Arizona Wildcats Superstar Predicted to Make More History This Week
It has been a long and arduous season for the Arizona Wildcats, something that they were not expecting for Brent Brennan's first year as the head coach of the program.
After the Wildcats performed favorably in the last year of the PAC-12's existence, the team expected a much easier transition into the Big 12, though it has yet to come.
What has come in the 2024 campaign, however, is their superstar junior wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan's breakout on a much bigger stage.
When McMillan has been fed the ball this year, Arizona's chances at victory have been much greater as the wide receiver has proven that he is talented enough to singlehandedly give this team a chance at victory every week.
The superstar has already made history in the program, setting the single-game receiving yardage record with a 304-yard showing in week one, and placing his name on that same leaderboard two more times since, and could add it a fourth time as early as this weekend against the UCF Knights.
"The Knights fired defensive coordinator Ted Roof this week," writes Manny Navarro of The Athletic, "and rank 108th in passing yards allowed per game (247.3). McMillan goes for 200-plus for the third time this season."
McMillan's second game of the season with 200 or more receiving yards came just last week against the West Virginia Mountaineers when the receiver tallied 202 on 10 catches with one touchdown.
McMillan has racked up 982 yards receiving this year, placing him third in the nation, but he has staked his claim on a spot in the top five on only 57 receptions, the fewest among that group of players.
The receiver easily leads the Wildcats in targets with 86 through their eight games so far, with the next closest having only 32.
While that drastic of a difference in targets between the team leader and second place could prove detrimental to some, McMillan is one of the best receivers in the sport this year, and feeding him the ball early and often is the key to success for Arizona.
The Knights have never been a team that is known for its defense, and that continues to be the case this year.
Should Brennan draw up the offense in a way that consistently gets McMillan the ball this week, the junior could be adding his name to the leaderboard once again in route to helping the Wildcats secure their fourth victory of the 2024 campaign.
