No. 2 Utah faces its toughest remaining test of the regular season when the Utes travel to face No. 23 Arizona on Saturday, Nov. 14 at Casino Del Sol Stadium in Tucson. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Fox. Utah enters at 9-0, Arizona at 7-2, and the biggest question is whether the Wildcats’ high-scoring offense can keep pace with an undefeated team that has won every game by at least seven points this season.
Utah Vs Arizona Game Information
- Date: Saturday, Nov. 14
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: Casino Del Sol Stadium, Tucson, Arizona
- TV: Fox
- Weather: 67 degrees, 1% chance of precipitation
Can Arizona’s Offense Keep Up With Utah’s Scoring Pace?
Arizona is averaging 34.2 points per game behind quarterback Noah Fifita, who has completed 224 of 307 passes for 2,794 yards with 21 touchdowns and five interceptions. Wide receiver Isaiah Mizell has caught 40 passes for 753 yards and seven touchdowns, giving Fifita a reliable deep target.
Utah counters at 37.7 points per game, and quarterback Devon Dampier has thrown for 2,053 yards with 20 touchdowns against seven interceptions on 172-of-253 passing. The Utes’ offense leans more heavily on the ground game than Arizona’s does, a contrast that shapes how each defense has to prepare.
How Does Utah’s Rushing Attack Compare To Arizona’s Run Defense?
Utah ranks as one of the nation’s most productive rushing teams, averaging 215.4 yards per game on the ground with a 5.5 yards-per-carry average. Running back Wayshawn Parker has carried 123 times for 762 yards and nine touchdowns. Arizona allows 131.1 rushing yards per game on offense of its own but has posted 28 sacks and 51 tackles for loss defensively this season, a total that will test Utah’s offensive line in protection even if the Wildcats’ run defense numbers aren’t listed separately in the team totals.
What Do The Turnover Numbers Say About This Matchup?
Arizona holds a plus-5 turnover margin, with 14 takeaways against nine giveaways. Utah sits at minus-1, with 11 takeaways and 12 giveaways, a notable split for a team that has stayed unbeaten. The Wildcats’ ability to force mistakes, paired with their 50% third-down conversion rate, has fueled their scoring surge, while Utah will need to protect the ball more carefully against an Arizona defense that has forced takeaways at a higher rate than it has allowed them.
By The Numbers
- Points per game: Utah 37.7, Arizona 34.2
- Total yards per game: Utah 468.1, Arizona 454.0
- Passing yards per game: Arizona 322.9, Utah 252.7
- Rushing yards per game: Utah 215.4, Arizona 131.1
- Third-down conversion rate: Arizona 50.00%, Utah 52.63%
- Fourth-down conversion rate: Arizona 60.00%, Utah 42.86%
- Sacks allowed per game: Arizona 2.6, Utah 1.4
- Turnover margin: Arizona plus-5, Utah minus-1
- Defensive sacks: Arizona 28, Utah 17
Utah Outlook
Utah arrives unbeaten at 9-0 after a 28-20 win over BYU on Nov. 7, a game in which Dampier accounted for four touchdowns. The Utes have won their last five games, including a 49-25 road win at Cincinnati and a 27-24 escape at Colorado, showing an offense capable of both blowouts and close finishes. Dampier is expected to start under center, with Parker as the lead back and Braden Pegan, who has 44 catches for 591 yards and eight touchdowns, as the top target. No official injury designations have been listed for Utah heading into Saturday.
Arizona Outlook
Arizona has won four of its last five games, with the lone blemish a 34-26 loss at Texas Tech on Oct. 31. The Wildcats followed that defeat with a 29-28 win over TCU on Nov. 7, a one-score result that reflects the tight margins in their recent stretch. Fifita is expected to start at quarterback, with Mizell as the top receiving option and Kedrick Reescano, who has rushed for 373 yards and seven touchdowns on 99 carries, leading the backfield. No official injury designations have been listed for Arizona ahead of kickoff.
Key Matchup: Utah’s Ground Game Against Arizona’s Pass Rush
Utah’s 215.4 rushing yards per game against Arizona’s defense, which has racked up 28 sacks and 51 tackles for loss this season, stands out as the matchup likely to decide the game. Arizona’s pass rush has been disruptive enough to pressure quarterbacks into mistakes, but Utah’s offense leans on Parker and the run to control the clock, evidenced by the Utes holding the ball for 17,515 seconds of possession time this season compared to Arizona’s 17,158. If Utah can sustain drives on the ground, it limits the number of possessions for Fifita and an Arizona offense built to score in bunches.
Players To Watch
Devon Dampier, QB, Utah
Dampier has thrown 20 touchdowns against seven interceptions this season and threw for four scores in last week’s win over BYU, according to Total Apex Sports’ coverage of that game.
Noah Fifita, QB, Arizona
Fifita leads the Big 12 passing numbers listed in this matchup with 2,794 yards and a 72.7% completion rate, the key figure behind Arizona’s 34.2 points per game average.
Wayshawn Parker, RB, Utah
Parker has rushed for 762 yards and nine touchdowns on 123 carries, averaging better than six yards per attempt.
What To Watch
Utah’s 9-0 start puts the Utes among the unbeaten teams still in contention nationally, and a road win over a ranked Arizona team would mark their most significant test to date. Arizona, at 7-2 and ranked No. 23, is looking to add a signature win against the nation’s No. 2 team. Both teams enter off of tight, high-scoring finishes, Utah’s 28-20 win over BYU and Arizona’s 29-28 win over TCU, setting up a matchup between two offenses that have each found different ways to close out close games this season.
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