5 takeaways from the Arizona Wildcats’ 41-13 victory over Oklahoma State | Michael Lev

Arizona did exactly what it was supposed to do Saturday.

The UA took care of business against Oklahoma State, winning 41-13.

The Wildcats dominated in almost every statistical category against a downtrodden foe.

At no point did it feel like the Cowboys were a threat.

And yet ... Arizona could have played better, especially on offense.

In order to beat BYU next week, Arizona will have to play better.

Here are my top five takeaways from the Wildcats’ fourth victory of 2025 — which matches their win total from last season:

1. Defense never rests

Say what you want about the quality of the opposition, but aside from a handful of big plays, Arizona’s defense has been stellar this season.

Three games without allowing a touchdown? Five straight games without allowing a TD pass?

No one could have imagined the defense would play this well. OK, maybe Danny Gonzales. But other than him, who saw this coming?

“I think it starts with how hard we play,” UA coach Brent Brennan said. “Lots of coaches say that, but I think when you turn on the tape, it looks violent, it looks physical, it looks like people running to the football. That part of it can’t be overstated.

“I also think that they’re doing a good job of settling in. Coach Gonzales has done a great job, and that staff, of giving those players a clear understanding of what their job description is. And then helping them understand, OK, now you know what to do. And here’s the ‘redline’ you’re going to attach to that. This is the effort you’re going to attach to it. This is the violence you’re going to attach to that job description.”

The defensive front, led by Max Harris and Chase Kennedy, practically took up residence in the offensive backfield. Arizona had a season-high 11 tackles for loss. It’s the second time this season the Wildcats have hit double digits (10 vs. Hawaii). They did it only once last season — in Week 2 against NAU.

The secondary, meanwhile, played sticky coverage throughout — without committing a single pass-interference penalty. The cornerback trio of Jay’Vion Cole, Ayden Garnes and Marquis Groves-Killebrew combined for two pass breakups, an interception and a TFL. OSU passers completed just 13 of 28 passes for 69 yards — the third time this season Arizona has held an opponent under 100 yards through the air.

Wow. Just wow.

2. Noah’s arc

It’s been an up-and-down season for Noah Fifita, and Arizona’s quarterback had an up-and-down game Saturday.

The bottom-line production was tremendous: 376 yards, five touchdown passes and a 73.7% completion rate.

Fifita also turned the ball over twice, including an interception on a pass he probably shouldn’t have thrown.

Let’s focus on the positives here. Fifita’s 47-yard TD pass to Luke Wysong in the second quarter was one of the best plays of his career. Fifita easily could have been sacked — twice. Instead, he kept the play alive, kept his eyes downfield and threw a strike to Wysong, who made himself available amid the chaos.

Fifita’s last two TD passes were notable for their accuracy, trajectory and touch.

Entering Saturday, Fifita had completed only 7 of 17 passes with 20 or more air yards — then missed a handful of downfield opportunities earlier in the game.

Fifita’s 21-yard touchdown to Javin Whatley in the third quarter was lofted perfectly over the defense while also allowing Whatley to stay in bounds near the back of the end zone. Fifita’s 29-yarder to Chris Hunter dropped right into the receiver’s hands — and over the outstretched defender’s — on a fade pass down the left sideline

Fifita excelled despite not getting much help, if any, from the running game. Which leads us to Takeaway No. 3.

3. Grounded to a halt

Arizona had 47 rushing yards at the end of the first quarter.

The Wildcats finished with a net total of 45 — easily a season low.

How did Arizona manage to muster a mere minus-2 rushing yards over three quarters against a defense that was yielding a conference-worst 213 per game?

Brennan said the Cowboys were loading the box and daring the Wildcats to throw. Fair enough. He lauded the offense for taking what OSU was giving. Arizona finished with 433 passing yards.

The Wildcats also played the majority of the game without the left side of their offensive line. Tackle Ty Buchanan and guard Chubba Maae got hurt in the first half.

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According to Pro Football Focus, Arizona’s best run-blocking offensive linemen entering Saturday (minimum 100 snaps) were ... Buchanan and Maae. So that was clearly an issue.

The fill-ins were players with starting experience. Rhino Tapa’atoutai stepped in at tackle, while Jordan Brown and Michael Wooten split time at guard. It’s always challenging when offensive lines have to make in-game changes because that unit relies so much on chemistry and cohesion. So we’ll give that group a bit of grace.

It’s also worth noting that Arizona’s sack-adjusted rushing numbers — 76 yards with a 2.8 per-carry average — include a 24-yard loss charged to Ismail Mahdi. Mahdi fumbled, the ball bounded backward and the Wildcats recovered well behind the line of scrimmage. That all counts against the rushing total.

Counterpoint: Mahdi got hit 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage. OSU matched Arizona’s 11 TFLs — more than twice as many as any previous opponent this season.

Regardless of who was in the game and what the defense was presenting, too many running plays were stopped before they could get started. Arizona won’t beat BYU with a one-dimensional offense.

4. ‘This is a crisis’

Brennan and his players constantly preach the concept of “redline.” In short, it means going 100 miles per hour 100% of the time. It also encompasses execution and accountability.

Arizona hasn’t met the redline standard coming out of halftime in its past two home games.

We all remember how rough the opening sequence of the third quarter was against Kansas State on Sept. 12. Arizona squandered a 17-3 lead in less than five minutes of game time.

The start of the third quarter against OSU wasn’t that bad — but it wasn’t exactly the Wildcats’ best football.

After Cole intercepted a pass on the first scrimmage play of the second half, Arizona went three-and-out — including the 24-yard fumble play.

The defense got the ball back again, and the offense went three-and-out again.

The defense then took the ball away for a second time — Max Harris forced a fumble, and Tre Smith recovered it — only to have the offense give it right back with a fumble by Fifita on first-and-goal at the 1.

The Wildcats eventually found their footing and finished the period with the aforementioned TD passes by Fifita. But it’s still a worrisome trend.

“I know exactly what you’re talking about,” Brennan said. “It’s not something that we’re not aware of. We need to fix this. This is a crisis. ... That’s obviously something we’ll get to work on, and we’ll work on it fast.”

It’s unclear what’s causing the third-quarter malaise. It could be human nature — easing up ever-so-slightly with a seemingly comfortable lead.

Arizona got away with it — barely — against Kansas State. The defense stymied OSU while the offense figured things out.

Arizona can’t afford any such lulls against BYU. The Cougars have too much firepower.

5. Bring on BYU

I keep bringing up BYU because the Cougars present a massive challenge.

They’re unbeaten, they’re balanced and they have playmakers on both sides of the ball.

They’re also, traditionally, one of the most physical teams on the West Coast.

The Wildcats know what’s coming. They got pummeled in Provo last year, Arizona’s fourth consecutive loss in the series. The previous three were one-score games. The 2024 contest was a 41-19 wipeout.

Arizona could be catching BYU at the right time. The Cougars’ next game is against hated rival Utah.

But BYU understands that any slip-up can be costly. The Cougars were cruising toward a playoff berth last season before stumbling at home against Kansas. BYU finished the regular season 10-2 but on the outside looking in at the CFP.

I also wouldn’t expect the Cougars to be flat because the atmosphere will be lit. The BYU fanbase always travels. The kickoff time of 5 p.m. is ideal. The number of “butts in seats” should match ticket sales — unlike Saturday, when the announced attendance was over 40,000 but maybe half that many fans were in the stands. That’s what you get when you schedule a noon game in Tucson in early October.

Will the Wildcats be up to the challenge? I’m not sure.

The defense’s consistent excellence raises the floor in any given matchup.

The offense and special teams continue to ride the roller coaster.

Arizona will play with effort and energy. Health and execution are the variables.

If the Wildcats somehow pull it off, a spot in the Top 25 beckons and the trajectory of the season — maybe even the program — changes for the better.

Photos: Arizona overwhelms Oklahoma State 41-13, Big 12 football