If you tuned in to Arizona’s 2023 opener to see if all the talk of a revamped defense was warranted, you probably had an enjoyable evening.
That much-maligned unit stole the show on opening night, pacing Arizona to a 38-3 win over NAU on Saturday night at Arizona Stadium. The announced crowd of 48,159, the largest for a home opener since 2018, saw the Wildcats allow the fewest yards in a season opener since shutting out the Lumberjacks 35-0 in 2013.
A season removed from finishing at or bottom the Pac-12 in almost every defensive category, Arizona limited NAU to 264 yards while forcing a turnover, recording eight tackles for loss, making three 4th-down stops—one on the goal line—and blocking a field goal attempt that was returned for a touchdown.