TUCSON, Ariz. — The Arizona Wildcats (4-3, 2-2), coming off their largest road ranked victory in program history, return home to Arizona Stadium to host the No. 11 Oregon State Beavers (6-1, 3-1) this Saturday, Oct. 28.

Kickoff on Saturday is slated for 7:30 p.m. MST, with a television broadcast set for ESPN and a radio broadcast on Wildcats Radio 1290 AM.

Arizona is fresh off a 44-6 dismantling of then-No. 19 Washington State in Pullman two weeks ago. Following the road blowout, the Wildcats enjoyed a bye week to recover for the Beavers, their fourth consecutive ranked opponent.

A complete preview of the Wildcats week eight home contest can be found below.

ARIZONA NOTES & NUMBERS

• Arizona (4-3, 2-2 Pac-12) hosts No. 11 Oregon State (6-1, 3-1 Pac-12) at Arizona Stadium following a bye week last week. Brian Custer (play-by-play), Rod Gilmore (analyst), and Lauren Sisler (reporter) will have the call on ESPN.
• The Wildcats hold an advantage over the Beavers in the all-time series 24-16-1, including a 12-7 record at home and a 10-8-1 record on the road.
• Arizona has won three of the last five matchups against Oregon State but dropped the most recent contest 56-38 on Nov. 2, 2019, in Tucson.
• The Wildcats last win in the series was a 35-14 victory in Corvallis on Sept. 22, 2018. Arizona's last win in Tucson was a 49-28 victory on Nov. 11, 2017.
• Arizona holds the longest win streak in the series of 12 games from 1971 to 1988. The Wildcats have gone 3-2 in the last five games, but the Beavers hold a 6-4 edge over the last 10 meetings.
• The Wildcats are on a run of four straight games against Top-20 opponents with No. 11 Oregon State coming to Arizona Stadium.
• Arizona is looking for its first home win against a ranked opponent since a 44-15 win over No. 19 Oregon on Oct. 27, 2018. The Wildcats have lost four straight games against a ranked opponent at home.
• The Wildcats are coming off a 44-6 win over No. 19 Washington State. Arizona's defense forced a season-high three turnovers (2 INT, 1 Fumble). It was the most turnovers forced by the Wildcats since notching five in the 2022 Territorial Cup. Arizona held WSU to season-low marks in points (6) and passing yards (199). 

1st — CBs Ephesians Prysock and Tacario Davis pulled in their first career INTs against WSU. It also marked the first INTs of the season for Arizona. 

2nd — Arizona picked up their second victory over a ranked team during the head coach Jedd Fisch era on Saturday night in Pullman. Both ranked wins came on the road (last: at No. 9 UCLA, 2022, W 34-28).

51 — WR Jacob Cowing extended his streak to 51 consecutive games, the second-longest active streak in the nation trailing Sam Pinckney (52, Coastal Carolina). The NCAA record for consecutive games with a reception is 54, set by Bryan Anderson (CMU) from 2006-09.  

38 — The Wildcats 38-point margin of victory over Cougars ties their largest margin of victory over a ranked opponent in program history (also: No. 7 UCLA, 2005).
 

---

ABOUT LAST GAME: Quarterback Noah Fifita threw for 342 yards, Jonah Coleman had 168 total yards and three rushing touchdowns and Arizona's defense forced three turnovers in a 44-6 upset of No. 19 Washington State on Saturday, Oct. 14. It was the largest margin of victory on the road against a ranked opponent in program history for Arizona. The Wildcats (4-3, 2-2 Pac-12) scored 44 straight points to break through in a big way after nearly upsetting two top-10 teams the last two weeks. Fifita started his third straight game in place of the injured Jayden de Laura, a former Washington State QB. He was masterful from the start against the Cougars, who dropped their second consecutive game after starting 4-0 and reaching No. 13 in the AP Top 25. Fifita was 34 of 43 passing but didn't throw any touchdowns. All of Arizona's scores came on the ground. Coleman scored on runs of 1, 1 and 23 yards. Rayshon Luke rushed for 70 yards, including a 40-yard TD, and DJ Williams scored from 15 yards. Coleman also had four catches for 98 yards. The Cougars (4-2, 1-2) scored on Nakia Watson's 1-yard run on their first drive but looked lifeless on offense after that. They were stopped on fourth down deep in their own territory, threw an interception on a double-pass and punted on their next three possessions before halftime. After a sizzling first month of the season, the Cougars' offense sputtered for the second straight week. Cameron Ward was 22 of 30 for 192 yards and two turnovers. Watson led Washington State with 88 yards receiving. When the Cougars tried to get tricky, it backfired. Backup quarterback John Mateer was intercepted on a double-pass in the second quarter, and the Wildcats answered with Luke's 40-yard TD run. Arizona led 20-6 at halftime and was never threatened in the second half.

ARIZONA RETURNS HOME TO FACE NO. 11 OREGON STATE: Arizona (4-3, 2-2 Pac-12) welcomes No. 11 Oregon State (6-1, 3-1 Pac-12) to Arizona Stadium following a BYE week last week. Brian Custer (play-by-play), Rod Gilmore (analyst), and Lauren Sisler (reporter) will have the call on ESPN. The Wildcats hold an advantage in the all-time series 24-16-1, including a 12-7 record at home and a 10-8-1 record on the road. Arizona has won three of the last five matchups against Oregon State but dropped the most recent contest 56-38 on Nov. 2, 2019, in Tucson. The Wildcats last win in the series was a 35-14 victory in Corvallis on Sept. 22, 2018. Arizona's last win in Tucson was a 49-28 victory on Nov. 11, 2017. Arizona holds the longest win streak in the series of 12 games from 1971 to 1988. The Wildcats have gone 3-2 in the last five games, but the Beavers hold a 6-4 edge over the last 10 meetings. In the 2019 56-38 road victory, running back J.J. Taylor rushed for 284 yards on 27 carries to lift the Wildcats past the Beavers in Corvallis. At the time, Taylor became the 15th player in school history to rush for 200 or more yards in a game and his 284 yards ranked fourth all-time in program history. Taylor's 284-yard rushing effort remains fourth in a single game in program history. QB Khalil Tate completed 9-of-17 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns. RB Gary Brightwell rushed 13 times for a then career-high 113 yards with one touchdown as the Wildcats produced 464 total rushing yards and 594 yards of total offense. 

ROAD COOKING: The Wildcats last two victories over a ranked opponent have come on the road with a 44-6 win over No. 19 Washington State at Gesa Field on Oct. 14, 2023, and a 34-28 upset win over No. 9 UCLA at The Rose Bowl on Nov. 12, 2022. Arizona picked up their second victory over a ranked team during the head coach Jedd Fisch era. Arizona has now posted back-to-back years with road wins over teams ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 1997 and 1998. It's their first time accomplishing the feat as an unranked team since 1981 (W, 13-10 over #1 USC on road) and 1982 (W, 16-13 over #9 Notre Dame on road). 

TOP PERFORMANCES AGAINST TOP-20 TEAMS: 

• QB Noah Fifita has thrown eight touchdown passes in the last three games: three against No. 7 Washington, five against No. 9 USC, and zero at No. 19 Washington State (10/14). 
• Despite dropping two-of-three, the Wildcats have scored 109 points in the last three games against top-20 teams, scoring 36.3 points per game and have allowed an average of 26.6 points per game over that period. 
• RB Jonah Coleman had another career day, rushing for a career-high three touchdowns at No. 19 Washington State. Coleman also rushed for 70 yards on 11 carries and caught four passes for a career-high 98 receiving yards on the road. 
• WR Jacob Cowing set a program record against No. 9 USC (10/7) with four touchdown receptions. The previous record of three was accomplished 10 times, including once by Cowing in week one of the 2022 season at San Diego State. 
• Fifita made his second career start at No. 9 USC. Both of his first two career starts have come against AP top 10 ranked teams. Per ESPN research, Fifita is the 10th quarterback in the past 20 seasons to make his first two career starts against AP top 10 opponents. 
• Fifita's five passing touchdowns and 303 yards were both career-high marks. It was Arizona's first five-plus passing touchdown performance since Jayden de Laura threw for six against Colorado in 2022. Fifita's five touchdown passes are the most ever thrown by an Arizona quarterback against a ranked opponent.
• Fifita is the first Arizona QB on record to throw for multiple touchdowns in each of his first two starts (3 vs. No. 7 Washington and 5 at No. 9 USC). It's the third time in the Pac-12 era that an Arizona quarterback has thrown for 300-plus yards against a ranked USC team.
• Coleman finished the game with a career-high 143 rushing yards. It was the Wildcats first 100+ yard rushing performance since Michael Wiley went for 214 on the ground in the 2022 Territorial Cup. 
• WR Tetairoa McMillan recorded his third career game with 100-plus receiving yards (138 yards on 6 receptions) against No. 9 USC (10/7).

SUPER SOPHOMORES: Sophomores are at the top in the following statistical categories on the team this season: Rushing yards (1st; Jonah Coleman, 441), rushing touchdowns (1st; Coleman, 3), receiving yards (1st; Tetairoa McMillan, 592), receiving touchdowns (2nd; 5 – McMillan), tackles (1st; Jacob Manu, 58.0), interceptions (1st; Ephesians Prysock and Tacario Davis, 1), tackle for loss (2nd; Manu, 6.0-32), sacks (2nd; Manu, 3.5-28), forced fumbles (1st; RS So. Dalton Johnson, 3), quarterback hurries (1st; Manu, 5), and pass breakups (1st; Tacario Davis, 7). The 2022 recruiting class which was ranked 22nd in the country and 3rd in the Pac-12 has made a big impact on the field during the 2023 season.

VS. RANKED OPPONENTS IN PAC-12: Arizona is one of two teams in the Pac-12 to play Top-10 teams in back-to-back weeks after playing then No. 7 Washington and No. 9 USC on consecutive Saturdays. Colorado played then No. 10 Oregon during Week 4 and then took on then No. 8 USC during Week 5. As of now, with No. 5 Washington, No. 24 USC, No. 11 Oregon State, No. 23 UCLA, and No. 13 Utah all ranked in the Top-25 poll by the Associated Press, the Wildcats are scheduled to play five consecutive ranked teams with two of those opponents in the Top-10. If the current rankings are held, two of the next three games are against Top-25 opponents with No. 23 UCLA and No. 13 Utah the remaining ranked opponents on the schedule. It would mean that six of the last eight opponents on the schedule are ranked in the AP Top-25.

STEADY HAND: Redshirt Freshman QB Noah Fifita made the first start of his career against No. 7 Washington. He finished the night going 27-for-39 through the air for three touchdowns and 232 yards. He set career-high marks in attempts, completions, yards, touchdowns, rush attempts, and rush yards. Fifita is the first Arizona quarterback to make his first collegiate start against a team ranked in the AP top 10 since Richard Kovalcheck made his starting debut against No. 7 California in 2004 (L, 0-38). All three of Fifita's starts have come against Top-20 opponents, and Fifita has been named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week after two of those starts. He has posted the second-best completion percentage (94-of-125, 75.2%) in the Pac-12 during that time, trailing only Oregon QB Bo Nix (78.4%) in the conference. Fifita's 75.2 completion percentage is fourth in the nation.

CAREER HIGHS: 

• Sophomore DBs Ephesians Prysock and Tacario Davis each made an interception at Washington State (10/14) marking the first interceptions of their career. 
• RS Freshman QB Noah Fifita completed 79.1 (34-for-43) percent of his passes marking a career high (at Washington State, 10/14). 
• Sophomore RB Jonah Coleman rushed for a career-high three touchdowns at No. 19 Washington State (10/14). 
• Sophomore RB Rayshon Luke notched the first rushing touchdown of his career early in the second quarter, going 40 yards for the score. The attempt doubled as the longest rush of his career (previous: 28 yards, twice, last, at Utah, 2022). It was the longest rushing score by an Arizona running back this season.
• Fifita's five passing touchdowns and 303 yards against No. 9 USC were both career-high marks. It was Arizona's first five-plus passing touchdown performance since Jayden de Laura threw for six against Colorado in 2022. Fifita's five touchdown passes are the most ever thrown by an Arizona quarterback against a ranked opponent.
• Coleman rushed for a career-high 143 rushing yards at USC (10/7). It was the Wildcats first 100+ yard rushing performance since Michael Wiley went for 214 on the ground in the 2022 Territorial Cup. It marked Coleman's first game with over 100 rushing yards. 
• DE Russell Davis II tallied career-high marks in tackles (5), sacks (1.5), and tackles for loss (2.5) vs. USC (10/7). His 1.5 sacks were the first of his career.
• Safety Dalton Johnson's team-leading 10 tackles against Washington were a career-high mark (previous: 7, twice, last, at Mississippi State 2023).
• LB Daniel Heimuli's 1.5 tackles for loss against Washington were a career-high (previous: 1.0, twice, last, vs. Colorado 2022).
• Senior tight end Tanner McLachlan reeled in a 36-yard touchdown grab at Stanford (9/23) marking the longest touchdown reception of his career. 
• Junior QB Jayden de Laura posted his highest completion percentage (79.3%, 23-of-29) as a Wildcat against UTEP (9/16), only surpassed by his performance in 2021 (84.4%) with Washington State at Washington.   
• Coleman broke off a career-high 59-yard run in the third quarter against UTEP, the longest rush by a Wildcat this season. His previous high was 43 against Oregon in 2022. 
• Sophomore wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan reeled in a 55-yard reception for the longest catch of his career and recorded 161 receiving yards on eight receptions marking career highs against Mississippi State (9/9). 
• Sophomore linebacker Jacob Manu set a career-high with 12 total tackles and matched a career-high with 2.5 tackles for loss against Mississippi State. 
• Coleman made a career-high three receptions for a career-high 59 yards and his first-career touchdown reception in the win over NAU (9/2). Coleman now has five-career touchdowns (4 rushing, 1 receiving). 
• Sophomore tight end Keyan Burnett reeled in a 17-yard reception late in the first quarter against NAU, marking the longest reception of his career (previous: 5 yards vs. Oregon, 2022). Like Coleman, he recorded more receiving yards on the play than he did during the entire 2022 season. 
• QB Jayden de Laura rushed for a 53-yard touchdown against NAU marking the longest rush and rushing touchdown of his career. De Laura finished the NAU game with a passer-by rating of 207.7, the third best mark of his career (first: 211.2, at Washington, 2022). 

DESERT FURY: Arizona's defense has allowed one passing touchdown to the following quarterbacks of Top 20 teams; USC QB Caleb Williams (1 TD), Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. (0 TD), and Washington State QB Cam Ward (0 TD), while producing two interceptions during that span of three games. The defense allowed 67 pass completions in those three games while holding reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams to a career-low 14 pass completions (min: 20 attempts). The Wildcats 38-point margin of victory over Washington State (10/14: 44-6) ties their largest margin of victory over a ranked opponent in program history (also: No. 7 UCLA, 2005). It is the largest margin of victory in a road game against a ranked opponent in program history. The Arizona defense held the Washington State offense to season-low marks in points (6) and passing yards (199) (10/14). Arizona's four sacks against USC (10/7) are the most the Trojan offense line has surrendered all season and doubles their previous high. The Wildcats six tackles for loss are also a season-high mark by a USC opponent. The Wildcats limited USC QB Caleb Williams to just 205 yards on 14-of-25 passing. It was his lowest passing yards total since throwing for only 180 at Oregon State in week four of the 2022 season. Arizona's four sacks against USC are the most the Trojan offense line has surrendered all season and doubles their previous high. The Wildcats six tackles for loss are also a season-high mark by a USC opponent. Arizona's two sacks against Washington were the most surrendered by the Huskies this season. It marked the first time since Oct. 22, 2022, that Washington allowed more than one sack in a game. Arizona's defense held Washington to season-low marks in passing yards (363; next: 389 vs. Cal), total offense (474; next: 529 vs. Cal), points (31; next: 41 at Michigan State) and passing yards per attempt (9.08; next: 11.35 vs. Tulsa). Safety Dalton Johnson's team-leading 10 tackles were a career-high mark (previous: 7, twice, last, at Mississippi State 2023). The Wildcats' 19 sacks through seven games surpassed 16 total sacks in 2022. Arizona's defense is sixth in the Pac-12 with 19 sacks. Saturday (9/30) marked the first time that Washington hasn't logged a passing touchdown in 12 games (last: at Arizona State, 2022). Arizona's five sacks against Stanford (9/23) are the most recorded by the team since notching five against Colorado in 2018. The Wildcats are 7-0 during the Pac-12 era when notching at least five sacks. DE Taylor Upshaw recorded a career-high 2.0 sacks at Stanford. He is the first Arizona player with 2.0+ sacks in a game since Kyon Barrs logged 2.5 against California in 2021. The Wildcats defense logged 11 tackles for loss against the Cardinal, their most since posting 12 on the road at UCLA in 2018. Arizona limited UTEP to 1.9 yards per carry for a total of 49 rushing yards. UTEP's QB Gavin Hardison was held without a touchdown for the first time in 2023. Arizona held NAU to three points marking the fewest allowed by the Wildcats defense since holding California to three points during a 10-3 victory in 2021. It was also the fewest points allowed by the Wildcats in a season opener since shutting out NAU 35-0 to kick off the 2013 season. The 35-point win was Arizona's largest margin of victory since beating UTEP 63-16 in 2017. Arizona has held opponents scoreless in home openers 40 times and held opponents to three points seven times in home openers dating back to 1899. The Wildcats limited UTEP to just 49 yards on the ground, marking the 24th time that an Arizona opponent has gone for 50 or fewer yards since 1996. The Wildcats defense held the Cardinal to just 20 points, the fewest Arizona has allowed on the road to a Pac-12 opponent since 2018 (W, 35-14; at OSU).

TOP OF THE LINE: Arizona OL Jordan Morgan is 9th in the Pac-12 in overall offensive ranking per PFF (78.7). Morgan has allowed two sacks in 464 snaps. Morgan is 12th in the conference in pass-blocking rating (per PFF) with a mark of 84.6. OL Jonah Savaiinaea is ranked 17th in the conference per PFF with an overall mark of 74.4. Savaiinaea has not allowed a sack in 496 snaps. Savaiinaea is ranked 11th within the Pac-12 at pass-blocking with a rating of 85.1. OL Wendell Moe is ranked 28th in the conference with an overall mark of 70.5 after allowing two sacks in 487 snaps. Moe is the 7th-ranked pass-blocker in the Pac-12 with a rating of 85.8, which leads all Wildcats offensive lineman. 

NATIONAL AND CONFERENCE RANKINGS: Currently, Arizona is in the top-36 nationally in the following defensive and offensive categories, rushing defense (13th, 96.0), red zone defense (36th, .769). Arizona's defense has forced a turnover in 10 of the last 11 games dating back to last season. The Wildcats offense ranks 19th nationally in total offense (452.3), 15th nationally in red zone offense (.935, 3rd in Pac-12), 16th in the nation (2nd in Pac-12) in first down offense (173), and 25th nationally in passing offense (287.6). Also, Arizona is ranked 10th in the nation in 4th down conversion defense (.300), which is second in the Pac-12.

PAC-12's LEADING TACKLERS: Sophomore linebacker Jacob Manu is third in the Pac-12 with 59.0 total tackles (20 solo, 39 assist) for an average of 8.43 tackles per game (3rd). DE Taylor Upshaw is fourth in the conference with 5.5 sacks per game. He has made five solo and one assisted sack.

OFFENSIVE SHOW: The Wildcats offense also put-up notable numbers, posting their first 300-yard passing and 200-yard rushing performance since throwing for 350 yards and running for 216 against Colorado in 2018. Arizona produced 516 yards of total offense at No. 19 Washington State, marking the seventh time under Head Coach Jedd Fisch that the Wildcats have recorded 500-plus yards of total offense in a game. The Wildcats record back-to-back games with 500-plus yards of total offense.

RECEIVING BACK: Michael Wiley is the second Arizona running back with 100 career receptions (110) The other is Vance Johnson, who had 104 from 1981-84. Wiley's career-high in receptions was 36, which was posted in 2022. He made six receptions for 57 yards against NAU in the season opener. His 110 career-receptions are the most of any Arizona running back dating back to at least 1996 and his 976 receiving yards are third among active FBS running backs. 

CONSECUTIVE RECEPTIONS: Senior wide receiver Jacob Cowing has caught a pass in 51 straight games, tying marking the second-longest active streak in the nation. Cowing has 4,047 (1,452 at Arizona) yards in his career (leads active players). Since 1956, only 22 players have recorded 4,000-plus receiving yards in their career. His 28 receiving touchdowns are second among active players, trailing only Zakhari Franklin (38, Ole Miss). The NCAA record for consecutive games with a reception is 54, set by Bryan Anderson (Central Michigan) from 2006-09.

100 YARD RUSHING GAMES: Sophomore running back Jonah Coleman rushed for 143 yards against No. 9 USC (10/7) marking the second-most rushing yards since 2021. Senior running back Michael Wiley rushed for the most yards (214) in the last three seasons during last year's 38-35 Territorial Cup win over ASU (11/25/22). Wiley also rushed for the most touchdowns by a player in a single game (3 vs. ASU in 2022) since 2021. Over the last three seasons, the Wildcats' have recorded two 100-plus-yard-games. Arizona has had 11 100-plus-yard rushing games since 2019.

WILDCATS IN THE NFL: The Wildcats are once again well represented in the National Football League this year with eight former letterwinners across the league. One of Arizona's most prestigious alumnus, tight end Rob Gronkowski, retired following the 2021 season after winning the fourth Super Bowl of his career. Gronk was a five-time Pro Bowl selection, a four-time First Team All-Pro selection, and was selected to the NFL's 2010s All-Decade Team and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. Over 11 seasons with New England and Tampa Bay, Gronkowski recorded 9,286 yards (5th all time) and 92 touchdowns (3rd all time). The most recent Wildcat to make an NFL roster as an undrafted free agent is defensive lineman Jalen Harris (Chicago Bears). Recently Christian Young signed a free agent deal with the Green Bay Packers and was assigned to the practice squad. For a complete list of former Wildcats in the NFL, see the comprehensive chart below. *Practice squad
 

Player	Position	Team
Gary Brightwell	RB	New York Giants
Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles	LB	San Francisco 49ers
Nick Folk	PK	Tennessee Titans
Roy Lopez	NT	Arizona Cardinals
Jalen Harris*	DE	Chicago Bears
Lucas Havrisik*	PK	Cleveland Browns
Dane Cruikshank*	S	Tennessee Titans
Christian Young*	ILB	Green Bay Packers