Washington State Cougars vs Arizona Wildcats Box Score on Oct 28, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Oct 29, 2017

TUCSON, Ariz.-- Arizona's rushing attack, behind quarterback Khalil Tate and J.J. Taylor, collected 310 yards on the ground to help the Wildcats upset No. 15 Washington State 58-37 in its Homecoming game at Arizona Stadium on Saturday night.

Taylor, a redshirt freshman, rushed for 152 yards and two touchdowns. Tate ran for 146 yards, including an 82-yard run, and also passed for 275 yards and two touchdowns.

Arizona's went into the game as the nation's fourth best running attack, averaging 342.3 yards per game. The Wildcats, who ranked No. 7 in the nation in total offense (514 yards per game), had 585 total yards.

Arizona (6-2, 4-1 Pac-12) remained in the thick of the Pac-12 South race, and faces USC in Los Angeles next week.

Washington State (7-2, 4-2) entered the game with the nation's fifth-best passing game, and passed for 602 yards Saturday.

Starting WSU quarterback Luke Falk was replaced late in the second quarter and didn't return. His backup, Tyler Hilinski, had some success and at one point gave the Cougars the lead 27-23 in the third quarter. But he threw four interceptions, and one of those picks was returned 66 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown by Colin Schooler that made the score 50-30.

Hilinski went 45 for 61 passing and two touchdowns. WSU had 646 yards in total offense.

He threw a 49-yard touchdown to Tay Martin with 9:46 left to give WSU a chance late, making it 51-37.

But Arizona added another touchdown to make it 58-37.

The two teams combined for 58 points in the second half with Arizona outscoring the Cougars 35-23.

After WSU took a lead 27-23 early in the third quarter, Arizona regained the lead with 7:35 left in the third quarter when Taylor scored on a 3-yard touchdown run after he ran 62 yards to get to the 3.

That put the Wildcats ahead 30-27, and the Cougars never led again.

Arizona's Taylor broke loose for a 79-yard touchdown run to give UA a 37-27 lead with 2:53 left in the third quarter.

After a Washington State field goal, Tate scored on Arizona's next possession to give the Wildcats a 44-30 lead with 12:50 left.

The first half ended with Arizona holding a nine-point lead.

Arizona freshman kicker Lucas Havrisik booted a 57-yard field goal to end the half and give Arizona a 23-14 lead over Washington State. The kick came with no time left on the clock.

In Washington State's previous possession, Hilinksi rushed for a 6-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left in the half to help WSU reduce Arizona's lead to 20-14.

Falk, who had thrown 22 touchdown passes this season entering the game, was replaced late in the first half by Hilinski. Falk had thrown a 1-yard touchdown pass earlier in the game.

He finished 13 of 23 for 91 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

Tate had a run of better than 70 yards for the fourth consecutive game. He had an 82-yard run late in the second quarter that set up a 25-yard field goal to make it 20-7 with 2:56 left in the half.

NOTES: Washington State QB Luke Falk threw for one touchdown, going 13 for 23 before being replaced in the second quarter. ... Arizona freshman LB Colin Schooler, who broke up the pass to help the Wildcats beat California last week, ran back an interception 66 yards for a TD. ... Arizona played without senior RB Nick Wilson (ankle). ... Tate's 275 passing yards were a career high. ... Washington State had 101 plays to Arizona's 51.