STARKVILLE, Miss. — Arizona fell a touchdown and an inch short of potentially knocking off Mississippi State in come-from-behind fashion on Saturday, falling 31-24 to the Bulldogs.
The Wildcats suffered their first loss of the season and concluded the two-year, home-and-home series with MSU winless.
“This is a team that is very resilient. We expected to win this game. We came in here and expected to win this game,” Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch said after the game. “We did not come in here scared; we did not come here concerned. We thought we were bringing a really good team.”
Following Arizona’s setback, here’s our look at some essential takeaways from Saturday in Starkville:
Pertinent storylines
Offense rallies despite tumultuous start in first quarter
Arizona quarterback Jayden de Laura flashed some brilliance. That included multiple double-digit-yard gains on the ground and some first downs — or close to it, like his fourth-and-10 try in overtime that was spotted an inch short of the first-down marker, making it the final play of the game. De Laura led the Wildcats with 44 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown off a fake spike at the end of the first half.
Arizona quarterback Jayden de Laura throws a pass in the first half of the Wildcats’ 31-24 loss to Mississippi State in 2023 in Starkville, Miss.
De Laura ended the contest completing 32 passes, his most since Arizona’s over Colorado October, on 46 attempts (tied for his career-high) for 342 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions. He received an 84.4 overall grade — 80.5 passing — from Pro Football Focus.
But those interceptions... woof, multiplied times four.
Arizona’s four first-half turnovers, led by de Laura’s three first-quarter interceptions, spelled disaster for the Wildcats. Coupled with wide receiver Jacob Cowing’s red-zone fumble, the Wildcats faced an uphill battle on the road trailing 14-0 early.
“They did a great job of taking the ball away early on the first three possessions and then after that everything settled down,” Fisch said.De Laura has thrown 10 interceptions in the last four games going back to last season.
One could argue, however, some of the picks against Mississippi State were unlucky breaks, albeit MSU’s secondary read de Laura’s passes and were handsy enough to force takeaways.
VIDEO: Arizona quarterback Jayden de Laura on his thought process after throwing three interceptions in the first quarter against Mississippi State on Sept. 9, 2023: “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.” Video by Justin Spears/Arizona Daily Star
“The ball wasn’t bouncing the right way, I guess,” de Laura said. “It was always bouncing up and towards one of their players. I gotta be cleaner. I can’t turn over the ball on the first three possessions, four times.
“But I just knew we had four quarters to play, so we couldn’t give up in the first quarter.”
The Wildcats finished Saturday with 431 yards of total offense and were 4-for-5 inside the red zone. Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan had a career-best 161 yards and eight catches on 12 targets. It's the second time McMillan has recorded over 100 yards as a Wildcat.
Mississippi State running back Seth Davis is tackled by Arizona linebacker Jacob Manu during the Bulldogs' 31-24 overtime win over the Wildcats on Saturday in Starkville, Mississippi.
Defense ‘stood up to the test’
Mississippi State only managed 14 points off Arizona’s five turnovers because the UA’s renovated defense “absolutely battled every single snap,” Fisch said.
“I thought our defense had a fantastic game,” Fisch added. “There’s always going to be a play here or a play there, but when you look at what we did, how we kept that offense contained, how we made plays on the ball. All of those things indicated to me that our defense is playing really, really good football right now.”
For the second consecutive game, linebacker Jacob Manu led the Wildcats with a career-high 12 tackles and 2.5 stops for loss, including a critical sack on MSU quarterback Will Rogers to start the fourth quarter. Arizona’s defense forced three three-and-outs and allowed 10 points in regulation following MSU’s quick 14-0 start. The Bulldogs were 3-for-11 on third-down conversions.
“I thought our defense stood up to the test and went punch-for-punch (with MSU), Fisch said. “I’m just disappointed our offense, at times, didn’t do the same. We ended up doing it. But I would say our defense accepted the challenge, and our defense is going to keep getting better and better and better. We’re going to have one of the better defenses in the Pac-12 — and that’s the goal. That is not going to change.
“We’re going to embrace these (losses). Like I always say, you either win or you learn. We’ve gotta learn from this, but we got to accept the fact that we have a defensive squad that loves football. If you love football, good things will come your way.”
VIDEO: Jedd Fisch says Arizona’s defense “stood up to the test and went punch-for-punch" against Mississippi State on Sept. 9, 2023. “We’re gonna have one of the better defenses in the Pac-12.” Video by Justin Spears/Arizona Daily Star
Flowe helps out Wildcats defense
One of Arizona’s top contributors was “Mike” linebacker Justin Flowe. His 12 tackles were the most he’s recorded since his second season with Oregon in 2021. The former Duck, after playing 11 snaps in Arizona’s season-opening win over Northern Arizona, tied Manu with 12 tackles in 27 snaps. Flowe received an 83.2 tackling grade from PFF, but had the team’s worst pass-coverage grade (28.5).
VIDEO: After Justin Flowe’s 12-tackle performance at Mississippi State on Sept. 9, 2023, Jedd Fisch says “we’ll see more of Justin I’m sure.” He added: “What we’re beginning to see is the depth we’ve been trying to build.” Video by Justin Spears/Arizona Daily Star
“He came in and was ready to go,” Manu said. “He knew what he had to do. As you can see, it showed up.
“He brings all the juice. He’s our juice guy and he brings it all the time,” Manu said.
Manu’s starting counterpart at linebacker, Daniel Heimuli, played 46 snaps against NAU and 26 at MSU; he had three tackles Saturday. In overtime, Heimuli couldn’t wrap up Jeffrey Robinson, who broke off for what wound up the game-winning 29-yard touchdown. Despite a breakout game for Flowe, Fisch wasn’t ready to commit to a lineup change.
“We’ll have to watch the film. I think Daniel has done a really good job for us as well. I think we have three really good linebackers and some young ones behind them,” Fisch said. “What we’re beginning to see is the depth we’ve been trying to build. This has been a build, this program. We didn’t just come here and snap our fingers and it happened.
“We had to work really hard to get the right people in place — and we have the right people in place,” Fisch said. “Some are young, some are older and we have to find the right combinations every time, but we’ll see more of Justin I’m sure.”
Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch looks to the video board for a replay during the first half of the Wildcats’ eventual 31-34 overtime loss Saturday at Mississippi State
By the numbers
15: Arizona kicker Tyler Loop is a perfect 15 for 15 over his career at field goals between 30-39 yards. Loop has made 11 straight field goals since October of last season.
30.9: Safety Gunner Maldonado’s PFF grade for pass coverage, the worst grade of his career. Maldonado, who sat Saturday’s first half after a targeting ejection last week, also had a 35.7 tackling grade.
4: Arizona tight end Tanner McLachlan had four catches on five targets. McLachlan’s 47 receiving yards is his highest since the Wildcats’ win over UCLA last season.
Injury report
Arizona was shorthanded on defense, especially in the secondary. In addition to Maldonado’s first-half suspension, the Wildcats were also without starting nickelback Treydan Stukes and senior cornerback Dylan Wyatt for injury. Second-year cornerback Tacario Davis started in place of Wyatt while senior Martell Irby, who forced a goal-line fumble on the opening possession of the game, earned his first start. Irby left the game in the first half for an undisclosed injury, and safety DJ Warnell played the entire second half.
Freshman right guard Raymond Pulido has yet to make his UA debut due to an on-campus bike accident before Arizona’s season opener. “We’ll see what happens with Wyatt, we’ll see what happens with Stukes, we’ll see what happens with Pulido,” Fisch said. “But I believe those are the three right now that we have to be aware of.”
They said it
De Laura on McMillan's performance: “That’s T-Mac for you. You guys are at practice and you see the crazy things that he does. The game is on the line, you gotta get him the ball the more. Gotta get him the ball. That’s just who he is.”
Fisch, on the cowbell-waving crowd at Davis Wade Stadium: “This is an incredible environment, and I don’t think there’s any reason at all why Tucson can’t have the same environment. There’s no reason why Tucson and Starkville — why there’s a difference in environments. We are a college town just like Starkville, Mississippi is, and just because they’re located on the other side of the map and we’re located on the other, I hope our fans show up Saturday night and for the rest of the year the same way that these guys showed up tonight. It’s a great atmosphere. It’s a college football special.”
Looking ahead
The Wildcats (1-1) will end nonconference play against UTEP (1-2) Saturday at 8 p.m. at Arizona Stadium. The Miners opened the season losing to Jacksonville State and former UA head coach Rich Rodriguez. After beating Incarnate Word, UTEP fell to Northwestern 38-7 on Saturday. The Wildcats are 17-point favorites, according to Action Sports Network.
