Three Players Who Stood Out Defensively For Arizona Against Kansas

Arizona officially reached bowl eligibility with its 24-20 win over Kansas Saturday afternoon at Arizona Stadium.

The Wildcats struggled offensively for most of the afternoon, but the defense kept them in the game long enough for Noah Fifita to lead a game-winning touchdown drive in the final minute, capped off with a rushing touchdown for Quincy Craig.

After allowing 17 points in the first half, the Wildcats' defense locked in to allow just three points in the second half. They held Kansas to just 6-for-17 on third downs, including 3-of-11 on those downs in the second half.

Here are three players who stood out on the defensive side of the ball for Arizona on Saturday.

LB Max Harris - Nine tackles (two solo)

Tied with fellow linebacker Taye Brown and defensive back Dalton Johnson for the team lead with nine tackles, Max Harris was all over the field for the Wildcats in Saturday's win.

He left the game for a period of time with an apparent leg injury before later returning with a brace on his right leg to finish the game.

The transfer from Texas State has been a huge part of this linebacker room, recording at least six tackles in six straight games.

DB Dalton Johnson - Nine tackles (one solo), two pass breakups

Dalton Johnson finished the day tied with linebackers Max Harris and Taye Brown for the team lead with nine tackles.

Johnson also had two huge pass breakups in the win, as part of five breakups for the Wildcats' defense as a whole. He has also added at least seven tackles in four straight games and five of his last six games.

DB Treydan Stukes - four tackles (one solo), three pass breakups

Nov 8, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats defensive back Treydan Stukes (2) celebrates during the first quarter of the game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Dalton Johnson had two of the team's five pass breakups on the day and Treydan Stukes had the other three for Arizona.

The big breakup came at the very end of the third quarter, which saved what would have likely been a touchdown for Kansas with Arizona trailing 20-17.

OUTRAGEOUS STUFF FROM TREYDAN STUKES AND ARIZONA 🤯#Big12FB | 📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/fvzOkp7DDo
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) November 8, 2025

Arizona is officially bowl eligible sitting at 6-3 on the season, but head coach Brent Brennan made it clear after Saturday's win that he and the team are not satisfied. They have three games to go in the regular season with a lot to gain if the team can get another win or two in this final stretch.

What were your thoughts on the win for Arizona over Kansas and the performance by the defense? To let us know, follow us on our X account by clicking on the link.