In perhaps the second-most viral game of the 2024 college season behind the Pop-Tarts Bowl, Snoop Dogg served as host of this year’s Arizona Bowl, with the rapper taking over all aspects of the matchup, from sponsor to bandleader to play-by-play announcer.

Officially dubbed “the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop,” the rapper made the game at Tucson’s Arizona Stadium his own, even eclipsing that action on the field between Colorado State and Miami (Ohio).

The field was emblazoned with a Snoop Dogg logo at one end zone and low riders in the other. Pregame, Snoop Dogg snagged passes on the field and even visited some tailgate parties before taking to the 50-yard line for the ceremonial coin toss, the Associated Press reports.

Snoop — who founded his own Snoop League for inner city youth in Southern California and whose son played Division I football — also put on a headset on the Colorado State sideline to allegedly call some plays. By halftime, the rapper was back at midfield to serve as conductor for the two universities’ bands performance:

In the third quarter, Snoop next joined the broadcast booth. “This is a seven-day-a-week thing with me, man,” Snoop Dogg said. “I guess I’m the people’s champ because I love the people as much as they love me.”

Miami (Ohio) won the Arizona Bowl 43-17, after which Snoop Dogg rolled onto the field in a 1964 Impala with trophy in hand for the victors. He also gifted Death Row Records gold chains to the team, and took coach Chuck Martin on a victory lap in the Impala.

“I’m sitting there with a gold chain and my wife is laughing her ass off. Snoop’s there … who in the world is cooler than Snoop?” Martin told the press postgame. “I’m sitting in the back of this vehicle and my wife is looking at me like, ‘What a complete imbecile.’ It’s a moment you’ll remember forever.” 

In the weeks leading up to the game, Snoop revealed that all the participants would receive NIL (name image likeness) money for playing in the game. “College football fans are exhausted by the constant talk around NIL, conference realignment, coach movement, transfer portal and super conferences,” Snoop said in a video posted on social media. “So it’s time that we get back to the roots of college football — when it was focused on the colleges, the players and the competition, the community, the fan experience and the pageantry.”  

Well, that was just about the most heartbreaking ending the Arizona Cardinals have seen all season.

After a failed attempt at a game winning drive to try and sweep the Los Angeles Rams, the Cardinals emerge out of SoFi Stadium as losers in 13-9 fashion.

Unfortunately, classic mistakes that we’ve seen from the team this year were made and Arizona has another losing record. 

This is a loss that should rock the boat a bit – and I have some major criticisms.

But in fairness, there were some things to be happy about in the loss. 

With one game remaining for Arizona, the end is in sight and we have most of our takeaways finished for the season’s outlook.

We still learned more about this team following the close loss, and that’s what we’re here to discuss. 

Trey McBride is the best weapon on offense

James Conner has played at a Pro Bowl level this year. Marvin Harrison Jr has shown flashes of brilliance to be the Cards’ top receiver (more on him later). Kyler Murray is an athletic marvel who can make plays with his arm and his legs. 

But Trey McBride is the best player on the Cardinals’ offense. 

All season long, the third-year tight end has been one of the most reliable pass catchers across the NFL. Following tonight’s game, McBride is within range of the franchise single-season receptions record of 115, set by DeAndre Hopkins in 2020. 

Mr. Reliable at his finest. 

Although McBride may not be some game-breaking player with SportsCenter Top-10 highlights every week, his consistency and reliability cannot be measured in words. 

A struggling Cardinals offense would be lost without McBride out there. 

Rumors of Marvin Harrison Jr’s demise have been greatly exaggerated

The doomsday parade chanting Harrison Jr is a bust already should’ve been silenced against the Rams. MHJ reeled in six receptions for 96 yards. It was an under the radar performance with far more highs than lows. 

And although he didn’t have many plays that will be on his rookie highlights tape on YouTube, it was still a game that should build confidence in him to continue growing. 

Harrison’s stat line may not be the historical season we wanted, but it’s still be a good one. 

If Harrison can close the season with another game like this, Cardinals fans should be much happier than they were a few weeks ago about his outlook heading into year two. 

Cardinals need more playmakers on defense 

I love some of the pieces on this Cardinals defense and several guys have bigger roles ready for the future. Garrett Williams, Dante Stills, Max Melton, and several others have had great seasons and will be the foundation for this defense. 

But that being said, they desperately need more playmakers. 

Several turnover worthy plays were left off the board, such as Baron Browning unable to strip-sack Matthew Stafford or Budda Baker’s dropped interception in the endzone. These are plays that swing the game in your favor and it’s causing too many close games and losses for Arizona.

When the offseason rolls around, the Cardinals have to prioritize not just adding talent to the defense but adding playmakers. Interceptions, sacks, anything and everything in between.

The Cardinals could’ve won more games this year with someone capable of generating turnovers. That has to be a top priority for this organization. 

The Cardinals are a playoff team if this offense showed up every week

Speaking of winning more games, the Cardinals wouldn’t have been knocked out of the playoff hunt by now if they had this offense performing week in and week out. And it wasn’t even an elite effort tonight. 

But what we saw was the Cardinals move the ball effectively more often than not and occasionally test the defense. You had mixed results, but at least there was life to be found in this game and it made it worth watching. 

We didn’t get the result we wanted, but this was a far more competitive game because the Cardinals were willing to do things they didn’t before. 

Wins are wins and losses are losses, but you can’t tell me Arizona doesn’t win at least one more game if they play offense like they did tonight.

That being said…

Drew Petzing Needs to Go

I’m done with watching Drew Petzing at this point. Even in a game that was well called, he found a way to ruin it.

Murray made some mistakes, but there were many questionable calls made by Petzing that had me upset… none more so than the final play of the game for Arizona’s offense where the Cardinals opted to pass inside the five yard line rather than force the Rams to burn their final remaining timeout and drain the clock by running it. 

Nope. Instead, we got a foolish decision to throw the ball and it ended in a play that will be remembered as one of the best of the regular season… but not for Arizona. 

I’m done. I’m over it. I’m ready for a change. 

Sorry, Coach Petzing, but your number’s up. 

In producing one of the top rushing offenses in the country this past season, Seth Doege relied on several ball carriers to churn out more than 200 yards per game at Marshall. That looks to be the plan at Arizona as well, as the Wildcats have added a second running back from the NCAA transfer porttal since hiring Doege as offensive coordinator last month.

The UA has earned a commitment from former Utah rusher Mike Mitchell, who will have three seasons of eligibility remaining. He joins ex-Texas State running back Ismail Mahdi in a backfield that also includes returners Kedrick Reescano and Kayden Luke and incoming freshman Wesley Yarbrough.

The 6-foot, 211-pound Mitchell played in 10 games this past season for the Utes, rushing for 158 yards and a touchdown on 47 carries as a redshirt freshman. He had three carries for two yards against Arizona in September.

Mitchell was a 3-star prospect from Florida in the 2023 recruiting class, picking Utah over Florida State, Louisville and Washington State, among others.

He is Arizona’s 18^th transfer pickup this offseason, 11^th on offense and second running back. The Wildcats have also landed four offensive linemen, three receivers, a tight end and a quarterback.