Arizona overcomes two-touchdown deficit to beat Washington State in Pullman

For Arizona fans in Tucson, the Wildcats’ latest road win offered another example of a team learning how to recover before a game gets away. Arizona fell behind Washington State by two touchdowns Saturday at Gesa Field in Pullman, but rallied for a 34-24 victory over its former Pac-12 rival. The win improved Arizona to 3-1, gave coach Brent Brennan his first nonconference road victory with the Wildcats and completed a winning nonconference schedule for the fifth consecutive season.

The result also continued Arizona’s recent success in Pullman. The Wildcats have now won consecutive games at Washington State for the first time since the 2010 and 2014 seasons. Arizona’s last nonconference road victory had come against San Diego State in the 2022 season opener. The victory was particularly meaningful because Pullman has long been viewed as one of the more difficult road environments in the former Pac-12, a challenge Brennan said his team expected because of the crowd and the familiarity many players and coaches have with the venue.

Arizona’s start was troubling. The Wildcats went three and out on their opening possession, then quarterback Noah Fifita threw an interception that Washington State safety Jackquintin Bal returned 25 yards for a touchdown. The Cougars had already scored on their first drive, when quarterback John Mateer connected with Wayshawn Parker for a 15-yard touchdown, leaving Arizona down 14-0 early. The deficit came one week after Arizona had trailed Northern Illinois 10-0 in its nonconference home finale.

The Wildcats answered through wide receiver Tre Spivey, who delivered the best game of his career. Spivey caught seven passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns, with most of his production coming before halftime. His first touchdown came on a 28-yard play that included a 25-yard run after a short pass from Fifita. He later capped a 13-play, 78-yard drive with his second score, helping Arizona pull within striking distance. Washington State still held a 17-14 advantage at halftime after Jack Stevens made a 33-yard field goal.

Arizona’s first half included both disruptive defensive plays and costly mistakes. Safety Cam Chapa recorded his first interception as a Wildcat, and defensive end Tre Smith blocked Stevens’ first field goal attempt. It was Arizona’s first blocked field goal since Ephesians Prysock made one against UCLA in 2023. But the Wildcats also committed three penalties on Washington State’s final drive of the half, including personal fouls against cornerback Tyrese Boss and safety Lee Molette III, along with a pass interference call on Chapa. A potential interception by Jay’Vion Cole was overturned. Brennan said halftime focused on discipline and composure, and Arizona played with fewer damaging errors after the break.

The Wildcats’ third quarter began slowly, and the kicking game struggled. Michael Salgado-Medina missed attempts from 42 and 43 yards, with the second kick blocked after a low trajectory. Brennan said the first attempt followed a low snap that the unit had to recover from. Both possessions began in Washington State territory without producing points. The defense kept Arizona in position, however, shutting out the Cougars throughout the third quarter. Washington State’s next offensive touchdown did not come until 7:15 remained in the game, more than three quarters after its opening score.

Freshman wide receiver Caleb “Jet” Smith then helped turn the game. Smith opened the third quarter with a 35-yard punt return, followed it with a 41-yard catch and then scored on a 38-yard reception, the first receiving touchdown of his career. The play gave Arizona its first lead. Smith had already returned a punt for a touchdown against Northern Illinois, and Spivey praised the freshman’s preparation and ability to capitalize when opportunities come his way. Arizona added to the advantage when Salgado-Medina made a 27-yard field goal and Fifita found Isaiah Mizell for an 11-yard touchdown, the second-year receiver’s second career touchdown.

The defense also produced a crucial takeaway during the second half. Everett Roussaw, a linebacker who transferred from Memphis, made his Arizona debut after missing the first three games with an undisclosed injury. Roussaw forced Washington State quarterback Mateer to fumble during a scramble, and Smith recovered at the Cougars’ 32-yard line. Chapa added a quarterback hurry and made a hard hit that helped set up the blocked field goal. Washington State finally scored again late, but Arizona had taken control, and Salgado-Medina answered his earlier misses with a 51-yard field goal that made the score 34-24 with 1:57 remaining.

The victory gave Brennan the finish he had been seeking since Arizona’s loss to BYU. The Wildcats’ final four possessions produced two touchdowns and two field goals, including the late kick that made the game a two possession contest. Brennan said he trusted Salgado-Medina to respond despite the misses, and the kicker’s long field goal helped secure the comeback. Arizona now returns to Tucson with momentum, a 3-1 record and evidence that it can withstand hostile road conditions, early mistakes and special teams setbacks. The next challenge will be sustaining that improvement as the season moves beyond nonconference play.