizona had six players carry the ball for a total of 161 yards led by Kedrick Reescano, who had seven carries for 73 yards (10.4 YPC) in an effort that produced explosive and must-have runs to extend scoring drives.

While the ball carriers were impressive with their touches, it's truly a credit to the play in the trenches as UA's offensive line easily played their best football yet as a collective and were able to physically dominate Utah's front-seven and open up gaping holes for a multi talented Cats backfield. On the night there weren't any sacks allowed either against a defense holding the Big 12's sack leader in Van Fillinger.

As the offense did just enough to put the game away, it was the defense that put the pressure on a young Utah freshman field general in Isaac Wilson by sacking him three times to go along with interceptions each for Genesis Smith and Gunner Maldonado.

A bye week after three weeks of play usually seems too early for such a crucial piece of a team's schedule, but with a pile of injuries and a lack of detail seen in the Wildcats play it was evident for a team wide "restart" to get things right.

The performance was far from perfect and leaves much to still be desired in terms of passing game consistency but the Wildcats did just as Coach Brennan wanted and they played their cleanest game of the season.

Focusing on the details, Brennan stated is "something that we're going to continue to harp on."

"Coach Akina and the defensive staff just did an awesome job getting prepared," he said. "The way the players practiced this week, just the attention to detail, the effort, the intensity and physicality they put in the practice environment gave us a chance to win this game tonight."

The penalty count for Arizona was five for 35 yards and each were season lows. With how ruckus the Utah fans got in the fourth quarter this was especially impressive.

Fourth-down conversions were attempted early and often by Kyle Whittingham when the Utes were in Wildcat territory and the defense forced three turnovers on downs in all three of Utah's attempts.

Hopeful first-round draft pick Tacario Davis made himself a lot of money Saturday night proving why he garnered that off-season hype by breaking up five passes.

An uneven day described quarterback Fifita's play, however he was a "playmaker" according to Coach Brennan as he capitalized on opportunities when needed the most throwing for 197 yards and two touchdowns.

"He's just such a special player," Brennan said. "Anytime you got number 11 under center we've got a good chance."

The touchdown to Burnett is going to be the play people remember from the game. However, it was a massive night for him besides the dagger touchdown as he collected five catches for 76 yards.

About finding the next option outside of Tetairoa McMillan, Brennan believes a case was made for many players including Burnett, Jeremiah Patterson, Quali Conley, and Reescano.

"The more we spread the ball, the more it gives us a chance to get TMac one-on-one," Brennan said. "We were really feeding them early and then they started pushing covers to him and then the ball went other places."

After a statement victory, Arizona will now prepare for Texas Tech at home next Saturday with the game kicking off at 8 p.m. (MST) on FOX.

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