West Virginia gets Arizona at home on Saturday afternoon with both teams trying to keep their season on the right track, but the recent form points in different directions.
The Mountaineers opened 3-0 and had a statement win at Virginia, but the last two weeks have been rough. West Virginia was blown out at home by Oklahoma State, then came up short by three at Iowa State last week. Arizona, meanwhile, has stacked up three straight wins after its Week 2 loss at BYU, including a 34-7 rout of Cincinnati last week.
This matchup also comes with a little recent history. West Virginia beat Arizona 31-26 on Oct. 26, 2024 in the first meeting between the programs.
The big name to watch is Noah Fifita, who is in his fifth and final season at Arizona and his fourth year as the starting quarterback. He has been rolling through the early part of his senior year, completing 124 of 168 passes for 1,415 yards with 13 touchdowns and three interceptions.
That puts him 10th nationally in passing yards, and his 13 touchdown throws are tied for ninth in the country. He’s also added three rushing touchdowns, matching his total from last season.
West Virginia has the home field, but that edge hasn’t been enough to steady things lately. The Mountaineers just lost 41-24 to Oklahoma State as 1.5-point home underdogs, while Arizona handled its latest road trip better after the stumble at BYU, beating Washington State by 10 as 11.5-point favorites.
The call here leans Arizona to keep the momentum going away from home, with the OVER also in play.
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Now comes a revealing stretch against West Virginia, Rodriguezs current team, that offers a sharper measure of where Arizona really stands under Brennan. It is the sort of matchup that can show whether the improvement is sustainable or still just a promising early chapter, especially with the Wildcats needing to prove they can keep their level against a program with its own expectations and edge. [Read more 🡒]
