BYU faces its first real test of the season when Arizona comes to Provo Saturday afternoon. Betting lines are out for the game, and FanDuel as of this publishing has BYU as a 7.5-point favorite over the Wildcats. The point total is 51.5. BYU beat Utah Tech 63-7 Saturday night while Arizona beat Northern Arizona 35-7.
Arizona is led by fifth-year senior QB Noah Fifita, who was named Preseason First Team All-Big 12 and enters his fourth season as Arizona’s starting QB. The Wildcats finished last season at 9-4
and are a darkhorse contender for the Big 12 title this season behind their start QB.
BYU narrowly beat the wildcats in double OT last season in Tucson. BYU was down by 10 with under 5 minutes to go, but late TD runs by Bear Bachmeier in regulation and double overtime were the difference in BYU coming out on top. LJ Martin ran for 162 yards and Bear Bachmeier ran for 89 yards as BYU relied on its ground game. BYU held Fifita to 219 passing yards, but the veteran QB threw TD passes of 17 and 35 yards to give the Wildcats a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter.
This is arguably BYU’s toughest game ahead of Notre Dame coming to Provo October 17. BYU travels to TCU October 3, but the Horned Frogs have questions after coming off a week 0 loss to North Carolina in Dublin.
BYU-Arizona kickoff at 1:30 MT on FOX.
