Arizona Wildcats On Edge With Colorado Buffaloes Coming to Tucson
The Arizona Wildcats were a ranked team just a month ago. Things can change fast.
The Wildcats (3-3, 1-2 in Big 12) are on a two-game losing streak after falling to Texas Tech and BYU. The loss to the Cougars exposed serious flaws across the board. Some of that was health. Some of that was losing linebacker Jacob Manu to a targeting call in the first quarter.
But some of it was, quite simply, an inability to execute against a BYU team that has aspirations of reaching the Big 12 Championship game.
The Wildcats can still harbor those aspirations. But, Arizona cannot lose another game.
Colorado (4-2, 2-1) is coming off a 31-28 loss to Kansas State on Saturday. The Buffs took the game down to the wire and had the lead but lost it on a clutch touchdown pass by the Wildcats’ Avery Johnson.
But, with just one league loss, the Buffs are still squarely in the race for the two spots to get to Arlington in December.
With that backdrop, the Wildcats host the Buffaloes in a homecoming showdown at 1 p.m. mountain on Saturday, with the game set to be broadcast on Fox.
Here is a preview of the Wildcats and the Buffs.
Colorado at Arizona
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, Ariz.
Time: 1 p.m. MT
TV: FOX
Radio: KCUB 1290-AM (Flagship), KHYT 107.5-FM (sister station)
Coaches: Arizona — Brent Brennan (3-3 at Arizona, 37-51 career as head coach); Colorado — Deion Sanders (8-10 at Colorado, 35-16 overall).
Records: Arizona — 3-3 (1-2 in Big 12); Colorado — 4-2 (2-1).
Fun fact: The two schools have played in a combined 10 different conferences, but weren’t league rivals until the Buffs joined the Pac-12 in 2011.
All-Times Series: Colorado leads series, 16-10.
Last meeting: Arizona def Colorado, 34-31 (2023).
Series notes: Colorado has lost the last two games against Arizona, but the Buffs have a great record all-time in Tucson — 9-4. The Buffaloes also won the first 12 meetings. CU is 4-10 since.
Last week: Arizona lost to BYU, 41-19. Colorado lost to Kansas State, 31-28.
About Colorado: Yes, the Buffaloes have a lot of flash, thanks to Coach Prime (Deion Sanders), his son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, and two-way superstar Travis Hunter. But the pair backs it up each week, as does a Buffaloes team that is much improved from a year ago.
The improvement has been most significant up front, as Colorado has emerged as a solid run-stopping unit, even after K-State’s D.J. Giddens carved it up on Saturday. The Buffs’ own offensive line is in better shape, too, though pass protection was an issue late in the game against the Wildcats.
Colorado excels when its playmakers can get into space and get things done. That will be something to watch this week, as Hunter and another receiver, Jimmy Horn Jr., were banged up in the K-State game.
About Arizona: The last two games have been rough for Arizona. The team is banged up. As a result, the offensive line had trouble protecting quarterback Noah Fifita and he had four turnovers (three interceptions, one fumble). The Wildcats are still struggling to find a consistent second receiving option.
Meanwhile, BYU rendered the Wildcats’ run game inert and the defense may be less healthy than the offense. At least Manu will be back after the targeting call. But, Treydan Stukes is still out for the year and Gunner Maldonado is week-to-week.
Maybe the expectations were too high with a new head coach, even as players like Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan opted to stay for another year as opposed to transferring. But, with six games remaining, the Wildcats aren’t just fighting to stay in the Big 12 Championship game race. They’re fighting to make sure they can go to a bowl game.
Next Up: Arizona hosts West Virginia on Oct. 26. Colorado hosts Cincinnati on Oct. 26.
