SAN DIEGO — The 2025 college football season concluded with a dramatic finish at Snapdragon Stadium Friday night, as the SMU Mustangs survived a spirited second-half rally to defeat the Arizona Wildcats, 24-19, in the Holiday Bowl.
For football fans who made the short drive down I-15 from Southwest Riverside County, the game delivered two distinctly different halves of football. The Mustangs dominated early, building a commanding lead before the Wildcats roared back to make it a one-score game in the final minutes.
The victory marked a significant milestone for SMU, securing the program’s first bowl win since the 2012 Hawaii Bowl. Both teams finished their seasons with identical 9-4 records.
Mustangs Dominate Early
SMU wasted little time establishing control. The Mustangs’ offense, led by quarterback Kevin Jennings, moved the ball efficiently against the Arizona defense throughout the first half. Jennings finished the night completing 21 of 32 passes for 278 yards, though he struggled with turnovers late in the game.
Running back T.J. Harden proved to be the engine of the Mustangs’ early success. Harden found the end zone twice in the first half, including a 1-yard punch-in on the opening drive and another powerful run to extend the lead to 14-0. A 1-yard touchdown run by Stone Eby and a late second-quarter field goal sent SMU into the locker room with a seemingly insurmountable 24-0 halftime lead.
Arizona’s offense, conversely, sputtered for the first 30 minutes. The Wildcats managed just 132 total yards in the first half and were plagued by penalties, committing four infractions for 45 yards that stalled critical drives.
Wildcats Mount a Comeback
The second half told a different story. Arizona’s defense tightened, making necessary adjustments to shut out the high-powered SMU offense for the remainder of the game. The Mustangs managed only 64 yards of offense after the break.
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita, who threw for 265 yards and three touchdowns, finally found his rhythm in the third quarter. He connected with Javin Whatley for a 28-yard touchdown to put the Wildcats on the board.
Momentum continued to shift as the Arizona defense forced mistakes from Jennings, intercepting him three times in the second half. Following one of those turnovers, Fifita found Tre Spivey for a 10-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 24-12.
The drama peaked in the final minute. With 33 seconds remaining, Fifita tossed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Barmore on a crucial third-and-10 play, bringing the score to 24-19.
The Final Stand
With the game on the line, Arizona attempted an onside kick, hoping for one last chance to steal the victory. However, SMU recovered the kick, allowing Jennings to take a knee and run out the clock.
Despite the loss, Arizona’s defense kept the team in the fight, holding SMU scoreless for two quarters and providing ample opportunities for the offense to close the gap.
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