No. 20 Arizona sets records for offense in 77-13 rout of NAU
Sep 19, 2015, 11:56 PM
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Anu Solomon completed 25 of 35 passes for 285 yards and four touchdowns in a little more than a half of play, and No. 20 Arizona set school records for points and total yards in a 77-13 rout of Northern Arizona on Saturday night.
Arizona (3-0) broke the mark for points set in a 74-0 win 94 years ago over the school now known as UTEP. The Wildcats‘ 792 yards eclipsed the mark of 787 set against UNLV last season.
Solomon’s backup, Jerrard Randall, scored on runs of 73 and 72 yards. Third-stringer Brandon Dawkins had a 43-yard TD run, and fourth-string quarterback Zach Werlinger ran 11 yards for a score.
Solomon also had a 1-yard TD run, meaning all four quarterbacks ran for a score.
Arizona scored 63 straight points after the Lumberjacks (2-1) cut the Wildcats‘ lead to 14-13 in the second quarter.
Their 499 yards rushing broke the school record of 492 set against Eastern Michigan in 1988. Arizona tied the team mark of 11 touchdowns in game, also set in that 1921 win over UTEP. The Wildcats‘ 35 second-quarter points were one shy of the most in school history.
Case Cookus completed 8 of 13 passes for 190 yards and one touchdown for Northern Arizona and didn’t play in the second half.
Arizona wrapped up its less-than-challenging nonconference schedule that also included wins over UTSA and Nevada. The Wildcats open Pac-12 play next Saturday at home against No. 10 UCLA.
Arizona scored touchdowns on six of seven first-half possessions, with drives that took 1:47, 3:03, 1:27, 1:18, 2:41 and 1:44.
Randall, on his first play in relief of Solomon, ran 72 yards for a score and added a 73-yarder before Dawkins replaced him.
It didn’t look like a record-breaking night early.
The Lumberjacks trailed 14-13 after Emannnuel Butler beat Arizona’s Cam Denson and caught a 62-yard touchdown pass from Cookus with 11:52 left in the half.
The high-speed Arizona offense took off from there. Solomon completed four of five passes on a six-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 27-yard toss to David Richards and it was 21-13.
Three plays later, Cookus threw his first interception of the season, with Davonte’ Neal picking it off at the NAU 37. After an offensive pass interference penalty, Nick Wilson ran 43 yards to the 9. He carried it 8 yards to the 1, then punched it in for the score.
Solomon’s second TD pass to Richards boosted the lead to 35-13. The Wildcats got one more touchdown before halftime. Solomon ran 16 yards to the NAU 1 and Wilson carried it in from there.
Solomon got one more TD pass in the third quarter before calling it a night.
The Wildcats improved to 13-1 against the Lumberjacks.
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