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With all the attention Colorado football and Travis Hunter draw, it’s easy to overlook Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan when the two teams meet on Saturday. But Deion Sanders’ squad better be ready when they take the field in Tucson to face one of the best wide receivers in college football.
McMillan began making waves last season when he helped Arizona emerge as one of the Pac-12’s most underrated teams. Alongside his former high school teammate, quarterback Noah Fifita, McMillan led the Wildcats to their first 10-win season in nearly a decade and their first bowl victory since 2017.
However, Arizona football is currently going through a transition period this season, not only moving from the Pac-12 to the Big 12 but also adjusting to a coaching change. Through six games, the Wildcats sit at 3-3, and McMillan’s production hasn’t quite matched his breakout from last year.
Arizona will be back in the spotlight in Week 8 as they face Colorado (4-2, 2-1 Big 12), just as every team is when taking on the Buffaloes this season. With a 1-2 record in conference play, the Wildcats can’t afford another loss if they want to stay in the Big 12 race. McMillan will be key to Arizona’s success as they look to bounce back from their Week 7 defeat.
With that in mind, here are some bold predictions for McMillan as he prepares to take on Colorado.
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Tetairoa McMillan will be Travis Hunter's best challenge of the season
Let’s start off boldly by saying that Tetairoa McMillan will be Travis Hunter’s toughest challenge of the season. There’s simply no better wide receiver on Colorado’s schedule, before or after their game against Arizona. Standing at 6-foot-5 and 212 pounds, McMillan presents a physical matchup that should give Hunter all he can handle, making this one of the most exciting one-on-one battles of the year.
What adds even more intrigue to this showdown is Hunter's health going into Saturday's game. Hunter missed the entire second half against Kansas State last weekend, raising questions about his health moving forward. Given that, it will be interesting to see if Coach Prime chooses to limit Hunter’s snap count, especially on offense, and focus his energy on containing McMillan. Hunter’s versatility is one of his greatest assets, but his matchup with McMillan could force Sanders to prioritize defense to ensure his star player is at full strength for the challenge.
Tetairoa McMillan scores at least two touchdowns
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McMillan kicked off his season in a big way, picking up right where he left off last year. In the opener against New Mexico, he hauled in 10 passes for 304 yards and four touchdowns, making a statement as one of college football's elite receivers, putting his name right in the Heisman running. However, since that game, McMillan has yet to find the end zone again.
That could change against Colorado. With the national spotlight on him and Arizona, McMillan will need to step up and remind everyone why he's considered a top receiver heading into next year’s NFL Draft. This game provides the perfect stage for McMillan to end his touchdown drought that goes back to Aug. 31.
Tetairoa McMillan has at least eight receptions with over 100 yards receiving
For the season, McMillan has racked up 42 receptions for 742 yards, but his performances have been somewhat inconsistent. He’s had games where he caught as many as 11 passes for well over 100 yards, and others where he was held to just two receptions for 11 yards. Despite this fluctuation, McMillan is averaging at least seven catches and 123.6 yards per game, including two 100-plus yard performances, highlighted by his 304-yard explosion in Week 1.
The big question in this matchup is how well Travis Hunter can limit McMillan’s production. Hunter has been a lockdown defender when healthy, grading 75.0 or higher in all but two games this season, according to Pro Football Focus. Teams have targeted him just 20 times, and he’s only allowed 14 receptions for 111 yards, with 51 of those yards coming after the catch. Perhaps most impressively, he has yet to allow a touchdown this season, with his longest reception allowed being just 23 yards.
That said, Colorado hasn’t faced a receiver of McMillan’s caliber this year. Even if the Buffaloes opt for double coverage, McMillan's talent and size make him difficult to contain. Expect him to surpass 100 yards and haul in close to 10 receptions, regardless of who’s covering him. Whether that translates to an Arizona win remains to be seen.
*Stats provided by Pro Football Focus.
