TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Quincy Craig scored his second touchdown of the game on a 24-yard run with 39 seconds left in regulation and Arizona rallied to beat Kansas 24-20 on Saturday.
Coming off a blowout win over Colorado, the Wildcats (6-3, 3-3 Big 12) had a hard time moving the ball against a defense that entered the game ranked 12th in the Big 12.
Noah Fifita threw an early touchdown pass, but was sacked five times and nearly had three passes intercepted before rallying Arizona to become bowl eligible.
“We knew it was going to be an incredible battle and our players kept responding,” Arizona coach Brent Brennan said. “They kept responding and responding. ... I know it wasn't perfect, but we'll fix that.”
After Kansas' Laith Marjan pushed a 30-yard field goal wide right — his first miss in 15 attempts this season — the Wildcats took over at their own 20 with 2:39 left. Arizona moved quickly down the field and Craig burst through a big hole up the middle for the go-ahead score.
"That was definitely one of my favorite touchdowns I’ve experienced," said Craig, who had 47 yards rushing on three carries.
The Jayhawks (5-5, 3-4) controlled Arizona's offense for most of the game, holding the Wildcats to 323 total yards — nearly 100 yards below their season average. They also held Fifita to 158 yards and two touchdowns on 16-of-31 passing.
Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels threw for 199 yards and a touchdown, adding 74 yards and another score rushing. His desperation attempt bounded out of the end zone as time expired.
“We were able to throw a very accurate quarterback really out of rhythm there for a while,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said. “But they made the plays down the stretch.”
Fifita showed off his dual-threat skill set on Arizona's second drive, breaking off a 19-yard run — his longest of the season — and floating a 16-yard touchdown pass to tight end Sam Olson just as he got hit.
Daniels took his two-way turn on the Jayhawks' next two drives. He scored on a 1-yard keeper set up by a 14-yard run, then hit Emmanuel Henderson Jr. in stride for a 24-yard touchdown.
Kansas appeared to be headed to a 24-7 halftime lead when Leroy Harris III returned an interception 77 yards for a touchdown. Instead, it came back when cornerback Jalen Todd was called for holding away from the play.
Craig scored on an 8-yard touchdown two plays later by reaching the ball to the pylon, pulling Arizona within 17-14 at halftime.
The defenses took over in the second half.
Kansas had one interception overturned upon review and Syeed Gibbs had another potential pick pass through his hands.
Leipold was inclined to go for it on fourth-and-2 in Arizona's 11 with a three-point lead in the closing minutes.
The officials called an injury timeout for Daniels, who was hurt on the previous play, so he couldn't go back in even if Kansas called a timeout. Leipold opted to go for a field goal and a six-point lead, but Marjan missed his first kick of the season.
“We just felt putting one of the other guys in that situation, it was better to kick the field goal," Leipold said. "I understand that's one that could be scrutinized.”
Kansas: The Jayhawks were solid defensively most of the afternoon, but couldn't stop Arizona when it counted.
Arizona: The Wildcats seemed stuck in the desert sand most of the second half before Fifita rallied the Wildcats to to win a close game after two last-second losses earlier in the season.
Kansas plays at Iowa State on Nov. 22.
Arizona plays at No. 25 Cincinnati next Saturday.
AP college football: https://apnews.com/college-football
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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