3 Bears Players Arizona Must Watch For On Defense

The Wildcats will need to be cautious of these three Bears when ithey line up on offense.

Cincinnati Bearcats defensive lineman Mikah Coleman (4) sacks Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita (1) in the second quarter of the NCAA football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and Arizona Wildcats at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Nov. 15, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Arizona Wildcats' offense has been on a roll during their three-game winning streak, and this latest contest was no different. They marched into Nippert Stadium and were relentless in their 30-24 upset win over the Cincinnati Bearcats, showing no signs of slowing down, despite struggling in the first half.

Arizona fought its way to scoring 10 points and gaining 194 yards of total offense, but once it settled down and made the necessary adjustments, it cruised to a 484-yard, 30-point day that saw Noah Fifita become the all-time career leader in touchdown passes with 68. He now needs under 800 yards to become the leader in that category as well.

The 5-5 Baylor Bears will now be coming into Casino Del Sol Stadium with high hopes of spoiling the Wildcats' Senior Day and becoming bowl eligible for the fourth time in head coach Dave Aranda's six years with the program.

The Bears boast the Big 12's 13th-ranked defense, but they are still a unit that should be taken seriously as they feature a group of players that will fly to the ball and wreak havoc on the offense. Arizona will need to watch for these three players if it wants a chance at routing Baylor in the final home game of the season.

Keaton Thomas-Line backer

Sep 20, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils tight end Chamon Metayer (7) is tackled by Baylor Bears linebacker Keaton Thomas (11) during the second half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Thomas has built a reputation on the Bears' football team for being an aggressive linebacker who is not afraid of contact and can dominate the line of scrimmage.

Through 10 games played, he is ranked fourth in the Big 12 in total tackles, recording 89 of them with 49 of those by himself.

In two games, he notched double-digit tackles, his highest against Auburn (15) at the beginning of the season. He also returned a fumble in a loss to TCU.

Nov 1, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears linebacker Keaton Thomas (11) breaks up the pass to UCF Knights tight end Dylan Wade (0) during the first half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Arizona will need to keep an eye out for him on the field to make sure the rushing attack plays at its full potential.

Emar'rion Winston-Line backer

Sep 6, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears safety DJ Coleman (33) and linebacker Emar'rion Winston (32) rushes the line during the game between the SMU Mustangs and the Baylor Bears at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Winston transferred from Oregon and immediately made his presence felt on defense, showcasing his skill as both a run stopper and a pass rusher.

In 10 games, Winston has gotten four sacks and 16 tackles, which may not seem like much, but he is still a tremendous force.

Sep 6, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; SMU Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) is sacked by Baylor Bears linebacker Emar'rion Winston (32) during the second quarter at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Wildcats will need to make sure he is well blocked and keep him out of the backfield and away from Fifita, as they have yielded nine sacks in the last three games.

Jacob Redding-Safety

Oct 4, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears safety Jacob Redding (38) returns an interception for a touchdown against Kansas State Wildcats tight end Will Swanson (83) during the second half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Redding is another hard-hitting player who is keen on making contact with a ball carrier and putting his body on the line to prevent a pass from being made.

In 10 games played, he has accumulated 48 tackles and three interceptions, one of those being for 69 yards against Kansas State.

Nov 1, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; UCF Knights running back Myles Montgomery (22) carries the ball as Baylor Bears safety Jacob Redding (38) defends during the first half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Redding will have his hands full when he goes against the Arizona Passing offense, which ranks fourth in the Big 12.

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