Territorial Cup Storylines: Tetairoa McMillan, Noah Fifita 'will be remembered as legends' at Arizona

Five storylines ahead of Arizona football's season finale against 14th-ranked Arizona State on Saturday in Tucson. 

For the last eight years, Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan have been teammates through middle school, high school and now the highest level of collegiate football.

McMillan and Fifita have been an inseparable duo for nearly a decade and now they're about to suit up together at Arizona one last time, before McMillan, a projected Top 10 pick, declares for the NFL Draft. Although Fifita is draft-eligible, the quarterback will likely stay another season at Arizona.  

"I think it's really critical that the city of Tucson, our fans, our alumni show up big time for this game because this might be the last time you see a beautiful Noah Fifita pass to T-Mac," Arizona head coach Brent Brennan said on ESPN Tucson's "Spears and Ali."   

Fifita and McMillan, along with Servite High School (California) teammates Jacob Manu and Keyan Burnett, signed with the Wildcats in 2022 and were a part of the group to help alter the direction of the UA football program under former head coach Jedd Fisch. 

When Fisch left for the same job at Washington in January, Fifita and McMillan held a players-only meeting and galvanized a majority of the returning players from the UA team that went 10-3 and won the Alamo Bowl last season.

After Brennan was hired, instead of transferring, they announced their decision to stay at Arizona for another season during a timeout break at an Arizona-UCLA basketball game — one of the most captivating off-the-field moments in UA football history. 

The return of Fifita and McMillan, along with several others, kept hope alive for the Arizona football program. That hope and offseason buzz put them in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 Poll for the first time since 2015. 

In similar fashion to Arizona's 2015 season, the Wildcats endured a plethora of injuries on defense and the offensive line this season, which is one of many factors that influenced the Wildcats' 4-7 season.  

"I would be lying if I said it wasn't difficult," Fifita said. "It's a difficult year with the expectations that we had as a team. Just trying to process it, trying to learn. A lot of things we can learn from." 

Arguably the most memorable Fifita-McMillan performance was in last season's matchup between the Wildcats and Sun Devils in Tempe, when Fifita broke the Arizona single-game passing record with 527 yards and McMillan set the Territorial Cup receiving record with 266 yards. McMillan, who has the most receiving yards in program history, said he remembers "just whooping them and breaking records that day."

"We're playing for the oldest trophy in college football history. Any chance we get to go out there and beat them, we're grateful," McMillan said. 

Instead of opting out to prepare for the NFL Draft, McMillan, the highest-rated recruit in program history and potential longtime pro, is following through on his commitment to the UA.

"It's the last time this Arizona football team gets to play together in 2024. All we have to do is be grateful for the opportunity, have fun and just go out there and play," McMillan said.  

Even though the Wildcats went to just one bowl game with McMillan and Fifita as a tandem and didn't live up to the preseason expectations this year, "I think they'll be remembered as legends," Brennan said.

"I think they'll be remembered as guys that were incredible football players and also outstanding people in the community. To me, there's not a better receiver in the country than T-Mac. I think he should win the Biletnikoff (Award). I hope he does.  ... I don't think there's any reason why they shouldn't be remembered as legends here."

Wildcats 'hopeful' Savaiinaea plays 

Arizona left tackle Jonah Savaiinaea, after exiting with a leg injury in last week's loss to TCU, is questionable entering Saturday. 

Savaiinaea has been "moving around a little bit," but his status for the Territorial Cup game is unknown. 

"I'm hopeful," said Brennan. "We'll see."

The 6-5, 336-pound Savaiinaea has switched positions thrice since becoming a Wildcat. Since 2022, Savaiinaea has played 2,418 snaps — including 1,057 at right tackle, 985 at right guard and 345 at left tackle. Savaiinaea took over the reins at left tackle once redshirt freshman Rhino Tapa'atoutai suffered a season-ending leg injury.

Savaiinaea has proven to be the most durable, plug-and-play offensive lineman for the Wildcats.  

"That speaks to what kind of teammate he is (and) how much he cares about Arizona football," said Brennan. "His willingness to move from right tackle to left tackle, then back to right and back to left. That speaks so much about how much he cares about his team, how much he cares about his teammates and how much he cares about the U of A."

Savaiinaea, who is projected by several mock NFL Drafts as a first-round pick, is one of many Arizona players expected to turn pro after this season. Savaiinaea could conceivably decide to not risk furthering the injury, which could affect his draft stock.   

"We're just focused on this game," Brennan said. "That's where everyone's head is at right now. Obviously there's some big decisions for the guys in the program and we respect it and we get it. But leading up to Saturday, it's all about (the game), and then we'll circle back on some of those things." 

ASU's Skattebo 'a football-playing fool'

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The engine of ASU's offense over the last two seasons is running back Cam Skattebo, a 5-11, 215-pound senior, who is third in the Big 12 with 1,221 yards and 14 touchdowns. Skattebo is fifth in college football in yards per carry after contact (3.7), according to Pro Football Focus. 

"Dude is tough as nails," second-year head coach Kenny Dillingham said on ESPN this week. "The dude plays with so much passion. ... He should 100% be getting some Heisman love."

Arizona defensive coordinator Duane Akina said Skattebo "runs hard." Arizona, which ranks 13th in the Big 12 in rushing defense, has allowed an average of 181.3 rushing yards in the last six games. The Big 12 running backs ahead of Skattebo in rushing yards, RJ Harvey (UCF) and Tahj Brooks (Texas Tech), combined for 312 yards and six touchdowns against the Wildcats. 

"You can feel the passion (with) how he runs," Akina said of Skattebo. "Much respect to the coaches there that have given the players the tools to be successful. It'll be a good challenge for us this week." 

Skattebo flirted with playing for Brennan at San Jose State, when the running back entered the portal after a standout two-year career at Sacramento State. Skattebo and Brennan had dinner at "Sauced BBQ & Spirits" in Santana Row in San Jose, before Skattebo signed with ASU.

Skattebo has raked in several NIL deals. Most recently, "Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers" gave Skattebo an item on the menu, "The Skatteburger," a hamburger with pico de gallo, roasted jalapeños, bacon, chipotle aioli, pepper jack cheese, lettuce and Tajin avocado. It's sold at every location in Arizona except in Tucson.  

"He's a great kid," Brennan said. "The thing I love about him is that he's just a football-playing fool. He just loves to play and it shows up. It's just cool. He's like an old-school ball player. He's one of those rare ones where he combines real physicality with the ability to finish runs. If he gets out (in space), he's a problem. Just an incredible amount of respect for Cam, and he's just a great player." 

Connections galore in Territorial Cup

Arizona seemed to have connections to every team it faced this season — and that's especially the case this week. 

Arizona wide receivers coach Bobby Wade was on ASU's staff last season, while Sun Devils defensive tackle Jacob Kongaika was helping Arizona to a historic season until he transferred. Arizona linebackers coach Danny Gonzales coached under Herm Edwards at ASU from 2018-19.

It's conceivable Tucson native and ASU backup quarterback Trenton Bourguet could take the knee in victory formation to clinch the win over his hometown team in his last season of playing football.

Brennan and ASU offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo are longtime friends. 

"Marcus is my brother," Brennan said. "I was in his wedding. We've known each other for 20 years. Coached together for a long time. We've leaned on each other over the years when we were going through tough times. I love Marcus Arroyo and he's a great football coach."

As Arroyo's groomsman, Brennan "was awesome," said the ASU offensive coordinator. "I think his speech was probably second, maybe third. I don't know. I can't give him first this week. I'm not giving him anything first this week." 

Brennan and Arroyo coached under former Arizona head coach Dick Tomey in the mid-2000s. Brennan coached receivers, while Arroyo was the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator. 

"Thursday nights, sometimes Marcus and I would be drawing up a whole bunch of new stuff and try and present it to Coach Tomey to see if he could let us run it, which he almost never did," Brennan said. "We had a great time working together."

Arroyo was a journeyman assistant with stops at Cal, the NFL and Oregon, before becoming a head coach at UNLV, where he was hired by current UA athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois; she was at Missouri when Arroyo was fired by UNLV in 2022. Since taking over ASU's offense, the Sun Devils have risen from 124th nationally in total offense to 50th. Now Arroyo gets a chance to beat his groomsman for a chance to play in the Big 12 title game. 

"It's a cool opportunity to see him," Arroyo said. "We've played each other quite a few times in our career, and here's another one."

Senior Day

Arizona will honor 14 players leading up to kickoff for Senior Day, according to Brennan.

Players expected to receive recognition include center Josh Baker, kicker Tyler Loop, running back Quali Conley, running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, wide receiver Montana Lemonious-Craig, defensive back Owen Goss, long snapper Justin Holloway, linebacker Jared Small, defensive tackle Kevon Darton, defensive tackle Stanley Ta'ufo'ou, right tackle Joey Capra and defensive end Lance Keneley. Defensive backs Treydan Stukes and Gunner Maldonado and defensive tackle Chubba Ma'ae are seniors, but could return next season with a medical redshirt.

For Baker and Loop, who have played for three different head coaches and were both at Arizona for the 70-7 loss in 2020, winning on Saturday would mean a winning record (3-2) for them against ASU.   

"It's very important to tip that scale in our favor and go out the best way possible this season," Baker said.

In one season under Brennan, Baker has commended Brennan for "the burning optimism, the burning passion to come to work every single day, even when things aren't looking great."

"His message is, 'Keep pounding the rock. Keep swinging the hammer.' Another thing, we practice hard," Baker said. "His motto is, 'If you can't practice hard, how are you going to play hard?' ... We practice harder than any staff I've ever been a part of. That is true."

Baker, Loop and the many others who experienced the highs and lows of college football will officially end their Arizona chapter on Saturday. 

"When you get into that last rodeo, that last ride, it's such a reality check for them," Brennan said. "All of those guys have given so much to this program, given so much to their teammates, so much to the University of Arizona.

"I'm just incredibly grateful that they chose to stick with this last ride with me and the new staff because that was a complicated time. It was really, really challenging. To their credit, those guys stayed together and held the team together the best they could. I'm eternally grateful for all of them."