BYU and Arizona are meeting for the third time in three seasons on Saturday, and this one carries a little extra edge after what happened the last time the Wildcats went to Provo.
BYU handled Arizona 41-19 in 2024, a game that got the Big Noon Kickoff treatment and turned into a rough afternoon for the Wildcats. Arizona coach Brent Brennan was asked Monday whether he had talked with his team about dealing with the crowd better this time around, but he made it clear he wasn’t putting the loss on the atmosphere.
"I didn't feel like the crowd was a problem in [2024], I felt like we didn't play very well. You know what I mean.
We turned the ball over too many times. I think that's a very separate issue.
They have a great crowd though. That part of it I respect and we know that going in there.
That's one of those things, if you let that be an excuse, it will be."
That 2024 game was a nightmare for Noah Fifita, who threw three interceptions - still the only time in his career he has done that in a single game. Now in his final season at Arizona, he gets another shot at BYU and another chance to put that performance behind him.
Fifita has already made it clear the rematch mattered to him. At Big 12 Media Days in July, he told the Deseret News the game had been circled.
"I would be lying if I didn't say that that game has been circled," Fifita said. "It's been circled because you get to go back to Provo, you know that stadium is going to be on fire.
You know that team is going to be physical. You know that team is going to be great."
Saturday’s meeting also comes with real weight for BYU’s Big 12 hopes. The Cougars are trying to get back to Arlington and into the conference championship game, and ESPN FPI currently gives them a 25% chance to win eight or more league games. That number matters because eight conference wins is likely what it will take to return to Arlington.
A win over Arizona would move BYU’s odds of reaching eight or more conference victories from 25% to 31%, while its chances of getting to seven or more would jump to 62%. Seven league wins would still keep the door open, though BYU would probably need a tiebreaker to get back to the title game.
In Other News...
BYU's Arizona Rotations Suddenly Come With Two Big Concerns
BYUs snap counts against the Trailblazers offered a pretty clear look at how the Cougars are trying to manage their personnel as they head into Arizona. The offense leaned heavily on tight ends, using two of them as much as its top wide receivers, while the defensive side kept rotating up front in search of fresh legs and a steady pass rush. It was the kind of game that showed both the depth chart and the game plan, especially with certain players being asked to do a little more in key spots.
Legend Glasker appears headed for a bigger role, but the more immediate concern is how BYU covers for the losses and limitations that showed up in that game. Sione Moa left early because of injury, and Nusi Taumoepeau was on a limited snap count, which only adds to the pressure on the Cougars rotation at a time when they need dependable bodies on both sides of the ball. On defense, the challenge is especially clear: BYU needs enough push from the line to bother the quarterback without having to lean too hard on blitzing. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Fans Will Love Who's Behind Saturday's Pregame Flyover
A familiar show of pageantry is coming to LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday, and this one carries a personal connection for Jimmy Winegardner. The BYU graduate and KC-135 pilot is set to handle the pregame flyover before the national anthem at the BYU-Arizona game, with kickoff slated for 1:30 p.m. MDT, adding a little extra buzz to a matchup already carrying plenty of interest.
For Winegardner, the moment has been years in the making, a chance to combine his military role with a place that still matters to him. The KC-135 crew will spend time on training flights around Utah Valley before approaching the stadium from the south, and for BYU fans, it should be a memorable arrival even before the first snap. [Read more 🡒]
BYU's Arizona Test Could Raise The Stakes Around Kalani Sitake
BYU heads into its game against Arizona with more than a conference test hanging over the night, even as fans are being urged to turn LaVell Edwards Stadium into a blue-and-white Stripe Out. The matchup offers another chance for the Cougars to show they can handle a meaningful early-season check, but it also comes with a familiar backdrop around the program: a coach who has kept the team competitive while navigating a school and sport in transition.
Kalani Sitakes future at BYU remains a live conversation because of the way he has spoken publicly about resources and support, especially after recent administrative changes around the program. In a college football landscape that keeps shifting under everyones feet, the Arizona game feels like more than a standalone date on the schedule, since performances like this can quietly shape how loudly those bigger questions get asked in the weeks that follow. [Read more 🡒]