A 14-0 Hole in Pullman
Arizona’s trip to Pullman looked like trouble early. Washington State scored twice before the Wildcats managed a first down of consequence, building a 14-0 cushion that, against most road teams, holds up in the Pacific Northwest. Noah Fifita had other plans. By the final whistle, Arizona had turned that deficit into a 34-24 win, outscoring the Cougars 34-10 across the final three quarters.
Fifita finished 22 of 36 for 297 yards and four touchdowns, though the shakiest moment of his night came off his own arm: an interception that Washington State returned for a score, keeping this game within reach far longer than the eventual margin suggests. Four scoring throws paired with a costly turnover has become something of a pattern for Fifita this season, a quarterback capable of both brilliance and the occasional mistake in the same 60 minutes.
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Spivey Becomes the Difference-Maker
The receiver who made it work was Tre Spivey, who caught seven passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns, including the 38-yard score that gave Arizona its first lead of the night early in the third quarter. Isaiah Mizell added an 11-yard touchdown catch that briefly pushed the margin to 31-17, a cushion Washington State clawed back to single digits before Arizona shut the door.
Washington State’s Caden Pinnick was far from quiet in defeat. He threw for 241 yards and a touchdown, ran for another, but also turned the ball over twice, on an interception and a lost fumble, mistakes a rebuilding program can’t afford against ranked competition.
A Kicker Seals It
Arizona’s Michael Salgado-Medina had a night to forget and remember in equal measure. Two of his fourth-quarter field goal attempts, from 42 and 43 yards, were blocked. His third try wasn’t: a 51-yarder with 1:57 remaining that put the game away for good. Arizona moved to 3-1 on the season, a record that undersells how much work the Wildcats needed to overcome their own slow start against a Washington State team now 1-3 and still searching for the kind of result that would turn its season around.
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