Arizona Football Starts 3-0 First Time Since 2015 With 23-17 Win Over Kansas State

Arizona secured a 23-17 victory over Kansas State in a Big 12 nonconference football game, marking Arizona's first 3-0 start since 2015 and their first win over Kansas State since 1969. Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita contributed two rushing touchdowns and threw for 178 yards, while running back Ismail Mahdi led the ground attack with 189 yards rushing, helping Arizona achieve its highest rushing output in two years. Despite a dominant first half where Arizona outgained Kansas State 257-44 and held a 17-3 lead, the Wildcats faced a challenging second half as Kansas State's Jayce Brown broke a 75-yard touchdown run and the Wildcats struggled with special teams errors, including a blocked punt. Kansas State tied the game at 17 following the punt block and a touchdown run by Avery Johnson, but Arizona's defense forced a turnover on downs late to preserve the win. Arizona's defense was key throughout, limiting Kansas State to under 200 total yards and forcing multiple turnovers, while Arizona's offense capitalized on both the ground game and timely field goals by Michael Salgado-Medina. This game demonstrated Arizona's resilience and balanced attack, as they overcame second-half miscues to remain undefeated early in the 2025 season.