TUCSON, Ariz. – Led by Squally Canada's three touchdowns and an efficient night on offense and defense, the BYU football team powered its way to a 28-23 win over Arizona in the 2018 season opener Saturday night at Arizona Stadium.
"We've been thinking about this for a long time now so we're really happy with the team and the ability to get the win and especially at the end, winning it on our O-line's back," head coach Kalani Sitake said. "I think that was really good for Squally (Canada). I'm really pleased with the team and I'm excited to get to work and be at home against Cal next week.”
Canada had 98 yards on the ground on 24 carries in addition to his three scores. He added two receptions for 29 yards. Quarterback Tanner Mangum completed 18 of 28 passes for 209 yards and one touchdown. Moroni Laulu-Pututau posted 24 yards on three receptions and Matt Bushman caught a 24-yard score.
Senior Corbin Kaufusi posted seven tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack. Fellow senior Butch Pau'u also nabbed seven total tackles while Michael Shelton had two tackles, a pass breakup, blocked a field goal and recorded a 37-yard punt return.
BYU outgained the Wildcats 392 to 326. The Cougars held Arizona to 129 yards on the ground after the Wildcats were No. 3 nationally last season with more than 300 per game. BYU also limited Heisman hopeful Khalil Tate to 17 of 34 passing for 197 yards and just eight carries for 14 yards. Tate was No. 7 nationally in 2017 with 129.3 rushing yards per game.
BYU vs ARIZONA POST GAME NOTES & QUOTES
First Half Review
The Cougars put the first points on the board for the 2018 season with a touchdown from Canada. A 30-yard pass from BYU quarterback Mangum to junior Aleva Hifo put the Cougars on the Arizona 27-yard line and propelled BYU into the blue zone. With the ball on the 1-yard line, Canada rushed for his ninth career touchdown and first of the season. Freshman Skylar Southam made good on the PAT putting the Cougars up 7-0 with 9:58 left in the second quarter.
The Wildcats answered back kicking a 24-yard field goal making the score 7-3 followed by a 15-yard passing touchdown from Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate to Tony Ellison just before halftime. The Wildcats went into the break up 10-7.
- Michael Shelton rushed from the end and got a hand on the ball to record his first career block on a 43-yard field goal attempt from Arizona keeping the wildcats from scoring on the first drive of the game
- Corbin Kaufusi notched career sack No. 9.5 during the Wildcats second drive.
- Squally Canada recorded a career long reception of 15-yards
- Aleva Hifo rushed for career long of nine yards
Second Half Review
On the first drive of the second half, the 2017 freshman All-American Matt Bushman recorded his first touchdown of the 2018 season with a 24-yard pass from Mangum. A 22-yard pass to Dylan Collie, set up Bushman to get into the end zone. Collie had the ball tipped away but dove to secure the catch before hitting the ground. The Cougars took the lead again 14-10 with 8:25 left in the third quarter. Canada rushed for two more touchdowns, his first three-touchdown game, before the quarter was over. BYU ended the third quarter ahead 28-10, racking up 21 points in the third.
Arizona answered back with two touchdowns of their own during the fourth quarter cutting the Cougars lead to 28-23 with 3:23 left in the game. The Cougars put together enough first downs to let the clock wind-down and secured its first win of the 2018 season 28-23 over the Wildcats.
- Squally Canada posted his first three touchdown game
- Dylan Collie recorded his first career reception at BYU
- Dallin Holker recorded his first career reception for 14-yards
- Moroni Laulu-Putautau made his first catch since the 2016 Poinsettia Bowl
The BYU football team returns to Provo, Utah for the home opener against University of California Berkeley, Saturday, Sept. 8 at 8:15 MDT. The game will be televised on ESPN2, with the radio broadcast on BYU Sports Network and KSL (1160 AM/102.7FM).