Arizona Continues Big 12 Play at West Virginia
Arizona Athletics
10/5/2026
TUCSON, Ariz. — Arizona (4-1, 1-1Big 12) hit the road for week six to take on West Virginia (3-2, 0-2 Big 12) for the first ever meeting between the programs in Morgantown, West Virginia. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. MST in Tucson.
Saturday's game will be televised on TNT with J.B. Long, Mike Golic Jr., and Allie LaForce on the call. It will also be broadcast live on Wildcats Radio 1290 AM with play-by-play from Brian Jeffries.
In 2023, the teams met for the first time in history and West Virginia won the contest 31-26.
For more news and notes on Saturday's game, continue below.
Arizona Notes & Numbers
- The Arizona Wildcats wrap up the first half of the season with a road trip to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers this Saturday in Morgantown.
- Saturday’s game will be nationally televised on TNT with a simulcast available on truTV and HBO Max. It will feature J.B. Long (PxP), Mike Golic Jr. (Analyst), and Allie LaForce (Reporter) on the call.
- The game will also be broadcast live on Wildcats Radio 1290 AM and KHYT 107.5 FM with play-by-play from the Voice of the Wildcats, Brian Jeffries. He is joined on the call by analyst Lamont Lovett and reporter Mackenzie Hamilton.
- Arizona and West Virginia have met once previously, with the Mountaineers grabbing a 31-26 victory over the Wildcats in Tucson in October 2024.
- QB Noah Fifita has thrown for 86 touchdowns and 10,598 yards in his collegiate career, marks that rank tied for first and second among active FBS quarterbacks, respectively.
- Fifita’s 86 career passing touchdowns also rank tied for 93rd all-time among FBS quarterbacks.
- Arizona’s offense has thrived on third down this season, converting at a 57.8% clip that ranks third in the FBS.
- The Wildcats defense currently ranks among the best units in the nation in red zone defense (4th, 63.6%), sacks per game (5th, 3.60), and rushing defense (11th, 79.0).
- Freshman WR Caleb Smith is averaging 27.5 per punt return this year; he has all four of the Wildcats punt returns this year, and the team’s 27.5 average is the second-best mark nationally.
QB Noah Fifita has thrown 86 career touchdown passes, the most in program history and tied for the most in the nation among active FBS quarterbacks.
Fifita has also thrown for 10,598 yards in his career at Arizona, the most in program history and the second most in the nation among active FBS quarterbacks.
The Wildcats defense allows an average of just 79.0 rushing yards per game, the third best mark in the Big 12 and the 11th best mark nationally.
Arizona’s defense has averaged 3.6 sacks per game this year, a mark that leads the Big 12 and ranks fifth nationally.
The Wildcats offense has converted third downs at a 57.8% rate this season, the third best mark in FBS.
Arizona Head Coach Brent Brennan is the first Wildcats head coach to start 4-1 in back-to-back seasons since Dick Tomey did it in 1993 & 1994.
SOME GAME THEMES: The Arizona Wildcats, riding a three-game win streak, wrap up the first half of the season with a road trip to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers this Saturday in Morgantown...Saturday’s game will be nationally televised on TNT with a simulcast available on truTV and HBO Max; it will feature J.B. Long (PxP), Mike Golic Jr. (Analyst), and Allie LaForce (Reporter) on the call...The game will also be broadcast live on Wildcats Radio 1290 AM and KHYT 107.5 FM with play-by-play from the Voice of the Wildcats, Brian Jeffries; he is joined on the call by analyst Lamont Lovett and reporter Mackenzie Hamilton...Arizona and West Virginia have met once previously, with the Mountaineers grabbing a 31-26 victory over the Wildcats in Tucson in October 2024...This weekend will mark the first meeting between the two programs in Morgantown...West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez led Arizona Football from 2012–17 and steered the Wildcats to a 43-35 (.441) record...This game will mark the first time Arizona has faced a former head coach since Larry Smith's final season at USC in 1992 (via @realBJP on Twitter).
LAST TIME OUT: Arizona notched their third straight victory last weekend, a dominant 34-7 victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats on Family Weekend in Tucson. The Wildcats defense dominated, working a shutout until the final minutes of the game and holding the Bearcats to just 74 rushing yards. Quarterback Noah Fifita accounted for three touchdowns and Michael Salgado-Medina hit two field goals to lead Arizona’s scoring efforts. More highlights from last week’s game include...
Notable Postgame Notes vs. Cincinnati
- Arizona held Cincinnati scoreless for the first three quarters; the Wildcats have now tallied two shutout halves and nine shutout quarters in five games this year.
- Arizona held Cincinnati to 74 rushing yards which is the Bearcats’ fewest since joining Big 12. Cincinnati’s 74 rushing yards are the fewest Arizona has allowed in a conference game since 2023 against Washington State (35 rush yards).
- The Wildcats allowed just seven points to Cincinnati, the fewest points the Arizona has allowed to a conference opponent since 2024 (27-3 vs. Houston).
- Arizona rushed for 238 yards which is the most rushing yards in a game since the Wildcats had 244 vs. UTEP in 2023. It is the most rushing yards for Arizona in a conference game since the Cats rushed for 280 yards against Arizona State in 2022.
- QB Noah Fifita extended his career-long streak of starts with a passing touchdown to 15, a streak that dates back to Iowa State in 2025.
- Kicker Michael Salgado-Medina connected on field goals of 23 and 35 yards. He is now 15-for-18 on field goals under 40 yards in his career.
D-LINE NAMED BIG 12 DEFENSIVE LINE OF THE WEEK: The Wildcats defensive line was a crucial part of an all-around effort that saw Arizona limit Cincinnati to just 74 rush yards, their lowest total since joining the Big 12 Conference in 2023. The 74 rush yards allowed by the Arizona defense were the fewest the Wildcats had allowed in a conference game since 2023. As a unit, the Arizona defensive line tallied 16 tackles, four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and two quarterback hurries while holding Cincinnati to just three rushing plays of 10-plus yards.
CODE RED: Arizona’s defense has been stifling when it matters the most this season: when opposing offenses reach the red zone. The Wildcats have allowed their opponents into the red zone just 11 times in five games and have allowed scores on just 7-of-11 opportunities. Arizona’s 63.6% mark in red zone defense is the fourth best mark in the FBS and the third best in the Power Four. This marks a drastic improvement over the Wildcats defensive efforts in the red zone last season, when they allowed opponents to convert 30-of-36 (83.3%) red zone trips into scores.
GOOSE EGGS: Since taking over as the Wildcats defensive coordinator in 2025, Danny Gonzales has authored an incredible defensive turnaround that includes seven halves and 29 quarters of shutout defense over 18 games. Across those 18 games, 29-of-72 quarters (including two OT periods) have featured a zero in the opponents side of the box score — that amounts to over 40% of quarters being scoreless for the Wildcats opponents. To close out the 2025 season, the Arizona defense worked second half shutouts in three consecutive games against Baylor, Arizona State, and SMU in the Trust & Will Holiday Bowl.
SACK ATTACK: Arizona’s defense has tallied multiple sacks in 4-of-5 games this season, including two six-sack performances against Northern Arizona and Washington State. In total, the Wildcats have dropped opposing quarterbacks for 18 sacks, an average of 3.6 sacks per game that is the fifth best mark in the FBS. The production has come from all over the field as well, with 15 different players getting in on the action.
NOAH'S ARC: Fifth year quarterback Noah Fifita, one of just five senior/redshirt senior quarterbacks in FBS who spent their entire career at the same school, returned under center to lead the Wildcats offense one final time in 2026. Since taking over the starting quarterback role in 2023, Fifita has cemented his legacy as one of the greatest passers in program history. The California native is the program’s all-time leader in career passing yards and passing touchdowns — with only four games in the books, he stands to potentially widen the gap in both categories significantly. Fifita broke the Wildcats career passing touchdowns record with a 15-yard strike to Gio Richardson at Cincinnati on Nov. 15, 2025 and broke the program’s career passing yards record on a seven-yard throw to Isaiah Mizell on Sept. 19, 2026 vs. Northern Illinois. He has posted a record of 24-15 as the Wildcats starting quarterback and has logged 39 consecutive starts under center dating back to 2023.
THIRD AND WON: The Wildcats offense has excelled on third down this season, converting at a 57.8% clip that ranks third among all 138 FBS programs. Four of the top five teams in the FBS in third down conversion percentage are Big 12 Conference members: Houston (1st, 65.6%), Kansas State (2nd, 65.0%), Arizona (3rd, 57.8%), and BYU (4th, 57.4%). Last season, the Wildcats converted just 41.0% of their third downs.
THROWING DARTS: Quarterback Noah Fifita's pinpoint accuracy has continued to blossom throughout his career, to the point which he currently ranks eighth among all FBS quarterbacks with an 73.8% completion percentage. After his 31-for-34 (91.2%) performance in week three against Northern Illinois and his 24-for-26 (92.3%) effort at Houston last season, Fifita now owns the program’s single-game completion percentage records for games with a minimum of 20 and 30 pass completions.
TRIPLE HUNDO: Since 1996, eight different Arizona quarterbacks have posted multiple 300-plus yard passing performances. With his 325-yard effort in week three against Northern Illinois, Noah Fifita now boasts 10 such performances, which is tied for second most in that span. Leading the way is Nick Foles, with a seemingly insurmountable tally of 18 games surpassing 300 yards.
HOUSE CALL: In week three against Northern Illinois, freshman wide receiver Caleb Smith returned a punt 69 yards for a touchdown, making him the first Wildcat to score a punt return touchdown in nine years. Since 2008, the Wildcats have combined for eight punt return touchdowns, only two of which have been longer than Smith’s.
GOING NOWHERE FAST: Since 1996, Arizona defenses have limited an opposing offense to negative rush yards just four times. Northern Arizona’s -7 rushing yards on Saturday were the least allowed by the Wildcats defense since holding No. 22 USC to –20 rush yards in 1999. Across 122 seasons of Arizona Football history, the least rushing yards ever allowed in a game were –33 at Stanford in 1992 (28 attempts).
CHART TOPPERS: Arizona has seven players that rank among the Top 10 graded returning players in the Big 12 Conference, per PFF. The group is led by safety Cam Chapa, who was rated as the No. 1 returning safety in the Big 12. Cornerback Jay’Vion Cole (2nd), tight end Cole Rusk (2nd), and quarterback Noah Fifita (3rd) also checked in among the top three at their positions.
Arizona Players in the PFF's Big 12 Top 10
- OL Tristan Bounds
- Big 12 Rank: 9th
- 2025 Grade: 72.3
- LB Taye Brown
- Big 12 Rank: 7th
- 2025 grade: 75.9
- S Cam Chapa
- Big 12 Rank: 1st
- 2025 grade: 91.4
- CB Jay'Vion Cole
- Big 12 Rank: 2nd
- 2025 grade: 86.3
- QB Noah Fifita
- Big 12 Rank: 3rd
- 2025 grade: 85.1
- RB Kedrick Reescano
- Big 12 Rank: 10th
- 2025 grade: 76.1
- TE Cole Rusk
- Big 12 Rank: 2nd
- 2025 grade: 79.2
BROTHERLY LOVE: Arizona's roster features three sets of brothers: Noah & Dash Fifita, Tré & Kingston Spivey, and Jake & Jaxon Griffin. The Wildcats are one of 15 FBS programs with multiple sets of brothers on their roster, and one of 10 with three or more sets of brothers. Oregon leads the nation with four sets of brothers.
CONSISTENCY IS KEY: The Wildcats are banking on consistency of leadership delivering results for the team in 2026. Following a nine-win campaign last year, Arizona retained their head coach, offensive and defensive coordinators, and starting quarterback — they are one of only 12 FBS programs in the nation that can claim that. With that level of consistency of leadership, the Wildcats are among the top 8% in the FBS.
CASINO DEL SOL STADIUM: Last November, the University of Arizona and Casino Del Sol, an enterprise of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, announced a landmark 20-year naming rights agreement for Arizona Stadium valued at more than $60 million, the largest such agreement in Big 12 Conference history. Under the partnership, the venue will be known as Casino Del Sol Stadium. The naming partnership includes new exterior and interior branding, field logos, and digital platforms, along with expanded integration into national television broadcasts. The collaboration prioritizes the roles the U of A – as Arizona's flagship, land-grant university – and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe have in benefiting students, families, and communities across Southern Arizona. Through new programs and co-created initiatives, the partnership will deepen academic, cultural, and economic links between the university and the tribe.
WILDCATS IN THE NFL: The Arizona Wildcats are once again well represented in the NFL, with 14 players currently sprinkled throughout league rosters. Among the many highlights achieved by Wildcats in the NFL are the tremendous exploits of Tetairoa McMillan, one of the most accomplished wide receivers in program history and a first round draft selection of the Carolina Panthers in 2025. McMillan burst onto the scene as a rookie last year, pulling in 70 receptions for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns en route to being named AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, PFWA Offensive Rookie of the Year, and PFWA Rookie of the Year. In the 2026 NFL Draft, the Wildcats had four defensive backs selected, tying the NFL record for number of DBs drafted from a single program in a draft.
Current Wildcats on NFL Rosters (as of 10/04/26)
- Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, LB, Buffalo Bills
- Jonah Savaiinaea, OL, Miami Dolphins
- Tyler Loop, K, Baltimore Ravens
- Genesis Smith, S, Los Angeles Chargers
- Dalton Johnson, S, Las Vegas Raiders
- Treydan Stukes, S, Las Vegas Raiders
- Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Washington Commanders
- Jordan Morgan, OL, Green Bay Packers
- Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers
- Ayden Garnes, CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Deshawn McKnight, DL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Nick Folk, K, Atlanta Falcons
- Jacob Cowing, WR, San Francisco 49ers
- Roy Lopez, DL, Detroit Lions
