Washington State’s first win under Kirby Moore is already in the rearview mirror, and the next test arrives fast. On Saturday afternoon in Pullman, the Cougars get Arizona, a familiar former Pac-12 opponent led by quarterback Noah Fifita.
This is the first time the programs have met since 2023, when both were still in the same conference and Arizona rolled into Pullman and left with a 44-6 win. That victory snapped a three-game road series skid for the Wildcats, and Fifita was at the center of it. In just his third start, he threw for 342 yards and earned his first career win.
Now he’s back in the same building with a much bigger résumé. Last week against Northern Illinois, Fifita became Arizona’s program record-holder in passing yards, reaching 10,017, and in touchdown passes with 80. Those numbers also sit among the top three career totals for active FBS quarterbacks.
Moore made it clear Monday that he knows what Washington State is walking into. He praised Fifita’s accuracy and called him a “complete playmaker.”
The Arizona quarterback backed that up in the Wildcats’ 42-17 win over Northern Illinois, going 31 of 34 for 325 yards and four touchdowns while completing passes to 11 different receivers. Through three games, Arizona has scored nine touchdowns in 11 red-zone trips, an 81.8-percent clip that ranked 18th in FBS and marked a clear jump from last season.
“You talk about progression passing, and it’s not just a 1-2 (first option to second option) run,” Moore said. “It’s seeing the whole field, extending plays and finding guys downfield.”
Here’s the setup for Saturday’s game: WSU (1-2) plays the middle game of its three-game homestand against Arizona (2-1) at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Washington.
The broadcast crew will be Rich Waltz on play-by-play, with Adam Breneman and Brian Kelly as analysts and Jordan Giorgio on the sideline.
In Other News...
Arizona Faces A Real Test As Predictions Split On Washington State
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The picks are not lining up neatly, either. Michael Lev, Justin Spears and Jordan Hamm all dug into the matchup from different angles, with Arizona drawing support in the final call but not complete agreement on the cover discussion. That kind of split is a reminder that this one may come down to how well Arizona handles the details in a game that oddsmakers and analysts alike are treating as more competitive than a typical early-season road stop. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Has A Chance To Fix Two Problems Fast
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For Doege, the run-game problems begin with him, not with the personnel or the overall plan, which puts the focus on execution and coaching before anything else. Gonzales faces a matchup that could help his side steady itself, since Washington States defense has been giving up a lot of rushing production this season. If Arizona can clean up those two areas quickly, it would go a long way toward changing the feel of its season. [Read more 🡒]
Tommy Lloyd Gave Arizona Fans A Lot To Like About This Roster
Tommy Lloyd came away from a busy stretch with plenty to point to as Arizona keeps taking shape for the season. He liked what he saw from JJ and Derek, calling out the growth both players have shown and their readiness to help right away, and he sounded encouraged by the overall direction of the roster after the programs recent trip to Lithuania, which brought its own mix of challenges and benefits.
The coach also had plenty of positive takeaways from the younger pieces, including Bryce James and prospect Maksim Brnovic, as Arizona heads into a Red-Blue weekend with extra attention on the 1997 team being honored. Lloyd made it clear the Wildcats have more than one route to building a workable rotation, and the next steps for those emerging players could go a long way in determining how high this group can climb. [Read more 🡒]