Arizona Wildcats’ defense stifles Kansas State to start season 3-0

Arizona Wildcats football is off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2015 after defeating Kansas State 23-17 in Tucson on Friday night.

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sep 12, 2025, 10:02 PM Updated: 10:58 pm

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Running back Ismail Mahdi #21 of the Arizona Wildcats runs the ball during the first quarter against the Kansas State Wildcats at Arizona Stadium on September 12, 2025 in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo by Patrick Mulligan/Getty Images)

(Photo by Patrick Mulligan/Getty Images)

Arizona Wildcats football is off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2015 after defeating Kansas State 23-17 in Tucson on Friday night.

Wildcats running back Ismail Mahdi gained 216 yards from scrimmage alone, while the Arizona defense held K-State to 193 yards total.

Arizona faced its first big test of the year after beating two smaller-conference teams by a combined score of 88-9. The Wildcats led by 14 at halftime but let Kansas State back in it with a series of mistakes. They sealed the win with a turnover on downs.

BIG PLAY ALERT 🚨@ismailmahdi_6 breaks one for 60 & Arizona has it inside the K-State 20. pic.twitter.com/n2aD6kchex

— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) September 13, 2025

“That’s what it’s supposed to look like,” Arizona coach Brent Brennan said. “Not the whole thing, but in moments that’s what it’s supposed to look like and I’m so proud of this team.”

Coming off a home loss to Army, Kansas State (1-3) struggled offensively for much of the nonconference matchup between Big 12 foes — a game scheduled before Arizona joined the league. Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson was limited to 88 yards and no touchdowns on 13 of 29 passing.

“We’ve come out flat four straight weeks,” Johnson said. “We knew what they were going to give us, just felt like we were slow in all aspects.”

Arizona led 17-3 at halftime on touchdown runs of 15 and two yards by quarterback Noah Fifita.

DESERT DIESEL! 🏜️ Noah Fifita weaves through traffic for 6 🙌 #Big12FB | 📺 @CFBONFOX pic.twitter.com/yBr2RRncFe

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) September 13, 2025

Kansas State needed one play to get back in it.

Taking a direct snap, Jayce Brown weaved through a blockade of tacklers on the right side and raced past the rest of the defense for a 75-yard touchdown run — the first touchdown Arizona’s defense has allowed this season.

After a three-and-out, Arizona punter Michael Salgado-Medina fumbled a snap and had his kick blocked, setting up Kansas State at Arizona’s 13. Johnson scored four plays later on a 1-yard run to tie it at 17-all.

Salgado-Medina kicked field goals of 31 and 41 yards to put Arizona up 23-17 before hitting the upright on a 46-yard attempt with 1:55 left.

Arizona’s defense did not let K-State get past midfield on the final drive, as Johnson’s pass on fourth-and-7 from the Kansas State 43-yard line was broken up by Genesis Smith.

“I definitely feel like there’s a lot of growth as far as responding, and it’s showing out there,” Smith said.

Overall, Arizona out-gained Kansas State 412-193.

Arizona plays its first Big 12 game at Iowa State on Sept. 27.