Arizona’s massive senior class was honored before the final home game of the season, the first at newly named Casino del Sol Stadium. And they went out on top, with many stepping up to keep the win streak going.
Arizona
From backup quarterback to team captain, Noah Fifita’s leadership has brought Arizona together
When the 2023 Arizona football campaign began last year Jayden de Laura was entering his second season as the starting quarterback, while Noah Fifita was the backup. Fast forward to the Stanford game, de Laura goes down with an injury and Fifita stepped up in his absence. Not only did he step up, Fifita took full reins of the team.
After close losses to Washington and USC, he would lead the Wildcats to seven straight wins, including an Alamo Bowl victory against Oklahoma. Once the offseason hit, Fifita was faced with a similar challenge of bringing his team together after Jedd Fisch left for Washington.
Following Arizona’s hiring of Brent Brennan as head coach, it only took one meeting with him for Fifita to decide to stay. Thereafter, Fifita has only gained momentum as being one of the top quarterbacks in the nation as well as the leader of the Wildcats.
With being named to many preseason awards watch lists, Fifita was ranked 51st by ESPN on its list of top 100 college players. On top of earning rankings and being named to watchlists, he has become popular in the NIL world. Picking up sponsorships with Alerion Aviation, the Tucson International Airport and SuperCuts, it is clear that there is extreme hype around Fifita.
Preseason training camp was one of hard work and fine tuning the little things, which is what got Fifita to be ready when called upon as the backup. Now, he will be leading the team as one of six team captains.
Alongside fellow captains Jonah Savaiinaea, Josh Baker, Jacob Manu, Treydan Stukes, and Gunner Maldonado, Fifita’s leadership is noticed by everyone on the team. Offensive coordinator Dino Babers made it clear that a player such as he is rare to find nowadays.
“He’s not average, the more and more you’re around him you’re just like ‘the guy is special,’ and he needs to be treated as such,” Babers said.
Quarterbacks coach Lyle Moevao gave credit to Fifita for adjusting to new pieces on the offense and the offensive scheme.
“You know the fun thing about Noah is that his mind is always on ‘what’s our plan?’,” Moevao said. “That’s the beauty of working with Noah, he’s always gonna be, you know, one step ahead.”
Being one step ahead goes back to his preparation from last season as a backup, but now going into this season Fifita has to make sure that the entire team is ready to go.
“I think last year it was kind of more about myself and really taking care of what I had to take care of,” he said. “Now this year it is about the team, and kind of having cohesion through all the positions and not just worrying about my responsibilities.”
The nation knows about the Fifita to Tetairoa McMillan connection, but one that is equally important is the center to quarterback connection. Baker’s face lit up earlier this week when asked about his relationship with Fifita.
“It’s been amazing to see a young kid a couple years ago come in with such a professional attitude and such a professional mindset,” Baker said. “Working hard every single day, not missing a beat, able to step up when his name was called, it’s just been amazing to see that.”
Outside of all of the watchlists, rankings, and sponsorships, Fifita knows that in order to be successful, he has to bring the team together as one.
“It’s always about the team,” Fifita said. “That’s the main part and that’s just Coach Brennan, he has referenced that a lot. Coach (Dick) Tomey’s thing is ‘The team, the team, the team.’ so that’s just kind of how we’re built, that’s what we take pride in and if we want to do what we want to do, it’s about the team. About us, not just one individual.”
Snake facts: 10 surprising, scary and very cool things to know
Why do snakes flick their tongues? Can snakes smell fear? This video reveals 10 amazing facts about rattlesnakes, flying snakes and other species.
The Republic
If you’re an Arizonan, you’ve probably heard the tales of the state’s rattlesnakes or experienced them firsthand.
There are 13 different kinds of rattlesnakes in Arizona. The Arizona ridge-nosed rattlesnake is even the official state reptile.
Rattlesnakes are particularly common to see from May to October, since the snakes typically hibernate during the colder months.
While rattlesnakes have earned a reputation for being dangerous, they generally only attack when they feel threatened. You might encounter them while on a hike or even in your backyard, so you might want to watch your step.
Take a look at these photos of some of Arizona’s different kinds of rattlesnakes.
Which state has the most rattlesnakes?
You guessed it — Arizona has the most species of rattlesnakes in the country with 13 different kinds of rattlesnakes.
Texas is next with 10 different species of rattlesnakes.
What area of Arizona has the most rattlesnakes?
While rattlesnakes can be spotted all throughout Arizona, there are five places where they’re particularly common:
- Sonoran Desert
- Chiricahua Mountains
- Superstition Mountains
- Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
- Grand Canyon region
Rattlesnakes are generally more common in areas with lower elevation. So, if you’re afraid, you might want to head north to Flagstaff.
Arizona Cardinals commit 17 penalties in loss to 49ers
Theo Mackie and Bob McManaman discuss the Arizona Cardinals’ 41-22 loss to the San Francisco 49ers at State Farm Stadium on Nov. 16, 2025.
The Arizona Cardinals continue their 2025 NFL regular season schedule with an NFL Week 12 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars today.
The Cardinals are coming off a 41-22 loss against the San Francisco 49ers in their NFL Week 11 game.
The Jaguars beat the Los Angeles Chargers in the 11th week of the season, 35-6.
This is the first game between Arizona and Jacksonville Jaguars since 2021, when the Cardinals defeated the Jaguars in Jacksonville, 31-19.
Follow our live updates of the game, which is being played at the Cardinals’ State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, for the latest score, news, notes and analysis of the Week 12 NFL game on Sunday, Nov. 23.
Watch Jaguars at Cardinals with FUBO (free trial)
Cardinals vs Jaguars schedule: What time is NFL Week 12 game?
The NFL Week 12 game between the Cardinals and Jaguars is on Sunday, Nov. 23, at 2:05 p.m. MST, 4:05 p.m. ET.
Jaguars vs Cardinals TV: What channel is NFL Week 12 game on?
The Jaguars vs Cardinals NFL Week 12 game can be seen on CBS.
Cardinals vs Jaguars streaming: How do I watch NFL Week 12 game on livestream?
Streaming options for the Cardinals vs Jaguars game include FUBO, which offers a free trial, and other streaming services that carry CBS, like Paramount+.
Jaguars vs Cardinals announcers: Who is calling the NFL Week 12 game?
Spero Dedes (play-by-play) and Adam Archuleta (analyst) are scheduled to be the announcers for the Cardinals-Jaguars Week 12 NFL game.
Cardinals vs Jaguars game odds: Who is favored in NFL Week 12?
The Jaguars are a 2.5-point favorite over the Cardinals in NFL Week 12 odds for the game, courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook.
Jacksonville is -145 on the moneyline, while Arizona is +120.
The over/under (point total) is set at 47.5 points.
Jaguars vs Cardinals picks, predictions: Who will win NFL Week 12 game?
The Arizona Republic’s Jeremy Cluff is predicting a 24-20 win for the Jaguars over the Cardinals in the Week 12 NFL game today.
Other sites lean toward the Jaguars beating the Cardinals in their NFL Week 12 picks and NFL Week 12 predictions for the game, but not everyone is taking Jacksonville to cover the point spread.
Pregame reading for Cardinals vs Jaguars Week 12 NFL game today
NFL’s highest paid players in 2025: Quarterbacks | Running backs | Wide receivers | Tight ends | Offensive linemen | D-linemen | Cornerbacks | Safeties | Linebackers | Edge rushers | Highest paid NFL players: Overall | By position | By team
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The Wildcats outscored Baylor 27-0 in the second half, including 20 points in just over four minutes in the fourth quarter, for a 41-17 win. It was the fourth in a row overall for the UA (8-3, 5-3 Big 12) and improved its home record to 6-1, tying the school record for most home wins in a season.
Kedrick Reescano ran for three touchdowns, including a 19-yarder to turn a 4-point game into a 2-score advantage, while Noah Fifita threw for 183 yards and a TD and Arizona’s defense forced three turnovers and made three stops on fourth down.
Several UA seniors had huge games. Kris Hutson had nine catches for a career-high 133 yards and a TD, Ismail Madhi ran for 93 yards and a score, Dalton Johnson had 18 tackles and Treydan Stukes intercepted a pass in the end zone to preserve what at the time was a 4-point lead.
Baylor (5-6, 3-5) scored on its first two drives then had one field goal the rest of the way, gaining 129 yards after taking a 17-14 lead at halftime. FBS passing leader Sawyer Robertson was limited to 162 yards with a TD and two interceptions, making the Bears the ninth opponent not to reach 200 passing yards.
The UA won for the third straight game despite trailing at the half but went ahead for good just over three minutes into the third quarter on a 1-yardReescanorun. That came after the game’s fourth pass interference penalty thrown in the end zone.
Four consecutive 3-and-outs followed before Baylor put together a sustained drive, getting into the red zone to start the 4th quarter. The Bears went for it on 4th and 3 from the UA 12 but Robertson’s pass was picked off in the end zone byStukes.
The UA drove into the red zone after the interception but had to settle for a field goal, with Michael Salgado-Medina missing to the right from 38 yards out. It was his ninth miss of the season.
Yet a play later the Wildcats had the ball back, with Taye Brown forcing a fumble and Michael Dansby recovering it. The next snap saw Ismail Madhi score on a 28-yard run for a 28-17 lead with 10:29 to go.
Reescano’s third TD, from 19 yards out, came with 6:38 remaining, and 11 seconds later Jabari Mann returned a pick 34 yards for a score.
Baylor scored on its opening drive, only the third opponent to do so this season. A 30-yard pass on the first play and a pass interference call on 4th down set up Robertson’s 9-yard TD pass to Josh Cameron for a 7-0 lead less than three minutes in.
Arizona matched that score on its first possession, also benefitting from a pass interference call, with Reescano scoring on a 2-yard run immediately after.
The Bears went up 14-7 in the final minute of the first quarter on a 2-yard Robertson run after another pass interference call on Arizona. The Bears converted a 4th down earlier in the drive after also catching a break when forward progress was ruled on what looked like a UA fumble recovery.
The first stop of the game came with 4:59 left before halftime when, after Arizona forced a 49-yard field goal attempt, Baylor’s Connor Hawkins was wife left. But the Wildcats didn’t capitalize, with a Fifita pass going off Tre Spivey’s hands to Baylor’s DJ Coleman for an interception.
That snapped a streak of 140 consecutive attempts for Fifita without a pick.
Baylor turned that into points just before the half, getting a 48-yard field goal from Hawkins.
The UA wraps up the regular season Friday at ASU, looking to take back the Territorial Cup and win for the second time in a row in Tempe.
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