Arizona Wildcats Dominate Hawaii 40-6 in Season Opener
UPDATE: The Arizona Wildcats kicked off their 2025 football season with a commanding 40-6 victory over the Hawaii Warriors on Saturday night. This emphatic win marks Arizona’s fourth consecutive season opening victory, a streak not seen since they won eight straight from 2008 to 2015.
Arizona showcased a relentless defense that forced five turnovers, leading to 23 points, and registered five sacks, demonstrating their dominance on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Noah Fifita threw for a touchdown and added another on the ground, finishing the night with 161 yards on 13 of 23 passing attempts.
The Wildcats took an early lead, going into halftime with a 17-6 advantage, a significant improvement compared to last season’s opener where they trailed at the break. Arizona’s offensive success was highlighted by a strong rushing game, accumulating 183 yards on the ground. Running backs Kedrick Reescano, Quincy Craig, and Ismail Mahdi each contributed rushing touchdowns, with Craig leading the charge with 125 yards on just seven carries.
In an exciting start, Arizona scored its first touchdown within just four plays, courtesy of a 13-yard run by Reescano. The Wildcats consistently capitalized on defensive mistakes from Hawaii, converting turnovers into scoring opportunities. The five takeaways marked the most for Arizona since the 2023 Alamo Bowl, signaling a robust defensive resurgence.
The Wildcats’ momentum continued in the second half, with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Fifita to Sam Olson extending the lead to 24-6 early in the third quarter. Fifita’s 45th career touchdown pass now ties him for sixth in school history. A subsequent interception by Taye Brown set up another rushing touchdown, further widening the gap to 31-6.
As the game progressed, Arizona’s defense remained unyielding, with Julian Savaiinaea recovering a fumble that led to a 52-yard field goal by Michael Salgado-Medina, marking his first career field goal. A final touchdown from Mahdi capped off the scoring, bringing the game to a close at 40-6.
Arizona is set to continue its season-opening homestand next Saturday, facing off against Weber State, who recently suffered a 45-10 loss to James Madison. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if the Wildcats can maintain their momentum and build on this impressive start.
Stay tuned for further updates as the Wildcats aim to keep their winning streak alive.
