4 Arizona Players Earn Week 5 Pro Football Focus Big 12 Team of the Week

Arizona tackles Ty Buchanan and Tristan Bounds and safeties Dalton Johnson and Genesis Smith, were named by Pro Football Focus to their Big 12 Team of the Week for week five. Buchanan, Bounds, Johnson and Smith were positives for Arizona in a 39-16 loss at Iowa State on Saturday.

Buchanan and Bounds anchored an Arizona offensive line that held Iowa State to three tackles for loss and one sack and allowed the Wildcats to run for 107 yards on four carries. Iowa State had only four quarterback hurries on Saturday.

Johnson led Arizona with 10 tackles on Saturday but had a costly personal foul penalty on special teams for interfering with the returners' ability to make the catch. There was a question about whether Johnson was pushed into the returner by an Iowa State player.

Smith had seven tackles, 0.5 TFL and a pass breakup. Johnson and Smith are tied for the Arizona team lead in 2025 with 26 tackles. Smith leads Arizona with five PBUs in 2025 and also has 1.0 TFL and one of the six interceptions for the Wildcats in 2025.

The performances from Bounds, Buchanan, Johnson and Smith and strong games from running back Ismail Mahdi in the second consecutive game, linebacker Riley Wilson with two sacks and Kris Hutson having his best game for Arizona, is a foundation Brent Brennan and his staff can build on.

Mahdi led Arizona with 13 carries for 85 yards and had three receptions for eight yards against Iowa State. Hutson led Arizona with six receptions for 67 yards and one TD with a long of 31 on 10 targets. Wilson had three tackles and both sacks for Arizona in the loss to Iowa State.

The Wildcats return to Arizona Stadium on Saturday to host 1-3 Oklahoma State. Baylor beat Oklahoma State 45-28 on Saturday. Oklahoma State is led by interim head coach Doug Meacham after firing head coach Mike Gundy on Monday three games into his 21st season in Stillwater.