3 Defensive Players to Watch For (Kansas State)

The Arizona Wildcats defense has made short work of their first two opponents, Hawaii and Weber State, showing that they're a completely different team from 2024, which saw them give up 39 points to New Mexico and score a low 22 points to NAU while failing to force any turnovers.

Arizona has proven that it is a much different team from last year's, as it has given up just nine points, forced seven turnovers and scored a combined 88 points on offense.

The Arizona offense also looks much more balanced out than a season ago, with three running backs carrying the ball at least six times and scoring a touchdown in week one. In week two, 12 receivers caught at least one pass from Noah Fifita on his 373-yard, five-touchdown night.

"I felt like some of those guys needed to get real game experience going into, you know, quote, unquote, Big 12 opponents," Offensive coordinator Seth Doege said. "This is where it really matters, and this is what real football is about. I'm excited that they got those reps. I'm excited Mizell got those reps. I'm excited. Gio got those reps, I'm excited. Phelps made some plays. Through this long journey of a Big 12 schedule, you're going to need those guys. They might not be your starters yet, but they're going to be great rotational players, and I'm excited that they've made plays early so they know what that feels like."

The Arizona offense will now be facing a tough Kansas State defense, which is looking to get back on track from the last couple of games that saw it give up 200 yards on the ground to Army last week and 273 yards through the air against North Dakota the week before.

Arizona seems to be more than up to the challenge of continuing the streak of dominance against a much higher-level team than its last two opponents and get some revenge on the team that put 31 points on it while allowing just seven.

If Arizona is to fire off on all cylinders like it has been, it will need to look out for K-State's best players on defense and limit their impact on the field. Here is a list of three K-State defenders that Arizona should look out for on Friday's matchup.

Tobi Osunsanmi-defensive end

Osunsanmi has been a force for Kansas State in its first three games on a defense that has struggled to stop its opponents when it mattered the most.

Osusunsanmi had at least one sack and four tackles against both Iowa State and North Dakota in those grueling close matchups.

There have been times in Arizona's victories that defenders have been able to get to Fifita in the backfield, mostly on the right side, where Tristan Bounds has lined up, while Rhino Tapa'atoutai is still rehabbing his knee injury.

Osunsanmi lines up on that side, so whoever lines up at right tackle, be it Bounds or Tapa'atoutai will have their hands full.

Austin Romaine-Linebacker

Romaine has been a tackling machine for K-State in the first three games and has reached 10 in the last two, something he is accustomed to doing as K-State's leading tackler (96) last year.

The junior middle linebacker was everywhere on the field against Army and eight of those 10 tackles were made by himself. It was the same case against North Dakota, as he notched seven of his 10 tackles on his own.

Romaine's primary game is run defense and physicality, so the rushing attack will need to be at its best this Friday. It's not known whether or not Arizona's most physical running back, Kedrick Reescano will play, as he was seen in a walking boot last Saturday.

Desmond Purnell-Linebacker

Much like Romaine, Purnell is a physical linebacker who has built a reputation for dominating at the line of scrimmage.

He had four sacks in 2024 and his 9.5 tackles for loss ranked second on the team last year while also forcing three fumbles.

Purnell is a versatile linebacker as well. He can stop the run and drop into coverage when he is needed to. That much has shown as he deflected a pass against Iowa State and has gotten 2.5 tackles for loss in the last two games, while being among the top three tacklers.

If Reescano doesn't end up playing on Friday, the duo of Quincy Craig and Ismail Mahdi will need to be at their best against the stout linebacking corps that K-State has.

Who else do you see giving Arizona trouble this Friday? Let us know in the comments of our X account. Just click the link to find it and be sure to give us a follow.