Arizona Wildcats Face Biggest Test Yet in Road Opener vs. Kansas State
Now, it gets real for the Arizona Wildcats.
No. 20 Arizona (2-0) kicks off a 10-game stretch against Big 12 conference opponents when they travel to Manhattan, Kansas, to take on the No. 14 Kansas State Wildcats (2-0) on Friday.
Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. mountain and will be broadcast on Fox, giving the league a huge showcase.
The twist is the game is NOT a Big 12 opener and won’t count in the Big 12 standings. Years ago, the two schools signed a scheduling agreement for a non-conference contest.
Well, that was before Arizona joined the Big 12 in August. During conference scheduling discussions, Arizona and Kansas State agreed to keep this as a non-conference instead of trying to find a new non-conference game on a year’s notice.
Baylor and Utah did the same thing last weekend, as the two schools had a similar agreement.
Both teams are coming off close victories. Arizona turned what should have been a blowout against Northern Arizona into a bit of a nail biter, as they beat the Lumberjacks, 22-10. The offense sputtered, but the Arizona defense did enough to ensure the program remained undefeated.
Kansas State went on the road to face Tulane and played a nail-biter, winning 34-27 after taking the lead on a scoop-and-score off a fumble by Green Wave quarterback Darian Mensah. Tulane had a chance to tie the game but a pass interference call on the Green Wave ended the game.
Both teams entered this game with a little something to prove. And they are unfamiliar with one another. They haven't played each other in more than 40 years.
Here is a preview of the Wildcats and the, well, Wildcats.
Arizona (2-0) at Kansas State (2-0)
Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, Kansas
Time: 5 p.m. MT
TV: FOX
Radio: KCUB 1290-AM (Flagship), KHYT 107.5-FM (sister station)
Coaches: Arizona — Brent Brennan (2-0 at Arizona, 36-48 career as head coach); Kansas State — Chris Klieman (41-24 at Kansas State, 113-37 overall).
Fun fact: These two schools have played in conferences with numbers in the title for a long time. Arizona played in the Pac-10 (the Wildcats, along with Arizona State, pushed the league to 10 teams when it joined) and the Pac-12. That goes back to 1978. Kansas State has been a member of the Big Six, the Big Seven, the Big Eight and the Big 12. K-State joined the Big Six in 1913 and the conference grew from there.
All-Times Series: Arizona leads series, 5-1-1.
Last meeting: Arizona def. Kansas State, 31-0 (Sept. 9, 1978).
Series notes: These pair of Wildcats played seven times from 1941-78, and all seven games were in Tucson. So, Friday’s game will be Arizona’s first visit to Manhattan.
Last week: Arizona def. Northern Arizona, 22-10; Kansas State def. Tulane, 34-27.
About Kansas State: For decades, Kansas State was the doormat of its conference. That changed when Bill Snyder took the reins of the program in the late 1980s and executed perhaps the greatest turnaround in the history of college football.
Snyder is now retired and a College Football Hall of Famer. Former North Dakota State head coach Chris Klieman has picked up the baton and kept the Wildcats among the best teams in the conference. In many ways, Klieman’s philosophy on football and his national championship pedigree at NDSU is the perfect successor to Snyder's greatness.
One of Klieman’s goals is to own Kansas in recruiting. He’s getting there. He kept one of the state’s top players, quarterback Avery Johnson, home in his Class of 2023. This year he took in a Kansas product and former Colorado freshman Dylan Edwards as a transfer.
About Arizona: Will the real Arizona Wildcats please stand up?
In Arizona’s opener, the offense was lights out. It scored 61 points. Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan had a game for the ages. But the defense was lit up for 471 yards and 39 points by New Mexico.
Against NAU, a game that should have been a layup based on the first week? Well, the offense looked lost, McMillan was nearly non-existent and quarterback Noah Fifita was inefficient. But, the defense kept the Lumberjacks at bay, including producing a safety.
It will take time for first-year coach Brent Brennan’s vision to take hold in Tucson. But it’s hard to find a team in college football that had a more up-and-down first two weeks than Arizona.
The best news may be that running back Quali Conley is producing like a primary back after two quality games to start the season.
Next Up: Arizona is off next week before it opens Big 12 Conference action at Utah on Sept. 28. Kansas State opens Big 12 action at BYU on Sept. 21.
MATT POSTINS