The Wildcats started the contest dramatically slower than the hot start it got off to against New Mexico a week ago, in fact it was almost the exact opposite.
Still, thanks to the defense stepping up to the plate and holding NAU to 198 total yards in the game, No. 2O Arizona walked away with the 22-10 win.
Quarterback Noah Fifita threw for only 55 yards and one interception during the first half which is a stark comparison to the 278 passing yards with three touchdowns and one interception he threw for to close those two quarters in Week 1.
Things looked worse for wear until the Arizona defensive unit led by Jacob Manu and Chase Kennedy came up with a massive stop on a fourth down attempt to give the ball back to the offense in NAU territory.
It was there that UA was able to pickup it's first touchdown of the game after 33 minutes of game time to Jeremiah Patterson on a bubble pass where he ran through defenders to get into the paint.
The Wildcats made things far more difficult then they had to to start things off against the Lumberjacks which led to another penalty heavy game that resulted in 10 of them for 95 yards.
"I was pleased that penalties tonight were a little more football penalties and not of the variety that they were last week," Coach Brennan said. "What we're going to learn, and hopefully not the hard way, is we have to play football the right way."
Offensively as a unit, they could not manage to convert a third down either as they went zero of ten on third down opportunities which was the most since going zero for 13 in 2003 against Washington State.
"We got to put it together," Brennan said. "Kind of a struggle finding rhythm offensively tonight which is something we'll go to work on, but you know I was really happy with the response."
Much can be attributed to the sloppiness and up and down play from the team and potentially most apparent is the injury to left tackle Rhino Tapa'atoutai that caused the offensive line to shift some pieces around.
Pass protection was wonky the majority of the game allowing two sacks in crucial spots.
"It did seem you know, like the protection was a little less clean," Brennan said. "So we'll look at that back to work."
As the game felt very opposite from the Wildcats opener against New Mexico, it's true that the defense was a major reason for keeping them in the game this time around.
Defensive coordinator Duane Akina's group held the Lumberjacks to 89 rushing yards for 2.9 yards a carry and only allowing 109 passing yards which was a massive improvement from their outing to begin the season.
On the defensive success, "We emphasized it all week that we just need to do our job, be our self," Treydan Stukes said. "I thought we did a really good job of that."
Akina lit a fire under the Wildcats by telling the team "how blessed we are just to get to play football," according to Stukes. That message "juiced" up the team and helped them dial in during the closing quarters.
During halftime and very similarly to when UA played New Mexico, the team needed some realignment heading back onto the field.
"I thought they responded really well you know, shut down in the second half," Brennan said. "I was encouraged by looking at both games on both sides of the ball."
Even though the offense was slow to start they relied on their defense and finished when it mattered.
Arizona's defense won this football game with Manu making 14 tackles and recovering a late fumble to put the game away for good.
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