TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Noah Fifita threw for 325 yards to become Arizona's all-time leading passer and accounted for five touchdowns, leading the Wildcats to a 42-17 win over Northern Illinois Saturday night after a shaky start.
Fifita was efficient despite being sacked four times, completing 31 of 34 passes to reach 10,017 career yards, eclipsing Nick Foles’ record of 10,011 from 2009–11.
Fifita threw for four touchdowns, extending his school record to 80, and ran for a 30-yard touchdown that put the Wildcats up 42-10 early in the fourth quarter.
Arizona coach Brent Brennan left Fifita in despite the lopsided score, allowing him to break Foles’ record with a 7-yard pass to Isaiah Mizell. Brennan then called timeout, allowing Fifita's teammates to swarm him before his quarterback trotted off the field to cheers from the crowd with 4:48 left.
The Wildcats (2-1) needed a big game from Fifita after falling into a 10-0 hole in the opening six minutes.
The Huskies (0-3) set up an opening field goal by gouging Arizona with its run game and their defense sacked Fifita twice to force a quick three-and-out. Next play from scrimmage, Taron Dickens hit Cam Thompson in stride for a 52-yard touchdown and a 10-0 lead.
Fifita quickly snapped the Wildcats out of their funk.
The fifth-year player hit Chris Hunter in front of two defenders for a 38-yard touchdown pass, then took advantage of a blown coverage to find Mizell for a 14-yard score. Tre Spivey electrified the crowd with a spectacular one-handed 10-yard touchdown catch through a defender and Caleb Smith kept it going just before halftime with a 69-yard punt return touchdown.
Fifita's 3-yard TD pass to Tyler Powell opened the third quarter put Arizona up 35-10.
Northern Illinois: The Huskies had their eyes set on a potential upset by jumping out to the early lead. Arizona quickly put an end to their hopes with four straight touchdowns.
Arizona: Fifita rallied the Wildcats after the ugly start, etching his name as one of the program's all-time greats with another sterling performance.
Northern Illinois plays at Georgia State next Saturday.
Arizona plays at Washington State next Saturday.
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Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita (1) celebrates scoring a touchdown during the first half an NCAA college football game against BYU, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in Provo, Utah. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Jordynn Dudley scored two goals, including the eventual winner in stoppage time, leading Gotham to a 2-1 road victory over the North Carolina Courage on Saturday night.
In the day's other National Women's Soccer League matches, the Portland Thorns beat the Orlando Pride 4-1 and the Denver Summit topped the Seattle Reign 2-1.
Gotham (15-4-6) opened the scoring in the 8th minute with Sam Kerr providing the assist to Dudley for the goal.
North Carolina, playing in front of a sold-out crowd of 10,551 at WakeMed Soccer Park, appeared to equalize in the 15th minute and 47th minute on goals from Evelyn Ijeh and Ashley Sanchez, but both of them were ruled offside.
On a corner kick in the 69th minute, the Courage had multiple shots on goal before Natalia Staude finally put one away to tie the game 1-1. But then Gotham midfielder Rose Lavelle headed the ball in front of goal, and Dudley knocked it home for the winner in stoppage time.
North Carolina (12-10-3) has now dropped consecutive matches.
Sophia Wilson tallied a goal and two assists in her 100th NWSL regular-season appearance, leading the Thorns (12-7-6) to a decisive road win over Orlando that snapped a three-match winless streak.
In the third minute, Wilson drove toward the endline and laid it off at the top of the box to Nina Nijstad, who calmly finished for the 1-0 lead — the first NWSL goal for the Dutch international. Then, Thorns forward Caiya Hanks drew a foul on Oihane Hernández in the 27th minute, and Wilson converted the penalty kick to double the lead.
Orlando midfielder Ally Lemos scored her first NWSL goal on a long-range strike that trimmed the lead to 2-1 in the 30th minute, but Morgan Weaver answered with a shot from well outside the box in the 74th minute made it 3-1.
It was Weaver's first goal since Nov. 1, 2024, after missing last season with injury.
Wilson delivered her second assist in the 88th minute to Renee Lyles for the final margin.
It was interim head coach Yolanda Thomas' first loss since taking over the Pride (9-13-3).
Delanie Sheehan and Tash Flint each scored to lead the expansion Summit (9-8-8) to a home victory over the Reign in a game that was delayed for more than an hour because of the weather.
In the 44th minute, Sheehan’s curling shot hit off the post into the back of the net to make it 1-0. Then, off a forced turnover by defender Janine Sonis, she found Flint to double the lead in the 50th minute.
Summit goalkeeper Abby Smith was unable to corral the ball in the 55th minute, and Reign forward Brittany Ratcliffe scored to trim the lead to 2-1. But they were unable to find the equalizer the rest of the way.
The Reign (11-10-4) have now dropped two straight matches after a three-game win streak.
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FILE- Gotham FC forward Jordynn Dudley brings the ball upfield against the Kansas City Current during an NWSL soccer match, April 4, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann, File)
