SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Gunner Maldonado returned a fumble 87 yards for a touchdown and also had an interception as No. 14 Arizona forced six turnovers in a 38-24 comeback victory over No. 12 Oklahoma on Thursday night in the Valero Alamo Bowl.

Arizona scored 25 straight points to close the game.

“We were expecting a battle,” Wildcats coach Jedd Fisch said. “There was nothing going to be easy even though we went up 13-0 in the first quarter. The guys just kept competing.”

Maldonado’s fumble return with 2:38 remaining in the third quarter was a bowl record. The play was set up when Arizona safety Dalton Johnson hit Jalil Farooq following a short reception and the ball flew into Maldonado’s hands.

“That was just an amazing play from Dalton,” said Maldonado, who was selected the defensive MVP of the game. “He just had a great break on the ball, great hit on the guy, ball came out and my teammates just surrounded me and blocked as hard as they could all the way down and we got in the end zone.”

Big-picture win for Arizona over Oklahoma in Alamo Bowl

Noah Fifita threw for 354 yards and two touchdowns for Arizona (10-3). The Wildcats closed with seven straight victories as they depart the Pac-12 to join the Big 12 next season. Leaving the Big 12 to join the Southeastern Conference, Oklahoma also finished 10-3.

Wildcats senior Jacob Cowing, the offensive MVP, had seven receptions for 152 yards and two touchdowns. Tetairoa McMillan added 10 receptions for 160 yards for Arizona.

Oklahoma freshman Jackson Arnold threw for 361 yards and two touchdowns but also had three interceptions in his first career start. Arnold started in place of Dillon Gabriel, who is transferring to Oregon after throwing for 3,660 yards and 30 touchdowns this season.