Decade later, an Arizona win

Willie Tuitama threw for 322 yards and two touchdowns Saturday night as Arizona won its first bowl game in 10 years, 31-21, over No. 17 BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl.

The Wildcats stifled BYU quarterback Max Hall throughout the game, forcing him to scramble often, lose a fumble and throw an interception.

“We had to go with physical tackling -- we had eight guys in the box at all times,” linebacker Xavier Kelley said. “We had our ups and downs, and this is tremendous. It’s amazing, amazing.”

Arizona fans trickled onto the field as the last minute ticked off, then sprinted to midfield in celebration of the school’s first bowl win since 1998, when it finished 12-1 and beat Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl.

“This was five years in the making. It all came together in the last month of the season,” Arizona Coach Mike Stoops said. “I couldn’t be more proud of these seniors who brought Arizona back.”

The Wildcats (8-5) kept the ball in the air most of the game. Tuitama threw a 71-yard pass to Terrell Turner that set up the first score, a 37-yard touchdown to Delashaun Dean that gave the Wildcats the lead for good, and a 24-yard strike to Chris Gronkowski that sent Cougars fans toward the exits.

Arizona’s career passing leader added a six-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to give the Wildcats a 31-14 lead.

BYU (10-3) lost its bid to win three straight Las Vegas Bowls in four consecutive trips, ending a sloppy night with three missed field goals and 10 penalties for 76 yards.

The penalties twice cost BYU prime chances to tie or take the lead. Three straight flags just before halftime turned a third-and-one at the Arizona 19-yard line into a third-and-16, and Mitch Payne ended the drive by missing a 40-yard field goal wide left. Arizona led at halftime, 10-7.

The Cougars took their first lead of the game in the third quarter after Arizona lost a fumble at its own 29 on the first play of the half. BYU marched to the one with five running plays and Max Hall completed a play-action touchdown pass to Andrew George to put BYU up, 14-10.

Nic Grigsby’s one-yard run on Arizona’s first possession was set up by Turner’s 71-yard catch.