Taylor Upshaw is taking his talents indoors and returning to a familiar city.
The former Arizona defensive end signed with the Tucson Sugar Skulls this week and will join the Old Pueblo’s IFL franchise as it approaches the halfway mark of the season.
Upshaw is the third former Wildcat to sign with the Sugar Skulls since the franchise started in 2019, joining defensive back Rashie Hodge and Tucson native and wide receiver Drew Dixon, who’s in his first season with the hometown Sugar Skulls.
Arizona defensive end Taylor Upshaw, right, gets enough of a grip on Oregon State quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei to pick up a sack in the second quarter of their Pac-12 game at Arizona Stadium on Oct. 28, 2023.
Upshaw played one season at the UA following four seasons at Michigan, where he recorded 38 tackles, 5.5 sacks, a forced fumble and an interception.
Upshaw became a mainstay on Arizona’s defensive line and recorded 8.5 sacks in 2023, the most by a Wildcat since Kylan Wilborn in 2017. The 6-5, 275-pound Upshaw had the fourth-most sacks in the Pac-12 in his lone season at the UA. Upshaw also had 31 tackles, a forced fumble and a pass deflection in Arizona’s ’23 season that was capped by a victory over Oklahoma at the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio.
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After taking the week for a bye, the Sugar Skulls (3-4) face the San Antonio Gunslingers (2-6) at Tucson Arena this Saturday at 6:05 p.m.
Contact Justin Spears,
the Star’s Arizona football beat reporter, at
On X(Twitter): @JustinESports
Justin Spears
Sports Reporter
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