Salgado-Medina's late kick sinks TCU as Arizona snaps Horned Frogs' hopes
A recovered onside kick and a 37-yarder gave the Wildcats a 29-28 win, ending TCU's chance at a road victory over a ranked team.
By Victoria Hayes ·
No. 22 Arizona defeated TCU 29-28 on Saturday, securing a victory that kept the Wildcats' Big 12 championship aspirations alive. The decisive moment came with 39 seconds remaining, when kicker Michael Salgado-Medina converted a 37-yard field goal to break a 28-26 deficit in TCU's favor.
The sequence began with an onside kick after Arizona failed a two-point conversion attempt following a late touchdown. Punter Ian French lofted the ball over TCU's front line, and TCU's Ed Small failed to secure an over-the-shoulder catch. Arizona's Zuri Watson recovered the ball at the Horned Frogs' 26-yard line, setting the stage for Salgado-Medina's successful kick four plays later. Tyrese Boss sealed the result with a defensive interception on the final play.
Noah Fifita threw for 313 yards and two touchdowns in the loss, though his performance was marred by an interception. Hudson Hooper returned that interception 93 yards for a touchdown, giving TCU a 14-10 halftime lead. Fifita also completed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Quincy Craig with 1:45 remaining, but the Wildcats could not convert the subsequent two-point attempt.
TCU's Jaden Craig led the Horned Frogs' offense with 232 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns. His 2-yard run in the fourth quarter extended TCU's lead to 28-20. He also connected with Jordan Dwyer on a 6-yard passing touchdown in the third quarter. Despite the late lead, TCU finished the game with a 4-5 record and a 2-4 mark in conference play.
The Wildcats entered the game with a strong home record, winning seven consecutive games at home. This streak marks their longest run at home since the 1993-94 season. Arizona's offense started strong with a diving 20-yard touchdown catch by Isaiah Mizell and a 43-yard field goal by Salgado-Medina to take a 10-0 lead in the first quarter.
Coach Brent Brennan credited his team's resilience for the comeback. "The players kept believing, the sideline was electric," Brennan said. "It was just magic the way that thing finished." Salgado-Medina described the final moments as an amazing feeling to execute on such a large stage.
TCU coach Sonny Dykes expressed disappointment in the result, noting the difficulty of the season. "It's been a frustrating year," Dykes said. "We've lost a lot of close games."
