Instant takeaways from Cincinnati Bearcats Big 12 football loss vs. Arizona Wildcats
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The first home loss for the University of Cincinnati Bearcats football team in 2025 couldn’t have come at a more inopportune time.
Likely needing to win out to keep their Big 12 championship game hopes alive, the Bearcats dropped a pivotal game to Arizona at Nippert Stadium 30-24.
UC got within three points on a touchdown run by freshman Zion Johnson with 6:38 to go, but Arizona maintained possession of the ball long enough to limit UC to some late desperation attempts that fell short.
It’s the first time this season the Bearcats have lost two games in a row. Last season, with several different players, they finished the season losing five straight after a 5-2 start.
Brendan Sorsby had a second consecutive off game, finishing 15-for-28 for just 154 yards with two interceptions. He ran for 30 yards and a score. Tawee Walker led the UC rushers with 119 yards. On the receiving end, Jeff Caldwell and Cyrus Allen had five catches each.
The bottom line was UC was outgained 475 yards to 344 on their home field, suffering their first Nippert loss of the season and first since last year’s season finale vs. Kansas State.
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For Arizona, quarterback Noah Fifita became their all-time touchdown pass leader in the game, surpassing Nick Folks and Willie Tuitama with his 68th career touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.
The redshirt junior was sacked three times, but was efficient in the throwing game. He finished 23-for-31 for 294 yards and a touchdown. Kedrick Reescano had 94 yards rushing and the go-ahead score and Kris Hutston had eight catches for 123 yards.
Cincinnati Bearcats injuries
UC was without receiver Caleb Goodie and running back Evan Pryor. Receiver Isaiah Johnson dressed.
Freshman Zion Johnson stepped in for reps with Pryor out of the game.
Cincinnati Bearcats, Arizona Wildcats in Big 12 standings
For now, UC is 7-3 (5-2 Big 12), while Arizona jumps to 7-3 (4-3 Big 12). The Bearcats had hoped to notch a win then hand BYU a second league loss back at Nippert next Saturday, Nov. 22. Now, they will need help of some kind to be a factor in the Big 12 championship game Dec. 6.
5 takeaways from Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Arizona Wildcats
1. Cincinnati Bearcats’ offense ineffective compared to Arizona
In the fourth quarter, Arizona dominated many offensive categories, most notably first downs. Driving with under 11 minutes to play, they had doubled up UC, 20-10. After Fifita’s 15-yard touchdown to Gio Richardson, it was 21-10 and the Wildcats’ lead was 27-17.
UC’s late 75-yard drive cut the deficit to 27-24. But Michael Selgado-Medina tacked on a late 51-yard field goal for the 30-24 final.
2. Cincinnati Bearcats get Tawee Walker over 100 yards
Thanks to first-quarter runs of 38 and 54 yards, UC redshirt senior Tawee Walker surpassed the century mark for the first time as a Bearcat. Evan Pryor previously rushed for 111 yards for UC in the Iowa State game, where Walker also had his previous high of 89 yards. Walker rushed for 108 of his 119 yards in the first half.
Walker’s last 100-plus game came for Wisconsin last season against Northwestern when he ran for 126.
Freshman Zion Johnson was a bright spot, getting his first collegiate touchdown late in the fourth quarter. He finished with 42 yards.
3. Cincinnati Bearcats QB Brendan Sorsby sluggish again
After throwing for 20 touchdowns with zero turnovers in September and October, November hasn’t been kind to Sorsby. At Utah Nov. 1, he fumbled twice and threw his first interception since the Aug. 28 Nebraska game as UC was humbled by the Utes 45-14.
Saturday against Arizona, he was picked off in the first minute of the game on UC’s first play from scrimmage. By halftime, he had been picked again, trying to hit Cyrus Allen over the middle. It was his first multi-interception game since UCF in Orlando last year, a game the Bearcats won 19-13.
Saturday, he went from midway through the second quarter until late in the third quarter without a completion. When he finally hit Cyrus Allen for 37 yards, it nearly doubled his passing yardage for the game.
4. Cincinnati Bearcats fortunate in first half
Arizona had three trips to the red zone to UC’s two, but only capitalized once. The Bearcats forced Michael Salgado-Medina to miss his first field goal attempt, then Logan Wilson blocked a second attempt from 34 yards. With four seconds left in the half, Salgado-Medina delivered from 24 yards to cut the Bearcats lead to 14-10.
Salgado-Messina added a 25-yarder to start the second half, cutting UC’s lead to 14-13. Kedrick Reescando’s 50-yard TD gave Arizona its first lead in the third quarter, 20-14.
Salgado-Messina would atone for his earlier misses with a 51-yard bull’s-eye, giving Arizona the six-point win.
5. Cincinnati Bearcats still struggle to find tight end Joe Royer
Royer caught a first-down pass just over two minutes into the game. His second target came in the end zone late in the third quarter with 1:26 remaining, falling incomplete. He is regarded as an NFL prospect.
Cincinnati Bearcats entertain bowl suitors
Representatives from the Pop-Tarts and Alamo Bowls were on hand for the Bearcats and Wildcats. The Pop-Tarts Bowl is Dec. 27 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, pitting a Big 12 team vs. an ACC representative.
The Alamo Bowl is Dec. 30 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, featuring a Big 12 vs. Pac-12 matchup.
Next up for Cincinnati Bearcats
UC is right back at Nippert Stadium Saturday, Nov. 22 for its final home game of the season. It will be Senior Day vs. BYU. The game was scheduled for a six-day window last week, so at the time of publication, a start time is not known. Kickoff time could be announced Sunday, Nov. 16 or Monday, Nov. 17.
No. 12 BYU hosted TCU late Saturday (10:15 Eastern/8/15 Mountain) in Provo.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Takeaways from Cincinnati Bearcats football loss vs. Arizona Wildcats
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