Arizona’s WR Tetairoa McMillan becomes program leader in career reception yards vs. TCU
Nov 23, 2024, 5:32 PM | Updated: Nov 24, 2024, 12:38 am
Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) catches a pass as TCU safety Abe Camara (1) defends during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
(AP Photo/LM Otero)
Despite TCU eliminating Arizona from bowl contention on Saturday, wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan became the Wildcats’ program leader in career reception yards.
The junior eclipsed the 22-year mark of current receivers coach Bobby Wade (1999-2002), who had 3,351 yards in four seasons for the University of Arizona. McMillan surpassed Wade in his 35th career game with an 8-yard catch in the fourth quarter against TCU (7-4), and finished his outing with nine receptions and 115 yards.
He will enter Arizona’s final game of 2024 with 3,355 career yards.
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McMillan’s latest effort was his fifth game going for 100-plus yards this season and 12th in a stellar career across Pac-12 and Big 12 play.
The projected 2025 NFL Draft first-rounder went without a touchdown for the first time since a 34-7 blowout loss against No. 16 Colorado on Oct. 19. After tying a program-record four receiving touchdowns in Week 1 against New Mexico, the 6-foot-5 Hawaii native has only hauled in three in 10 games.
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Prior to the 49-28 loss against the Horned Frogs, McMillan was named a semi-finalist for the 2024 Biletnikoff Award, which honors college football’s best pass-catcher. His 115-yard performance retained his third-place position in reception yards (1,251), only trailing Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (1,295) and San Jose State wideout Nick Nash (1,291).
McMillan will try to bolster his chances of winning the nation’s top award against the rival Sun Devils (9-2), which, though the team dynamics looked vastly different than now, he gashed for 266 yards and 11 catches at Mountain America Stadium in 2023.
This year’s Territorial Cup will carry extra weight as an ASU victory will albeit assure a spot in the Big 12 Championship, the Sun Devils emerging 28-23 in a wild finish against No. 14 BYU. The Wildcats will require a monster game from McMillan and other help to play spoiler this time around.
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Arizona football had no answer for TCU’s offense
On the first play from scrimmage, Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita was intercepted by Bud Clark. TCU scored five plays later on Trent Battle’s 4-yard run.
The Horned Frogs scored touchdowns on five straight drives, going at least 75 yards on nine or more plays on three of the possessions.
TCU closed with 450 yards and 24 first downs, converting 7 of 12 third downs.
Arizona defense’s lone highlight of the day was lineman Sterling Lane II pulling off a strip-sack of TCU quarterback Josh Hoover, scooping up the football and returning it to the end zone for a 70-yard score with 1:00 left in the game.
After TCU sprinted out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, Arizona put together three scoring drives to trim the deficit to one (14-13) with under two minutes remaining in the first half. Three Horned Frog touchdowns went unanswered and put a win out of reach.
The Wildcats, who started the season in the AP Top 25 poll, will not be bowl eligible this season with a game remaining under first-year coach Brent Brennan. A year ago under coach Jedd Fisch, who is now at Washington, Arizona advanced to the Alamo Bowl for the first time since 2017.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
