THE DROUGHT IS OVER!

By Jason Burrell |South Bay Black Journal

SMU did not wait for the game to find its rhythm. It took it immediately. 

Coming off a month without football, rust was expected on both sides. What was not expected was how decisively the SMU Mustangs attacked one of the most consistent defenses in the country. From the opening drive, the Mustangs played with clarity and conviction, racing to 24 unanswered points and seizing control of the Holiday Bowl long before halftime settled in at 24–0. 

No team had done that to the Arizona Wildcats all season. “We couldn’t play much better in the first half. Nobody’s done that to them on their defense all year,” said SMU Head Coach Rett Lashlee.

SMU was three for three in the red zone in the first half and nearly perfect. The only blemish came late in the second quarter, when Arizona’s defense finally stiffened and forced a field goal instead of another touchdown. It did little to change the tone. SMU was sharper, faster, and unmistakably ready. 

A turning point Arizona could not avoid

Early in the first quarter, Arizona lost more than a lineman. Offensive tackle Ty Buchanan went down, and with him went a foundational piece of the Wildcats’ offense. Head coach Brett Brennan later described Buchanan as a warrior, “Ty Buchanan is an absolute warrior. That is a guy who battled through injury all year, kept choosing to play, chose to play this week, chose to play probably since week three. We love that guy.”

Quarterback Noah Fifita echoed that sentiment, “I love Ty. I can speak for the entire offense or my room. Ty is selfless. He just continues to choose to play for us. Everything he does, fighting through injuries, early practices, just trying to get to games to play for us and protect me.”

 Without him, SMU’s defense closed ranks. 

Arizona struggled to establish the run and found little room to breathe in the passing game. The Mustangs crowded throwing lanes, collapsed pockets, and dictated the pace. For a team that had lived on balance and timing all season, the first half felt foreign. 

Two halves. Two stories.

 The second half unfolded differently and almost dramatically so.

 SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings flirted with disaster, throwing three interceptions after halftime. Two of them directly led to Arizona points. What had been a runaway became a test of composure. 

Arizona’s defense returned to its identity. The same group that ranked among the nation’s best all season began forcing stops, creating turnovers, and giving the offense chances. “Schematically, nothing changed. It was more of a mentality and getting back to our fundamentals. Better tackling, forcing turnovers, and giving our offense opportunities.” Said senior Linebacker Riley Wilson. 

And then there was Fifita!!!

 Statistically and emotionally, he put the Wildcats on his back!  He led the Wildcats in both passing and rushing,accounting for 265 passing yards, three touchdowns, and 73 rushing yards. When Arizona needed a play, the ball found him. When protection broke down, he ran. When belief wavered, he steadied it. “When you’re down 24–0, the only thing that allows you to have a chance to come back is the love you have for each other and the belief. We knew we had 30 minutes to play for each other, and that’s what we did,” said Fifita.

 Arizona scored 19 unanswered points in the second half, turning the Holiday Bowl into a real test of nerve.

 Ohana in the middle of the storm 

There was a word that fit Arizona’s response, even in defeat. Ohana.

 In Polynesian culture, Ohana means family. Not just by blood, but by bond, responsibility, and shared struggle. It means no one is left behind. It means fighting for the person next to you.

 That spirit showed when Arizona was down 24–0. It showed in how they kept coming. It showed in how their quarterback played for his teammates. It showed in how their defense responded. Even in a loss, it was unmistakable. “I love this football team. These young men are incredibly special to me.” And later, referencing the season: “Team 122 here at the University of Arizona is one of eight teams in the history of our program to win nine games. I’m not going to let tonight wreck how I feel about Team 122,” said Brennan

 The Drought breaks under clear skies

SMU survived the surge. Arizona’s final push fell just short, and when the clock expired, the moment belonged to the Mustangs. “The biggest thing we learned was resilience. No matter the ups and downs, we trusted the brother next to us. If I do my job, he’s going to do his job,”  said Jennings

For SMU, this was not just a bowl win. It was closure.

A 13-year bowl win drought ended in San Diego, in a stadium where the rain that soaked Southern California all weekend paused just long enough for the game to be played. An hour after the postgame press conferences ended, the rain returned. 

The timing felt fitting.

 Head coach Rhett Lashlee said it plainly afterward: “It feels great. We don’t have to talk about it anymore after this; Our program’s got a rich history. Eric Dickerson, Craig James, those guys played here. These guys brought our program back.”

SMU finished the season with closure. Arizona finished with resolve. And the Holiday Bowl delivered something rare in modern college football. A game that mattered, played by teams that showed exactly who they are. 

Sometimes, droughts do not end with a storm. Sometimes, they end with clarity.