LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Arizona capped its best season in nine years with a solid effort against No. 17 Brigham Young, beating the Cougars 31-21 in the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl.
The Cats took the first lead, set up by a 71-yard pass from Willie Tuitama to Terrell Turner, added a Jason Bondzio 31-yard field goal a third of the way into the second quarter.
Tuitama fumbled a low snap on the first play of the second half and BYU took a 14-10 lead four minutes into the frame with the gift 27-yard drive.
After that, Arizona stalled once, missing a 3rd-and-1 opportunity, but turned right around for a defensive three-and-out and two plays later Tuitama’s 37-yard pass to Delashaun Dean struck put the Cats back in the lead.
The Cougs fought back with a 12-play, 39-yard drive, but missed a long field goal attempt. Tuitama hit successive passes of 19 and 17 yards, and after a five-yard gain by Nic Grigsby fired one down the seam to a streaking Chris Gronkowski for a 27-yard score, making it 24-14 at the end of the period.
Five minutes into the final period, Wildcat cornerback Marquis Hundley manned up and intercepted BYU’s Max Hall in the end zone, taking it out to the UA 18 yard-line. Tuitama led a seven-play, 82-yard drive, sparked by a 27-yard run by Grigsby and a 23-yard pass to Turner, and then ran it in himself from six yards out for a 31-14 lead. Again the Cougars showed some of their 17th-ranked gumption, using eight Hall passes and two of his runs to get into the end zone quickly, and recovered an ensuing onside kick at the UA 48 yard-line. Hall drove BYU 28 yards, but Mitch Payne’s field goal attempt banged off the left upright with 2:07 left.
The Cats ran the ball four times and then Tuitama scootched a three-yard pass to Mike Thomas on the final play of the game, giving the latter the Pac-10 career receiving record with his 259th reception as time expired. Dean led UA with seven catches for 88 yards to help Tuitama complete 24 of 35 throws for 325 yards and the game’s MVP award.Â
