Washington State gets a very different kind of quarterback test this week, and it starts with Noah Fifita.
Arizona’s signal-caller is not the runner that Avery Johnson and Demond Williams were, but he brings something the Cougars haven’t seen nearly as much: elite passing. Fifita just broke the Arizona career passing record, and he may be the best quarterback Washington State faces all season. The formula is simple for the Cougars - slow him down, and the path to a win Saturday in Pullman opens up fast.
The Wildcats come in at 2-1, with wins over Northern Arizona and Northern Illinois and a loss to BYU. They’ve already shown both sides of their personality.
Arizona led BYU at halftime before getting blanked after the break, and it started slowly against Northern Illinois before eventually pulling away. A year ago, the Wildcats finished 9-4 against a soft schedule and never had to deal with Big 12 standouts Texas Tech, TCU or Utah.
They did, however, win at Cincinnati and Arizona State. This will also be their first trip to Pullman since 2023, which was Fifita’s breakout game as a starter.
Fifita’s reputation in Tucson is already well established. He stayed through a coaching change, got through a rough 2024 season, and now he’s off to a blazing start, completing 81.1 percent of his passes.
He’s one of only three active quarterbacks with more than 10,000 passing yards, and his 80 touchdown passes are topped by only Indiana’s Josh Hoover among D-I quarterbacks. At 5-10 and 190 pounds, he’s undersized, but that has never slowed him down.
Arizona’s offense has been built around him, and the passing game has been spread around. Thirteen different Wildcats have caught a pass this season, while Washington State has used nine.
Tre Spivey has been a key target, especially with Gio Richardson missing last week because of a lower-body injury; Spivey caught six passes for 90 yards. Kedrick Reescano has been the lead back so far, but the production has been modest with 33 carries for 127 yards.
On defense, the Wildcats have some edge. Chase Kennedy leads the team with 2.5 sacks, while Kevin Moorer Jr. and Cooper Blomstrom each have six pressures. Blomstrom also tops Arizona with 22 tackles.
The Cougars will also see a few familiar names. Tight end Henry Gabalis is the younger brother of former WSU quarterback Victor Gabalis, and Arizona defensive line coach and associate head coach Joe Salave'a was at Washington State from 2012-16.
One of the biggest statistical contrasts in this matchup comes on third down. Even after going 6-for-9 against Duquesne, Washington State is still 131st nationally at 26.7 percent on third down. Arizona, meanwhile, ranks seventh in the country at an even 60 percent.
There’s also a pass-rush opening here for the Cougars. Arizona has allowed nine sacks this season, which ranks 121st nationally. Washington State has only one sack so far, but this is a chance to get pressure on a quarterback who is not as quick to escape the pocket as the ones WSU has already faced.
Saturday’s game is also a Stripe the Stadium game at Martin Stadium, with half the sections asked to wear crimson and the other half grey.
In Other News...
Washington State Brings Two Big Problems Into Arizonas Night Test
Washington State walked away from its 48-7 win over Duquesne with plenty to like, especially on offense, where Kirby Moore pointed to cleaner execution and a noticeable bump in confidence. Even in a lopsided result, though, the Cougars still had reminders that the work is far from finished, and Moore was quick to frame the game as a step forward rather than a finished product.
The next test arrives under the lights against Arizona, and the concerns are easy to spot. Washington State wants to cut down on offensive holding penalties and settle down the kicking game after Jack Stevens recent struggles, but Moore said he will keep leaning on him for now. For a team trying to turn one good performance into something more lasting, those small issues could loom large very quickly. [Read more 🡒]
WSU Sticking With New Offensive Line As Another Concern Lingers
Washington State came out of its recent game with a fresh look up front, and Kirby Moore said the Cougars are going to stick with it when they face Arizona. Jonny Lester has been moved to left guard, Jaylin Caldwell has taken over at right tackle and Kyle Martin is no longer in the starting mix, a sign the staff is still searching for the right combination to steady an offensive line that has needed help.
The line shuffle is only part of the larger picture, though, because placekicking remains an issue and injury updates are still hanging over the week. Moore said cornerback Jalil Tuckers status is uncertain, while also pointing to the work of several defensive players and stressing that the Cougars still have room to improve in a few key areas as they head into another conference test. [Read more 🡒]
DJ Warners Position Switch Is Giving Wazzu One Big Defensive Test
DJ Warners move from defensive end to linebacker has given Washington State an early-season personnel puzzle, and it is one the Cougars are still sorting through as they head into conference play. Warner has already shown up in the tackle column with 12 stops through three games, but the bigger adjustment has been the speed of the new assignment, with defensive coordinator Trent Bray able to coach him directly from the sideline as he settles into a different spot on the field.
Arizona is next, which adds a little extra edge to the transition because it is a familiar name for Warner from his recruitment days. Washington State has also been juggling things up front on offense, where Jonny Lester slid to left guard to work next to Ashton Tripp in a recent win and Nick Bakken has handled his move to right guard well. For the Cougars, the bigger question now is how quickly Warner can turn a promising conversion into something even more reliable against a tested opponent. [Read more 🡒]