NOTE: This series will preview each of Mississippi State’s football’s 12 games ahead of the 2023-24 football season
MORE: Previewing Southeastern Louisiana
STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State football summer series rolls on, previewing the Bulldogs’ Week 2 game against Arizona.
This game will complete a home-and-home series with the Wildcats, after MSU made the trip to the desert last year. MSU will not be paying the Wildcats to make the trip to Starkville, according to public records obtained by The Dispatch.
MSU’s Week 2 game against Arizona will also serve as first-year head coach Zach Arnett’s first regular season game against a Power Five opponent.
Here is what to know about MSU’s Week 2 opponent:
Game: Arizona at Mississippi State
When: Sept. 9, 2023
Where: Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville
Time/TV: 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
Series History: Last season’s game in Tucson was the first-ever meeting between MSU and Arizona, with the Bulldogs winning, 39-17. MSU quarterback Will Rogers threw for 313 yards and four touchdowns in the game, two of which went to Caleb Ducking and two to Austin Williams. Jo’quavious Marks also rushed for 55 yards and a score.
Arizona’s 2022 season: The Wildcats failed to qualify for a bowl game for a fifth consecutive season, finishing the year 5-7. Arizona’s wins came against San Diego State, North Dakota State, Colorado, No. 9 UCLA and Arizona State in the final week of the regular season.
Despite its losing record, Arizona finished 20th in college football in total offense, gaining 461.9 yards per game, but struggled stopping opponents, finishing 135th in total defense, allowing 467.7 yards per game.
Coaches: Head Coach, Jedd Fisch (third season), Offensive Coordinator, Brennan Carroll (third season), Defensive Coordinator, Johnny Nansen (second season), Special Teams Coordinator, Jordan Paopao (third season).
Arizona players to know:
Jayden de Laura, QB: A Washington State transfer, de Laura made a major impact in his first season with Arizona in 2022. de Laura, now a junior, completed 62.5% of his passes last year, throwing for 3,685 yards (which ranked 14th in college football), 25 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He also rushed for four scores. Following the year, de Laura was named an All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention.
Michael Wiley, RB: Wiley also had a strong year in Arizona’s offense last season. Wiley, a senior this year, ran for a career-high 771 yards and eight scores, while also catching 36 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns. Wiley, a Houston, Texas, native, was also named an All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention following the season.
Jacob Cowing, WR: Cowing, a senior, will be Arizona’s top target after Dorian Singer, its leader in receiving yards in 2022, transferred to Southern California this offseason. As a junior, Cowing, who transferred from UTEP before last season, caught a team-high 85 passes for 1,034 yards and seven touchdowns. Following the year, Cowing was named an All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention.
Tetairoa McMillan, WR: A Waimanalo, Hawai’i, native, McMillan led the team with eight touchdown receptions as a freshman in 2022. He also led all true freshmen nationally with 702 receiving yards on 39 receptions to go along with those eight scores, and was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week twice.
Jacob Manu, LB: Arizona’s defensive personnel took a major hit this offseason with its top-four tacklers leaving the program in safeties Jaxen Turner (UNLV) and Christian Young (Seattle Seahawks) as well as linebacker Jerry Roberts (UMass) and Christian Roland-Wallace (Southern Cal). That leaves Jacob Manu, a full-time starter as a freshman last season, to serve as one of the team’s defensive leaders.
Manu tallied 54 tackles in 2022, including four tackles for loss, one sack and two pass deflections.
Justin Frommer is the Mississippi State sports reporter for The Dispatch.
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