Mississippi State 31, Arizona 24 (OT)
- Arizona is now 0-3 against SEC teams on the road. The Wildcats lost at Auburn 21-10 in 1977 and at LSU twice (27-26 in 1984 and 45-3 in 2006) before Saturday night’s loss.
- Arizona is 1-7-1 overall against the SEC. The lone win was 31-19 against Auburn at Arizona Stadium in 1976 and the tie was a 13-13 score against Georgia in the 1985 Sun Bowl.
- Arizona is 2-0 against the spread this season. It was favored by 28.5 points against NAU and won 38-3 and was a 9.5-point underdog against Mississippi State.
- The Wildcats nearly avenged a 39-17 loss to the Bulldogs in Tucson last year.
Mississippi State’s offense was 3-for-11 on 3rd down conversions tonight. Jedd Fisch explains how the depth of the UA’s defensive line helps keeps players’ endurance up on all three downs: pic.twitter.com/f5Ab3kYCHQ
— Aidan Wohl (@aidan_wohl) September 10, 2023
- QB Jayden de Laura finished the game with 342 passing yards, marking his 10th career 300-yard game (seventh at Arizona). With two passing touchdowns on Saturday, he now has five in two games this year.
- He threw seven interceptions against Mississippi State in the games against the Bulldogs this season and last. His four interceptions Saturday included three in Arizona’s first three possession, perhaps the first time that’s happened in program history.
Arizona quarterback Jayden de Laura on his thought process after throwing three interceptions in the first quarter:
“Last year I would’ve handled it differently. … I gotta be cleaner. … I knew we had four quarters to play, so I can’t give up in the first quarter.” pic.twitter.com/UoCfuVtPEn
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) September 10, 2023
- WR Jacob Cowing had seven receptions, extending his streak to 46 straight games with a catch, the second-longest streak in the nation.
- Cowing’s third-quarter touchdown was his second in as many games this season and the 22nd of his career. He now has seven touchdown catches in five non-conference games with the Wildcats (three at San Diego State, one against Mississippi State twice, one against North Dakota State and one against NAU). He faces his former school — UTEP — on Saturday night at Arizona Stadium.
We see you 4⃣ https://t.co/njW3vCZU9F pic.twitter.com/PwJpO5unIL
— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) September 10, 2023
- WR Tetairoa McMillan’s 55-yard reception late in the second quarter that set up the Wildcats’ first touchdown was the longest reception of his career (previous: 47 yards, vs. Washington State, Nov. 19 last year).
- McMillan’s fourth-quarter touchdown grab pushed him over 100 receiving yards against the Bulldogs, giving him the second 100-yard game of his career (previous: 132 yards, at Washington Oct. 15 of last season).
- McMillan finished with 161 yards on eight catches, both career-high marks. He’s the first Arizona wide receiver to tally 150-plus yards since Dorian Singer notched 176 at Washington last season.
Jedd Fisch says Arizona’s “defense battled every single snap. I thought our defense had a fantastic game.”
Fisch said kicker Tyler Loop had “no flinch” sending the game into OT.
“All together, I’ll just say that we ended an inch short.” pic.twitter.com/Gnt5MXpTyq
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) September 10, 2023
- LB Jacob Manu recorded the second unassisted sack of his career early in the fourth quarter, forcing a Mississippi State punt. Manu finished the game with 12 total tackles, a career-high.
- Manu’s 2.5 tackles for loss against the Bulldogs matched his career-high mark, set last season at Washington.
- RB Michael Wiley tied his career-high with eight receptions. He tallied 60 yards receiving and added 33 on the ground.
- It was the first overtime game of the Jedd Fisch era in Tucson (previous one for Arizona was in 2017 against Cal, with the game going two overtimes and Arizona winning 45-44).
- Arizona out-gained Mississippi State by 124 yards, 431-307. The Wildcats 6.0 yards per play was half a yard better than the Bulldogs mark of 5.5.
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