Weird things have happened to Arizona in Salt Lake City in recent years. In 2022, an unbeaten Wildcats squad fresh off a dominant performance at the Maui Invitational laid an egg against Utah, and two years later the UA needed triple overtime to get past the Utes.
Arizona
Trump plans to take Arizona’s ‘show me your papers’ immigration law nationwide
Opinion: Trump told Time magazine that his plan for the largest deportation operation ever in the United States includes using the National Guard, the military and local police.
Arizona presidential preferential election results: What they mean
The Arizona Republic’s Sasha Hupka discusses on The Briefing video show the results of Arizona’s primary and what it means for Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
The folks in Fountain Hills who are horrified at the possibility of former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio being elected mayor in November may have nothing to worry about.
The next Donald Trump administration — should there be one — could have a high-profile job for the 91-year-old ex-lawman who was convicted of criminal contempt of court then pardoned by Trump in 2017.
Time Magazine published an interview with Trump this week in which he said that as part of his plan to resurrect the grotesque Eisenhower-era “Operation Wetback,” the largest mass deportation of undocumented workers in United States history, he would use local police to help round up and deport those suspected of being in the country illegally.
Trump told Time that he’d use the National Guard and the military, and added, “We’re going to be using local police, because local police know them by name, by first name, second name and third name. I mean, they know them very well.”
Arpaio’s immigration sweeps cost Arizona
Arizona has already tried that. We have the scars to prove it, by way of the state’s infamous Senate Bill 1070 “show me your papers” law.
After that atrocity of a bill pass the Legislature and was signed by then-Gov. Jan Brewer, Arpaio used deputies to run immigration sweeps and traffic stops that eventually led to lawsuits that have, so far, cost Maricopa County taxpayers $250 million.
Courts found the policies and practices of Arpaio’s office to violate the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments, as well as Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Kari Lake is: Arizona’s new Joe Arpaio
Not that it stopped Arpaio from continuing the raids in violation of a court order. Which led to his criminal contempt conviction. Which led to the Trump pardon.
And which could lead — Hey, why not? — to a BIG role in the next Trump administration.
Trump would ‘convince’ local police to go along
Deportation Czar, or something like that, a job that would require someone like Arpaio, someone familiar with public policy based on ignoring the law.
Trump is a guy like that. In the Time interview, for example, Trump brushed off the fact that it is illegal to use military force on civilians.
“Well, these aren’t civilians,” Trump said. “They are people that aren’t legally in our country.”
And when he was reminded that a president has no authority over local law enforcement, Trump hinted that he’d encourage cooperation by way of the pocketbook.
“There’s a possibility that some won’t want to participate,” Trump said, “and they won’t partake in the riches.”
Put all that together and it occurs to me that Arpaio’s future position, should he be offered one, could not have the word “czar” in its title.
Trump will already have taken that.
Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.
For more opinions content, please subscribe.
On today’s Digital Pregame Show presented by Little Caesars, J.B Long, D’Marco Farr, and Maurice Jones-Drew preview the Los Angeles Rams’ Week 18 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium. The trio discuss key players to watch, game predictions, and more. Tune in for kickoff at 1:25pm PT on FOX.
Arizona State is bringing in Kentucky transfer quarterback Cutter Boley after he played 10 full games as a redshirt freshman in 2025, FootballScoop’s John Brice first reported with SunDevilSource’s Chris Karpman confirming.
He gives the Sun Devils a signal-caller with three years of eligibility who had major flashes as a young starter in the SEC, including a career-high 330 yards and five touchdown passes on 74.3% passing against Tennessee on Oct. 25.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Boley had 2,160 yards (65.8%), 15 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions on the season with 85 rushing yards and two scores on the ground.
He was expected to take a two-day visit beginning on Saturday, but he committed before getting to the second day.
ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham extended an offer to Boley as a high school junior while he was the 24th quarterback in the 2024 class and the coach was serving as offensive coordinator at Oregon.
Dillingham took more of an active role in the offense during the Sun Bowl on Wednesday, and he said postgame recent changes in administration have allowed him to focus more on football. It would make sense the active role carries over to the development of Boley.
He gets to ASU after the departure of Sam Leavitt, who has fittingly been linked to Kentucky in what could be a 1-for-1 transfer swap of quarterbacks.
More about ASU transfer QB addition Cutter Boley
The youngest SEC quarterback to get substantial time this season, Boley played mostly as a game manager with quick passes behind or near the line of scrimmage.
His six big-time throws — tracked by PFF as passes with “excellent ball location and timing, generally thrown further down the field and/or into a tight window” — were tied for last among 15 qualified SEC passers.
His 18 turnover-worthy plays, another PFF-tracked stat, were tied for fourth out of 15.
Comparing the stats to ASU’s quarterbacks this season, Leavitt had 18 big-time throws and 12 turnover-worthy plays in seven games. Jeff Sims had eight big-time throws and nine turnover-worthy plays in eight contests.
Because he has three years of eligibility remaining, Boley could eventually have to compete with young ASU quarterbacks Cam Dyer and Jake Fette, who will be redshirt and true freshmen, respectively, in 2026.
No such drama this time around.
Top-ranked Arizona jumped out to a 17-point lead before the second media timeout and then coasted to a 97-78 win at Utah on Saturday afternoon to open Big 12 play.
The Wildcats (14-0, 1-0) saw their streak of wins by at least 20 points end at eight, tying the school record set in 1928-29. But the victory was no less dominant than the previous seven, with the UA shooting 53.6 percent, finishing plus-13 on the boards and again getting five scorers in double figures.
Tobe Awaka and Jaden Bradley led the way with 18 points apiece, Awaka going 6 of 7 from the field and 2 for 2 from 3 while adding 12 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Bradley was 7 of 11 from the field and added five assists.
Brayden Burries and Koa Peat each scored 17 and Ivan Kharchenkov added 13 for Arizona, which scored in the 90s for the 10th time this season including eight of the last nine games.
Utah (8-6, 0-1) got 26 points from Terrence Brown and 15 each from Keanu Dawes and Don McHenry but shot 44.3 percent overall and just 5 of 17 from 3. The Utes turned it over 12 times, leading to 18 points for the Wildcats, who had 11 steals for their seventh game with at least 10 swipes.
The UA led 58-39 at halftime, its most points in the first half of a conference game since dropping 63 on ASU in 1998. That offensive explosion did not immediately carry over to the second half, though, as Arizona didn’t make its first post-halftime field goal until 17:06 left.
But then things went back to normal, with an 8-0 run to extend the lead to 70-46 with 13:56 to go. Utah followed with a 12-3 run to get within 15 but that was the closest it would get.
The only real drama down the stretch was if Arizona would again win by 20. It led by 21 after a Burries basket with 51 seconds remaining but Bradley fouled Utah’s Brown with 49.8 seconds to go in order to let backups come in and Brown made two free throws.
Utah scored the game’s opening basket and then Arizona followed with 14 in a row, which included a few baskets off Ute turnovers. Six of those points were byKharchenkov, who scored twice off steals.
The rout appeared to be on early, withAwakanailing a 3 to put the Wildcats up 27-10 with 12:16 left in the first half. But the UA went three minutes without a field goal, allowing Utah to cut the deficit to single digits.
A second-chance 3 by Brown got the Utes within 34-26 with 7:49 left in the half. But Arizona righted the ship on both ends, using a 10-0 run (with another Awaka 3) to build a 46-28 advantage. The Wildcats made their final six shots before the break, shooting 61.1 percent overall in the first half.
The UA plays its Big 12 home opener Wednesday against Kansas State. K-State (9-5, 0-1) fell 83-73 at home to No. 10 BYU on Saturday.
News4 minutes ago
Cuba says 32 Cuban fighters killed in US raids on Venezuela
West10 minutes ago
US appeals court strikes down California’s open-carry ban in major Second Amendment ruling
Midwest16 minutes ago
Police seek suspect after dentist and wife found shot dead at home while 2 young children are unharmed
Southwest22 minutes ago
Texas requires students learn about ‘perils of communism’ in sweeping new curriculum overhaul
Southeast28 minutes ago
Redistricting battles brewing across the country as parties compete for power ahead of 2026 midterms
Florida1 year ago
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Connecticut2 years ago
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
Oregon2 years ago
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Virginia1 year ago
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Education2 years ago
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
News4 minutes ago
Cuba says 32 Cuban fighters killed in US raids on Venezuela
Politics11 hours ago
Dan Bongino officially leaves FBI deputy director role after less than a year, returns to ‘civilian life’
World12 hours ago
Hundreds march in silence to honour Crans-Montana fire victims
News12 hours ago
Here’s a partial list of U.S. elected officials opposing Trump’s invasion of Venezuela
Videos15 hours ago
Crans Montana organises solemn march for the victims • FRANCE 24 English
-
World7 days agoHamas builds new terror regime in Gaza, recruiting teens amid problematic election
-
Indianapolis, IN1 week agoIndianapolis Colts playoffs: Updated elimination scenario, AFC standings, playoff picture for Week 17
-
Business1 week agoGoogle is at last letting users swap out embarrassing Gmail addresses without losing their data
-
Southeast1 week agoTwo attorneys vanish during Florida fishing trip as ‘heartbroken’ wife pleads for help finding them
-
World1 week agoSnoop Dogg, Lainey Wilson, Huntr/x and Andrea Bocelli Deliver Christmas-Themed Halftime Show for Netflix’s NFL Lions-Vikings Telecast
-
Politics1 week agoMost shocking examples of Chinese espionage uncovered by the US this year: ‘Just the tip of the iceberg’
-
World1 week agoPodcast: The 2025 EU-US relationship explained simply
-
News1 week agoRoads could remain slick, icy Saturday morning in Philadelphia area, tracking another storm on the way