Score Prediction for Arizona vs. Houston Matchup

Arizona wanted to get back on the right track after an underwhelming first season under Brent Brennan where the team finished 4-8 and missed a bowl game despite preseason high expectations.

Well, after changes were made to the coaching staff and the roster, Brennan seems to have the Wildcats moving in the right direction with the team starting the year with 3-straight impressive wins over Hawaii, Weber State and Kansas State.

However, the Wildcats have gone 1-2 in their last three games with losses to Iowa State and most recently BYU at home this past Saturday night.

Arizona (4-2, 1-2 Big 12) was looking to stay on track after an impressive 28-point win over Oklahoma State as the Wildcats faced off against No. 18 BYU, with the game on ESPN2, showcasing two of the better defensive teams in the Big 12.

The forecast called for rain and after an hour weather delay, the game lived up to the billing of a defensive grudge match with both teams coming up with clutch stops and key takeaways to keep the offenses in check.

Arizona put itself in perfect position in the fourth quarter up 24-14 with just over 10 minutes left in the game. However, the Wildcats saw BYU tie the game up with 19 seconds left in the game due to two pass interference calls on defensive back Michael Dansby.

Arizona defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales setting up his defensive unit against Hawaii | Arizona Athletics

In overtime, BYU went on to fight its way to an impressive 33-27 double overtime win over Arizona and keep its undefeated streak alive. The Wildcats had an opportunity to pull off the upset but fell flat in the last minutes of regulation, which led to the overtime loss.

Still, Arizona is in a solid position to make a bowl game with the Wildcats just needing two wins in the last six games to lock up the bowl berth.

Oct 11, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tre Spivey (12) catches the ball while Brigham Young Cougars cornerback Evan Johnson (0) fails to block it during the third quarter of the game at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Arizona will now face off against Houston (5-1, 2-1) with an early morning 9 a.m. (MST) kickoff time on FS! Looking to get back on track.

Here at Arizona Wildcats On SI, we put together our game prediction for the Arizona-Houston game and give you our reasons why we have the outcome we do.

Game Prediction

Oct 11, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats defensive back Jay’Vion Cole (8) and defensive lineman Dominic Lolesio (42) celebrate a block field goal attempted by the Brigham Young Cougars during the second quarter of the game at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Arizona: 38

Houston: 17

Reason

When looking at the two teams, both have good defensive units that have had major success this season and both have had some inconsistencies on the offensive side of the ball that has led to empty drives throughout the season.

Arizona has lost four-straight road games by an average of 28 points. The common theme in those games is that the Wildcats have fallen behind by double-digits each game.

Oct 11, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Brigham Young Cougars running back LJ Martin (4) gets tackled by the Arizona Wildcats during the first quarter of the game at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Winning on the road has been extremely hard for Brennan and his coaching staff. So, why do we think Arizona is going to roll Houston?

Well, when you look at the Cougars, they might be one of the weakest 5-1 teams in the country. UH has struggled in its games against Colorado, Oregon State and Oklahoma State. There is something to be said about winning impressively and Houston just hasn’t done that at all this season.

Houston Cougars defensive lineman Carlos Allen (5) brings down Oklahoma State Cowboys quarterback Sam Jackson V (18) during a college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys (OSU) and the Houston Cougars at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. Houston won 39-17. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Plus, with the way the Wildcats blew the 10-point lead against BYU and see how the team and especially the coaching staff was pissed off with the fourth quarter of the game, Arizona seems like a team that is looking to make a statement.

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