TUCSON, Ariz. - Arizona defensive back Tacario Davis was named Paycom Jim Thorpe Award National DB of the Week, as announced today by the organization.

Davis set a pair of career highs and earned Big 12 Player of the Week after the 23-10 win over Utah. He earns this honor for the first time in his collegiate career. Davis recorded five pass breakups which were the most by any defensive back in the Big 12 during Week 5. He also made seven solo tackles, third on the team, to help Arizona upend No. 10 Utah 23-10.

Arizona as a team recorded eight pass breakups in total. Davis came up big for the Wildcats with a pass breakup in the end zone on a fourth-and-goal and turned the Utah offense away causing one of four turnovers on downs.
 
Davis, a junior from Long Beach, Calif., entered Saturday's contest with no pass breakups and moved into second in the Big 12 in passes defended with his huge five PBU performance.

2024 THORPE AWARD NATIONAL DB OF THE WEEK
Week 1 (Aug. 31)............Malaki Starks, Georgia 
Week 2 (Sep. 7)..............Andrew Mukuba, Texas
Week 3 (Sep. 14)............Jermari Harris, Iowa
Week 4 (Sep. 21)............Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
Week 5 (Sep. 28)............Tacario Davis, Arizona

The Wildcats have won back-to-back games over Utah for the first time since rattling off four straight victories from 2012–14. The Wildcats earned their first win at Utah since 2014 and their first win over a top-10 opponent since 2022.
 
Arizona won its first Big 12 Conference game in program history and improved to 3-1 overall. It marked the first loss for Utah to an unranked team at home since falling to Washington 21-7 on Sept. 15, 2018.
 
Saturday was also the first win over an AP Top 10 program for Head Coach Brent Brennan.

Arizona hosts Texas Tech in the program's first Big 12 home game on Saturday, Oct. 5 at Arizona Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. MST and the game will be televised on FOX.  Purchase tickets here.

The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is awarded to the best defensive back in college football based on performance, athletic ability, and character. The award was established in 1986 and is named after history's greatest all-around athlete, Jim Thorpe. Thorpe excelled as a running back, passer, and kicker on the offensive side of the ball, but also stood out as a defensive back. In addition to his legendary performance on the football field, Thorpe played professional baseball and won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon. The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is universally accepted as one of the nation's top collegiate sports honors.