Arizona Heads to Cincinnati: Three Big Storylines to Watch
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Arizona is 6-3 on the season and hitting the road once again. After a dramatic win over Kansas in Tucson, where the Wildcats secured bowl eligibility, No. 25 Cincinnati presents itself as the next big test.
Against the Jayhawks, Arizona edged out a 24-20 victory behind a game-winning drive orchestrated on the ground. Running back Quincy Craig sealed the deal with a 24-yard burst for a touchdown to take the lead in the final minute.
Brent Brennan will take the Wildcats to the postseason for the first time, but now he has a chance to shake up the Big 12 standings with an upset over the Bearcats.
Cincinnati is coming off a bye week after a thumping loss at Utah, but Scott Satterfield's team still has a shot to crack the conference title game. Given how close the standings are at the top, every game matters from here on out.
Brennan has had issues on the road dating back to his time at San Jose State, and this is the furthest trip for the Wildcats this season away from Tucson. Hopefully, the Wildcats rectified that issue, or at least took a step in the right direction, by beating down Colorado on the road in Arizona's last road game.
It's another important game for the Wildcats to take to prove they are taking positive steps as a program. Here are three things to watch as Arizona takes on Kansas this weekend.
Noah Fifita Can Capture Arizona Passing Touchdown Record
Noah Fifita tossed two touchdowns against Kansas, bringing him into a three-way tie for the Arizona program record for career touchdown passes. Now, he has a chance to surpass the mark and sit alone at the top.
Fifita's 67 career touchdown passes for the Wildcats have him tied with both Willie Tuitama and Nick Foles. The junior quarterback has been on a roll this season, throwing for 2,200 yards, 23 touchdowns and only four interceptions.
67 career TD passes & counting.@thenoah_fifita1 has officially matched Nick Foles & Willie Tuitama for the #1 spot on Arizona Football's career passing touchdown list. pic.twitter.com/5FU5B9TDaL
— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) November 8, 2025
The Jayhawks don't have a necessarily threatening pass defense, but Fifita still struggled and was under considerable pressure throughout. He completed 16-of-31 passes for 158 yards and two scores. It was the least amount of yards he's compiled in a game this season. However, Fifita has thrown for multiple touchdowns in seven of Arizona's nine games.
Cincinnati is another pass defense that Fifita should enjoy success against. The Bearcats allow 225.6 passing yards per game (13th in the Big 12) and have surrendered 13 passing touchdowns.
There are a few different ways Fifita and offensive coordinator Seth Doege could try to beat the Cincinnati defense, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Arizona stick to its quick passing game that has spread defenses out this season. Either way, expect Fifita to break the program record this weekend.
How can Arizona get pressure on Brendan Sorsby?
The Bearcats boast one of the best offenses in the conference, scoring 35.6 points per game (third in the Big 12). Just like Arizona, the offense starts and ends with the quarterback under center.
Brendan Sorsby has developed into a player with a lot of different tools. He has a big arm to stretch the field. He can read the field well and make smart, conservative decisions. He also has legs to extend plays or become an extension of the running game.
The former Indiana transfer is on pace for his best season yet. He's thrown for 2,064 yards, 21 touchdowns and just two interceptions. A key reason he's had so much success is that the Bearcats have kept him upright.
Cincinnati has allowed just two sacks this season, which has allowed Sorsby to open up and be aggressive downfield with shots to receivers like speedster Cyrus Allen. The Bearcats also capitalize on his legs with plenty of play action and bootleg plays that keep him on the move, while also calling designed QB runs from time to time.
Arizona doesn't rush the passer much, but it does have the ability to get in the backfield and create negative plays. Taye Brown will be a key this week for the Wildcats to follow Sorsby on those bootleg plays and track him down or prevent him from picking up easy yards with his legs.
Deshawn McKnight and Leroy Palu have caused problems for offenses this season from the interior, but the pass rush will need to come from edge rushers like Chase Kennedy. The junior outside linebacker has three sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss this season, setting the edge and turning plays inside. Arizona will need a big showing from him this week.
Will the Wildcats Stick With the Rushing Attack?
Fifita is the main attraction and the Wildcats have receivers to punish defenses at any level. It's good to have that depth, but it's also nice not to put so much pressure on your quarterback every week.
Arizona's trio of running backs can create a steady attack this week. Ismail Mahdi has had some big runs the past few weeks and remains the top choice between the tackles and for downhill running. Kedrick Reescano has more speed to his game and has four touchdowns this season. Craig doesn't see the field much, but might have bought himself more playing time after two touchdowns against Kansas and the game-winning score.
Got this on repeat 🔁 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/S7qIrNgDws
— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) November 9, 2025
Cincinnati allows 155.6 rushing yards per game, so the Wildcats could win up front in this game. While Arizona is loaded with talent at tailback, Brennan hasn't deployed all three backs in a way that maintains any level of success over several games.
Craig has been used the most in passing situations, but his five touches last week should get him on the ground more, especially this week. Arizona ran for 165 yards last week against Kansas. If Fifita has a tough time with pressure again or connecting with receivers, the run game could slow the game down and let the Wildcats adjust.
It's vital to control the tempo on the road. Why not try to do that by pounding forward with Mahdi, Craig and Reescano, setting up the play action in the process.
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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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