SMU Holds Off Arizona’s Furious Rally to Win Holiday Bowl
San Diego is usually the place you go to relax, catch some waves, and forget your troubles. But for the first 30 minutes of the Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium, SMU put it on Arizona. It was pure stress for anyone wearing Arizona red.
The Arizona Wildcats, looking to cap off a nine-win season with a historic tenth victory, dug themselves a hole so deep you could almost see the other side of the world. Then, just when everyone was ready to flip the channel, they decided to make it a game.
In the end, the shorthanded Cats clawed back furiously but fell agonizingly short, losing to the SMU Mustangs 24-19.It was a classic “tale of two halves,” yeah, I know, sports cliché of the century, but sometimes the cleat fits.
A First Half Only a Mother Could Love: If She Were an SMU Fan
Let’s be honest: The first half was a disaster for Arizona. We’re talking Murphy’s Law in full effect. The Wildcats walked into the locker room down 24-0. The offense looked like it was running in quicksand, managing a paltry 132 yards. Meanwhile, SMU’s offense was treating the Arizona defense like a practice squad.
Quarterback Kevin Jennings was dealing, and running back T.J. Harden was bruising his way to two touchdowns. The highlight or lowlight, depending on your allegiance, was a trick play that looked like it was drawn up in the dirt during recess. A flea-flicker situation where Jennings handed off, got the ball pitched back to him, and then launched an 80-yard bomb to tight end Matthew Hibner.
That set up a 1-yard punch-in score and effectively signaled to the building that SMU wasn’t messing around. Arizona’s self-inflicted wounds didn’t help. Penalties killed momentum before it could even start. If you were a Wildcats fan, that halftime whistle couldn’t come fast enough.
The Wake-Up Call: Arizona’s Second-Half Surge
Whatever head coach Brent Brennan said in that locker room needs to be bottled and sold. The Wildcats came out swinging in the third quarter, finally looking like the No. 17-ranked team they claimed to be.
The defense, which had been gashed for over 300 yards in the first half, suddenly turned into a brick wall. They shut out the Mustangs for the entire second half—a zero-point performance that gave the offense a fighting chance. The catalyst? Turnovers. The Arizona secondary, despite missing key starters, started playing opportunistic ball.
They picked off Jennings three times in the second half. Michael Dansby snagged one at the 4-yard line to stop a drive, and Riley Wilson grabbed two more to keep hope alive. It was a complete 180-degree turn from the first half, proving this team had plenty of fight left in the tank.
Fifita Fights Back, But Time Runs Out
Quarterback Noah Fifita, who spent the first half running for his life, finally found his rhythm. He ended the night with 265 yards and three touchdowns, willing his team back into contention.
He found Javin Whatley for a 28-yard strike to finally put Arizona on the board. Later, he connected with Tre Spivey and then Cameron Barmore for scores. That last touchdown to Barmore cut the lead to 24-19 with just 33 seconds left on the clock.
Suddenly, the impossible looked possible. The onside kick team trotted out. The stadium held its breath. But the miracle bounce didn’t happen. SMU recovered the kick, took a knee, and exhaled a collective sigh of relief that was probably heard all the way back in Dallas.
The Elephant in the Room: Opt-Outs and Injuries
You can’t talk about this game without addressing who wasn’t on the field. Arizona was playing without the heart and soul of its defense. Treydan Stukes, Dalton Johnson, and Genesis Smith—three guys who combined for over 6,000 defensive snaps—opted out to prep for the NFL Draft.
Coach Brennan was classy about it, calling them “family decisions” and noting he respected their choices. But let’s be real: when you lose that much talent and leadership, it shows. It showed early when SMU was running wild, and it forced young guys like Gavin Hunter and Dajon Hinton into the fire.
To make matters worse, the injury bug bit hard during the game. Left tackle Ty Buchanan went down, meaning Arizona was playing without both starting tackles (Tristan Bounds was already out). It turned the offensive line into a patchwork quilt, which explains why the run game never really got going.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Brennan and the Cats
Despite the loss, a 9-4 season is nothing to sneeze at. Brent Brennan’s squad showed resilience that bodes well for the future. They didn’t fold when they were down 24-0; they fought back to make it a one-score game.
“I love this football team,” Brennan said post-game. “These young men are incredibly special to me.”Now comes the offseason grind. With the transfer portal window open and recruiting heating up, the roster will look different next year.
Arizona opens the 2026 season against Northern Arizona, but for now, this loss is going to sting.The Wildcats proved they have the heart of a champion, but on this Friday night in San Diego, they just ran out of time.
