TUCSON, Ariz. – University of Arizona Football Quarterback Noah Fifita has been selected Shaun Alexander Award Freshman of the Week for his 303-yard and five-touchdown performance against No. 9 USC during Week 6, as announced today by the Maxwell Football Club.

Fifita has been selected Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Week for the first time in his collegiate career. This honor falls on the heels of his Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honor on Monday.

The redshirt freshman from Huntington Beach completed 25-of-35 passes for 303 yards and five touchdowns, marking career highs in yardage and touchdown passes and producing the most touchdown throws by an Arizona quarterback against a ranked opponent.

Fifita made his second career start at No. 9 USC. Both of his first two career starts have come against AP top 10 ranked teams. Per ESPN research, Fifita is the 10th quarterback in the past 20 seasons to make his first two career starts against AP top 10 opponents.

The Servite High School product completed 71.4 percent of his passes marking a career-high with a minimum of 35 pass attempts. He has thrown 8 touchdowns and just two interceptions through five games played with two starts.

The Wildcats hit the road to face the No. 19 Washington State Cougars on Saturday, Oct. 14. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. MST and the game will be televised on Pac-12 Network.

ABOUT THE SHAUN ALEXANDER AWARD
During the 1996 college football season, future All-American Shaun Alexander didn't start off the year as the team's starting running back, in fact, he was actually the 3rd option. That all changed on the ESPN prime time night game on November 9th, 1996 when #10 Alabama played #11 LSU. This was the night in death valley where Shaun became an Alabama legend.His first carry… a 17-yard touchdown – giving him 1 carry for 17 yards and a touchdown at the end of the 1st half. His second carry… a 73-yard touchdown. Shaun ended the night with 4 touchdowns and 291 rushing yards. Alexander's single-game rushing record (291 yards) still stands today at The University of Alabama. Shaun ended his career at Alabama with 3,565 yards rushing (41 touchdowns), 798 receiving yards (8 TD receptions), and one kickoff return for a touchdown. Due to Shaun's tremendous freshman campaign for the Crimson Tide, The College Football Freshman Player of the Year Award is now called The Shaun Alexander Award.