Cats Hit the Road, Face Veteran UTSA Squad in Alamodome

Game 2 » Arizona (1-0, 0-0 Pac-12) at UTSA (1-0, 0-0 CUSA)

» Weekly Notes: Arizona (PDF) | UTSA (PDF)

Date: Thursday, Sept. 4
Time: 7 p.m. (CDT)
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Stadium: Alamodome (65,000)
Surface: FieldTurf
Television: FOX Sports 1 (national)
All-Time Series: Arizona leads, 1-0
Series in San Antonio: First meeting
Last Meeting: UA 38, UNLV 13 (Sept. 14, 2013, at Tucson, Ariz.)
Streak: UA won only meeting

Television FOX Sports 1 (national)
Play-by-Play: Tim Brando
Analyst: Joel Klatt

Arizona IMG Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Brian Jeffries
Analyst: Lamont Lovett
Sideline: Dana Cooper
Flagship Stations: 1290 AM, 1490 FM
Statewide Affiliates: Click here
Listen on TuneIn: www.arizonawildcats.com
Satellite Radio: XM (91), SIRIUS (91)

Hard Edge Game Notes

» Arizona defeated UTSA, 38-13, last Sept. 14, at Arizona Stadium. It was the first-ever meeting between the schools.

» Arizona’s 787 yards of total offense set a new school record. It is more yards than any other Pac-12 school has ever totaled in a game except for USC.

» Anu Solomon became the first freshman ever to start a season-opener for the Wildcats. His 425 passing yards set a new freshman single-game record.

» UA produced a 100-yard rusher (Terris Jones-Grigsby, 124 yds; Nick Wilson, 104 yds) for the 18th straight game. The Wildcats have had a 100-yard rusher in 24 of 27 games under Rich Rodriguez.

» Senior Austin Hill’s 92-yard touchdown reception last week tied for the third-longest in school history. It was the longest offensive TD for a UA team since 2002.

» Rich Rodriguez is 9-0 in non-conference games as Arizona’s head coach. That mark includes wins against each non-conference foes on this year’s schedule.

» Arizona’s roster includes 13 players who have previously played at other FBS programs. Additionally, the Wildcats have a player from 19 different states.

» Nick Wilson’s 85-yard touchdown run last week was the fifth-longest in school history.

» The Wildcats produced two offensive scoring plays of 85 or more yards in the same game for the first time in program history.

» For the first time ever, Arizona had a pair of 100-yard rushers and a pair of 100-yard receivers in the same game.

Some Game Themes: To Texas they go looking to improve to 2-0 … The Wildcats bring with them the nation’s leading offense (OK, it was just one game) led by a redshirt freshman quarterback – Anu Solomon – surrounded by experience on the offense line and a bevy of receiving targets … They will be greeted by a confident bunch of Roadrunners, welcoming a Pac-12 opponent to the Alamodome for the first time … One of the most experienced teams in the country, UTSA dominated Houston in its opener and will be hungry to improve upon that effort. It’s a veteran squad that surely won’t be intimidated at home, while Arizona will have its first test in an unfriendly environment … Playing in a dome will be something new for the Wildcats, who are accustomed to more spacious outdoor stadiums across the Pac-12 footprint … It’s been some time since UA ventured into Texas for a regular season game, and only a pair of current players hail from the Lone Star State … Something that could play a factor is the short turnaround for both teams, who are playing on a Thursday after opening on Friday last week. UTSA has the benefit of playing at home, but did have to play on the road last week … Arizona ran the ball well against a hapless UNLV team, but that task may be more difficult this week. The Cats will want their big guys up front – with more than 100 career starts – to set the tone in the trenches … One thing lacking a week ago was pressure along the defensive front, and controlling the line of scrimmage on that side of the ball will be a vital part of the game, too … When the ball is kicked, a Thursday night national television audience will tune in to see Arizona and UTSA kick off Week 2 of the college football slate. Enjoy.

Last Week: Arizona answered plenty of questions – at least for the time being – with a record-setting performance that handed visiting UNLV a 58-13 defeat … Some doubted whether Arizona’s offense could pack the punch it has in recent years, but Anu Solomon rose to the occasion and became the first freshman quarterback to ever start a season opener for the Wildcats. Solomon finished with 425 yards – a school freshman record – and four touchdowns without an interception, while he totaled 475 total offense yards … The loss of two-time All-American running Ka’Deem Carey did not hold back the running game, either. Senior Terris Jones-Grigsby racked up 124 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, and freshman Nick Wilson showed star potential with 104 yards on seven totes, including an 85-yard scoot … The one known commodity was a wealth of talent at receiver, and 10 players collected a reception. It was a welcomed site to see Austin Hill return from an ACL that sidelined him a year ago, and the reward was a 92-yard touchdown reception to pace a 110-yard performance … Sophomore Samajie Grant turned in his first career 100-yard receiving game and dazzled with a 63-yard scoring play of his own … Junior kicker Casey Skowron showed promise in his debut, booting 3-of-4 field goals (long of 49) and all seven point after tries. His tally of 16 points matched a school single-game record for points by kicking … The defense gave up some yards in the first half, but steadied in the second half and surrendered just one touchdown all night … Scooby Wright led the charge with eight tackles and a sack as the anchor in the middle of the defense, while a handful of new faces filled out a unit that seems deeper compared to the last couple of seasons … In the end, a 787-yard offensive performance was the noteworthy nugget, and for good reason. It shattered the school record by nearly 100 yards and was the most for any school in a season opener against an FBS opponent in the 2000s … Having a pair of 100-yard receivers and 100-yard rushers in the same game was notable, too, but so were many of the superlatives. As is the case in any season, the mission of going 1-0 was accomplished, and the Wildcats have now won seven-straight season-openers and 13 of the last 15.

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