BYU and Arizona are set to do battle for the 27th time overall and second time as Big 12 Conference rivals. SB Nation’s Arizona site, Arizona Desert Swarm, was kind enough to answer a few questions ahead
of Saturday’s contest.
Thanks to Brian Pedersen for giving us the scoop on the Wildcats.
What’s the biggest difference this year for Noah Fifita?
Pedersen: The two biggest differences between 2025 and 2024 for Fifita involve scheme and personnel. Last year the Wildcats’ offense under Dino Babers, and then Matt Adkins, was so slow developing that it was hard to watch and it didn’t properly fit Fifita’s skill set. The Wildcats had future first round pick Tetairoa McMillan but not really anything else, and most teams did their best to bracket him while Fifita quite often held onto the ball too long hoping his teammate since 7th grade would get open.
With T-Mac in the NFL, Fifita has been forced to look elsewhere, and new offensive coordinator Seth Doege’s up-tempo attack demands quick decision-making. When Fifita has struggled this season it’s been because he’s not trusting that initial read when it’s usually the right one.
What is the best part of Arizona’s defense?
Pedersen: Arizona is the only team in FBS not to allow a passing touchdown, though that’s a bit misleading because in the loss at Iowa State there were several big passing plays down inside the 10 that were followed shortly by 1- or 2-yard TD runs. Still, for the season the Wildcats are giving up less than 150 yards through the air and three opponents have been held to double digits.
Defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales plays almost exclusively man defense so he can load the box and stop the run, which has been pretty successful so far this season. No FBS team has run for more than 111 yards, even ones that go with heavier personnel. The base is 3-3-5 but there have been instances of four and even five linebackers out there depending on how an offense looks.
Who has stepped up with the departure of Tetairoa McMillan in the passing game?
Pedersen: As for the current receiving corps, it’s been a collaborative effort. Last season McMillan had more than one-third of the targets and no one else averaged more than 4.3 per game. This year Javin Whatley is the most targeted, with 32 in five games, followed by Chris Hunter (27) and then it’s a long list of options. Kansas State transfer Tre Spivey has the best hands on the team and has become a go-to red zone target.
What’s the biggest difference this year, with Arizona looking much improved?
Pedersen: Better schemes and better players, both of which are the result of having a full offseason. Brent Brennan was hired in mid-January last year, scrambled to put together a staff and took whatever he could from the portal to fill in the losses incurred after Jedd Fisch bolted to Washington. The result was that massively disappointing 4-8 record.
A full offseason enabled him to get the staff right and go after specific players that fit what Arizona was trying to do. Of the 22 who started last week against Oklahoma State, 11 weren’t on the team in 2024. Another five newcomers have started at least one game.
Give us a prediction
Pedersen: This is the biggest game of the Brennan era, a chance to show the program has been able to overcome what went wrong last season. Arizona was never going to win at Iowa State, and the game was closer than the score indicated, but it was still disappointing to see so much go wrong. Oklahoma State was a perfect get-right opponent, so there’s confidence going into this one.
It’s Family Weekend, and with no doubt quite a bit of help from BYU fans this should be a sellout. This fanbase is notoriously fickle, and a loss here (even to an unbeaten, ranked opponent) will probably make the remaining home games poorly attended. Danny Gonzales will whip up some crazy defensive scheme to contain Bear Bachmeier and Arizona will score just enough to win.
20-17 Wildcats.
