Breaking Down the Arizona vs. Cincinnati Game Prediction

Welcome! To another edition of the Arizona Wildcats Insiders Podcast featuring your host Troy Hutchison, who will be delivering a daily podcast discussing everything happening surrounding Arizona athletics giving you an inside look at all the programs on campus.

Hutchison has been covering Arizona for the last seven years with his coverage spanning all-across UA’s campus from football and men’s basketball to Title IX sports. Plus, with so many former Wildcats playing at the next level in their prospective sports there will be moments where he will take a deep dive into the Cats excelling outside of Tucson.

Arizona faced off against Kansas (5-5, 3-4 Big 12) with both teams being one win away from clinching a bowl berth.

After falling behind 17-7, the Wildcats (6-3, 3-3) managed to outscore KU 17-3 the rest of the way to clinch a bowl berth for the first time under head coach Brent Brennan and winning 24-20 over the Jayhawks.

Now that Arizona has clinched a trip to a bowl game, this marks the 23rd time in program history that the Wildcats will be playing postseason football. It is the first bowl game since the 2023 season when Jedd Fisch led UA to the Alamo Bowl and finished 10-3 on the season.

Nov 8, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Brent Brennan reacts against the Kansas Jayhawks in the second half at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Quarterback Noah Fifita had an up and down game going 16 of 31 on his passing attempts while collecting 158 yards and two touchdowns. Plus, Fifita was able to put together 25 yards on the ground despite being sacked five times in the game.

Although it wasn’t his best game, Fifita’s two touchdown passes puts him in a three-way tie for the most touchdown passes in a career in program history with 67 placing him alongside Willie Tuitama and Nick Foles.

On the defensive side of the ball, Arizona saw linebacker Taye Brown and freshman Myron Robinson combine for 16 tackles, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble to lead the linebackers room.

Iowa State Cyclones' running back Carson Hansen (26) runs with the ball after making a catch around Arizona Wildcats linebacker Taye Brown (6) during the first quarter in the Big-12 conference showdown on Sept. 27, 2025, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

However, the player of the game for Arizona was running back Quincy Craig, who had three rushes for 47 yards, 13 yards receiving and scored two touchdowns. Craig’s last touchdown was the game-winning score to put the Wildcats up 24-20 with under 40 seconds left in the game.

Not only was Craig the best player on the field for Arizona on Saturday, he received the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week award for his performance. His two biggest runs came on the final drive with an 18-yard run on 3rd and three and then a 24-yard rushing touchdown the next play to seal the win.

With Craig winning the award, he becomes the third WIldcats to do so and it marks the fourth time this season an Arizona player has won the award. Both Ismail Mahdi and Fifita have won the award this season.

Sep 12, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats running back Ismail Mahdi (21) runs the ball while Kansas State Wildcats safety Daniel Cobbs (4) defends during the fourth quarter at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Now, the Wildcats will be hitting the road to take on No. 25 Cincinnati (7-2, 5-1) with an early 10 a.m. (MST) kickoff and will be televised on FS1.

So, we at Arizona Wildcats On SI put together our game prediction for Arizona-Cinicinnati and broke down how we see the game going.

Game Prediction

No. 25 Cincinnati: 31

Arizona: 27

Reason

Oct 18, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Brent Brennan looks on during the second quarter against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Throughout the tenure of Brennan and his coaching staff, Arizona has struggled on the road going 2-5 with four blowout losses where the Wildcats fell behind by double-digit before even scoring the football.

Now, Arizona should be able to put up points on the Bearcats and keep pace with one of the better offensive units in the Big 12. However, an early morning kick time isn’t easy and a trip all the way to Ohio is never a comfortable trip for West Coast teams.

Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Brendan Sorsby (2) runs the ball to the end zone for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a NCAA men’s football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and Baylor Bears, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. Bearcats won 41-20. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arizona has had some issues at defending a running quarterback and the Bearcats might have the best QB in the conference in Brendan Sorsby, who has killed teams with his arm and legs this season.

Please be sure to share your thoughts on our game prediction for Arizona-Cincinnati and let us know how you see the game going. To do so, follow us on our X account by clicking on the link.