Storylines to Follow For Arizona Against Arizona State
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No. 25 Arizona is rolling into the season finale on a 4-game win streak, with victories over Colorado and Cincinnati on the road and Kansas and Baylor in Tucson.
Now, there is one stop left on the schedule: up north in Tempe.
The rivalry between Arizona and Arizona State will be renewed on the football field for the 99th time, as the Wildcats look to take down the No. 20 Sun Devils.
Last time the Wildcats came to Tempe, they cruised to a 59-23 victory as quarterback Noah Fifita threw for 517 yards and five touchdowns. Last season, the Sun Devils did the throttling, beating the Wildcats 49-7 in Tucson en route to a Big 12 title.
This time around should be a more even fight. Both teams have eight wins and are ranked in the top 25 at the time of the matchup for the first time since 2014. Even though the Sun Devils are missing several key players, including quarterback Sam Leavitt, ASU has strung together three straight wins with backup Jeff Sims.
The rivalry should be hard-fought, as both teams have a lot on the line. Here is what to watch in Tempe on Saturday.
How Will Arizona Stop ASU's Run Game?
Despite Arizona's impressive turnaround defensively this season, the Wildcats have had some trouble stopping the run. The Wildcats have allowed 149.8 rushing yards per game, eighth in the Big 12.
Baylor's Caden Knighten rushed for 100 yards last week as the latest running back to take advantage of Arizona's front seven. The Wildcats have particularly struggled against dual-threat quarterbacks. Houston's Conner Weigman and BYU's Bear Bachmeier ran for a combined 189 yards and three touchdowns.
Sims is a different monster as a runner than those two. Sims is a run-first quarterback who rushed for 228 yards against Iowa State earlier this season. Running back Raleek Brown also ran for 255 yards against Colorado this past weekend.
Brown is the one to really worry about. Despite his 5-foot-9 size, Brown is used between the tackles plenty and is lightning quick in the open field. He crossed the 1,000-yard mark this past weekend, and much of that comes on big gain plays rather than chipping away. Brown has 40 plays this season of 10 or more yards, the most of any player in the Big 12.
Arizona will need to stack the box more often and rely on its strong secondary to play single coverage. It's a big week for linebacker Taye Brown and Max Harris, who need to diagnose the run quickly as the Sun Devils get to the second level.
Deshawn McKnight and Riley Wilson might also be in for an interesting matchup at the line of scrimmage. Arizona State is playing with several backup linemen, but is still running the ball well. Keep an eye on the trenches this week.
How Often Does Noah Fifita Go Deep?
Fifita has been hit-or-miss downfield this season. On throws of 20 yards or more, Fifita has completed just 36% of his passes, but also has 14 big-time throws and eight touchdowns with zero interceptions.
Arizona State has had some struggles defending the deep ball this season and defending the pass in general. The Sun Devils allow 220.2 passing yards per game, 11th in the Big 12. West Virginia had success throwing deep against ASU, and Mississippi State beat the Sun Devils in September on a blown coverage downfield.
Fifita should be able to rely on receivers Kris Hutson and Javin Whatley outside or in the slot. The one defensive back to be wary of is Keith Abney, who typically lines up along the boundary. He is excellent in man coverage and does not get fooled often.
The Wildcats found more balance last week on offense, running the ball well with Kedrick Reescano and Ismail Mahdi. I would expect Arizona to continue to try to establish the run early on, but the Sun Devils are good against the run, allowing 119.3 yards per game, second-best in the Big 12.
Seth Doege will be aggressive this week, but Fifita's decision-making will be key to an Arizona victory. He's made good decisions this season, but ASU defensive coordinator Brian Ward has some sneaky blitzes that can force quarterbacks into a bad snap decision, especially at the end of tight games.
How Much Has Changed Since Last Season's Matchup?
The Sun Devils and Wildcats have taken turns dismantling each other in opposing buildings over the past two seasons. This time should be more of a fair fight with both teams ranked and on a roll.
Last season, ASU let running back Cam Skattebo run all over the Wildcats, rushing for 177 yards and three touchdowns. Now, he's gone, and Arizona's front seven is much better.
In 2023, Arizona let Fifita sling the ball all over the Sun Devils, going over 500 yards and tossing five touchdowns. The difference: he's still with the Wildcats.
This matchup is more nuanced, but Arizona definitely has more tools this season to take down its rival. ASU has been inconsistent defensively this season, but it can get after the quarterback, registering 31 sacks this season, second-most in the Big 12.
Fifita has faced pressure this season, but the Sun Devils could pose the biggest threat yet, especially if Tristan Bounds is unable to go again this week.
Either way, this will be a measuring stick game for just how far Arizona has come in the past 12 months. Even though ASU is not at full strength, this is a pride game for the Wildcats. Winning this game will make a record reversal all the sweeter.
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Logan Brown is an alumnus of the prestigious Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He currently works as a General College Sports Reporter On SI. Logan has an extensive background in writing and has contributed to Cronkite Sports, PHNX Sports, and Motion Graphics.
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