5 takeaways from Arizona football’s 34-24 victory over Washington State | Michael Lev

It just didn’t happen exactly how we thought it would.

A week after falling behind 10-0 against Northern Illinois, Arizona faced a 14-0 deficit vs. Washington State in Pullman on Saturday.

That’s not how Brent Brennan drew it up.

But stuff happens in football. How you respond is everything. And Brennan’s Wildcats responded brilliantly.

Arizona rallied for a 34-24 victory over WSU that featured big plays, massive momentum swings, maddening stumbles, unexpected heroes and ballsy leaps of faith.

Here are my top five takeaways from a gutty win in the Palouse:

1. Gonzales goes gonzo

It started late in the second quarter. It continued deep into the night.

UA defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales blitzed the you-know-what out of WSU quarterback Caden Pinnick.

The Cougars were enjoying moderate success in the first half. They scored a touchdown on their opening drive. With the score tied at 14, they were on the march again.

That’s when the ever-aggressive Gonzales turned up the heat to July-in-Tucson levels.

That WSU drive late in the second quarter ended with a field-goal attempt after Pinnick’s third-and-7 pass fell incomplete. What caused the play to break down? Safety Cam Chapa blitzed and belted Pinnick just as he was throwing the ball.

Arizona blocked the field-goal try but went three-and-out, giving WSU plenty of time (1:53) to mount another drive. A slew of Wildcat penalties enabled the Cougars to reach the red zone, where they faced third-and-12 from the UA 14.

Instead of taking a shot into the end zone, WSU ran a bubble screen that resulted in a 1-yard loss. That, to me, was a concession. Pinnick was under constant pressure. WSU coach Kirby Moore didn’t want him to take a sack or turn the ball over with pass rushers in his face.

Gonzales kept bringing it in the second half. How many times did UA linebacker Taye Brown burst through the middle of WSU’s offensive line?

Yes, Arizona eventually did get burned. A “cover zero” blitz — no deep safeties — resulted in a WSU touchdown when two UA defensive backs collided, leaving Branden Ganashamoorthy wide open for a 46-yard score.

But Gonzales’ aggressive approach produced more wins than losses. It’s also, quite simply, the way he prefers to play defense.

He likes to bring pressure. He trusts his defensive backs to play man coverage.

Speaking of trust ...

2. MSM OK in the end

The CBS camera crew captured Arizona kicker Michael Salgado-Medina taking a deep breath before a 27-yard field-goal attempt in the fourth quarter.

After what had transpired earlier in the game, UA fans everywhere were holding their breath. Or screaming at their TVs.

It was another roller-coaster ride of a game for Salgado-Medina, who badly missed a 42-yarder and had a 43-yarder blocked in the third quarter — spoiling two prime scoring opportunities.

No one would have blamed Brennan for going for it on fourth-and-5 from the 10 in the fourth while clinging to a 21-17 lead. But Brennan trusted Salgado-Medina and the field-goal unit to come through, and they did. His 27-yarder made it 24-17.

That was a chip shot. The next opportunity was anything but.

With 2:02 remaining and Arizona up 31-24, Brennan faced an extremely difficult call. It was fourth-and-5 from the WSU 34. Go for it? Pooch punt? Field goal from downtown Pullman?

Brennan sent Salgado-Medina onto the field. He banged through a 51-yarder. The lead swelled to 10.

It was almost the exact same set of circumstances as the Cincinnati game last year. The Territorial Cup, too. Salgado-Medina missed early. He came through late. Brennan never lost faith.

For those questioning Brennan’s decisions, I think he made the right move each time.

You should expect your kicker to make anything under 45 yards if the weather isn’t a factor. The 27-yarder was a no-brainer. The 51-yarder? Like I said, tough call.

But Brennan and Salgado-Medina had been down this road together before. And I’m not about to criticize Brennan for attempting a 51-yard field goal after knocking him for not trying a 53-yarder at BYU.

As far as Salgado-Medina goes, hopefully it won’t always be like this. Everyone loves a redemption arc, but it’d be better for all parties — including UA fans — if he just made the early ones and took the drama out of it.

3. Mahdi-ing like it’s 2025

Arizona’s run game — or lack thereof — was a major point of discussion during the week. The Wildcats were last in the Big 12, by a mile, in rushing yards and attempts.

They finally got it going in the second half, and the primary ball-carrier was a player we weren’t sure would be on the team this season.

Ismail Mahdi — granted an extra year of eligibility along with linebacker Max Harris amid all the five-for-five chaos — became Arizona’s go-to running back after halftime. Mahdi finished with a team-high 63 rushing yards, including 50 over the final two quarters.

Arizona finished with 150 net rushing yards after failing to reach 100 in either of the previous two games. Nearly two-thirds of those yards (93) came in the fourth quarter.

Mahdi provided a spark with his speed and elusiveness. Starter Kedrick Reescano and backup Quincy Craig are good players with specific skill sets. Mahdi brings a different dimension. The Wildcats’ leading rusher from a year ago is quick, slippery and savvy.

Mahdi was able to get to the edges of WSU’s defense. He helped Noah Fifita complete a pass by chip-blocking a defensive end. On the next play, as Fifita scrambled, Mahdi released in front of him to catch a pass and pick up 5 yards.

Those are the types of plays you’d expect a wily fifth-year veteran to make.

Another difference from the previous two games was how Arizona used its backs. Reescano, Craig, Mahdi and Antwan Roberts all played meaningful snaps.

A well-rested Reescano was able to push the pile for 13 yards and a first down during Arizona’s second possession of the fourth quarter. Two Mahdi runs set up Fifita’s touchdown pass to Isaiah Mizell that bumped the Wildcats’ lead to 31-17.

Running back usage undoubtedly will vary from game to game depending on the matchup, the circumstances and who has the proverbial “hot hand.” I prefer a deep rotation like we saw Saturday. Not only does it keep everyone’s legs fresh, but it gives the opposing defense more to prepare for.

4. Spivey, Smith smash it

After Giovanni Richardson got hurt vs. BYU — and his fellow wideouts failed to pick him up — it was fair to question Arizona’s receiving depth. Was it really as robust as Brennan insisted?

Two games later, the receiving corps has put those concerns to rest — in ways both expected and unexpected.

Tre Spivey’s surge wasn’t hard to see coming. After a promising but inconsistent 2025 season, the big, talented senior had a spectacular spring. After a quiet game against BYU, Spivey went off against NIU to the tune of six catches for 90 yards and one incredible one-handed touchdown.

He one-upped himself Saturday. Spivey notched career highs across the board — 7-129-2 — while repeatedly displaying the run-after-the-catch ability he flashed last season. The official box score credited him with 71 yards after the catch.

While Brandon Phelps got the start at Richardson’s slot-receiver spot, it was freshman Caleb Smith who helped finish off the Cougars.

After twice failing to capitalize on premium field position — both drives ended with Salgado-Medina’s misses — Arizona still trailed late in the third quarter. The Wildcats got the ball at their 18. Three Fifita-to-Smith connections later, Arizona had the lead.

The first was a non-descript 3-yard in-breaker. Then came the backbreaker — an improvised 41-yard heave that saw Smith take off upfield and make a diving catch at the WSU 38.

We knew “The Jet” was fast. We saw it on his punt-return touchdown vs. NIU and on his 37-yard return vs. WSU. We didn’t know he could do that.

And he wasn’t done. On the very next play, Smith toasted Cougars safety Jaylen Thomas on a corner route and cruised into the end zone for his first career receiving TD.

Richardson will be back at some point, maybe sooner than later. His return can’t relegate Smith to the bench. Brennan and his staff need to find a way to get them on the field at the same time.

5. Lingering concerns

Arizona got away with sluggish starts against NIU and WSU. It’s a dangerous game to play against anyone. It could prove fatal against better opponents.

They’re coming. Arizona’s next opponent, Cincinnati, is one of the surprise stories in the Big 12. The Bearcats are 4-0 after upsetting Kansas State on Saturday.

Like Arizona, Cincinnati overcame a double-digit deficit for the second week in a row. Maybe they’ll just cancel each other out next Saturday, trading scores from start to finish?

Anyway, it’s a worrisome trend — and runs counter to Brennan’s “redline” mantra, which calls for 100% effort and execution at all times.

It’s not like the Wildcats are trying to start slowly. It just seems like they need a little time — sometimes too much time — to settle in and figure things out, especially on offense.

The other lingering concern is the offensive line. It was nice to see the unit move the line of scrimmage in the fourth quarter. But pass-blocking remained problematic.

Fifita got sacked three times and had to dodge defenders on far too many occasions. Just because he’s exceptionally good at it doesn’t make it a desirable outcome.

I still see a path to 6-1 with Cincinnati, West Virginia and Iowa State on the slate before a Halloween visit to Texas Tech.

But like the Washington State game, it won’t be easy.