Another week, another defensive assistant coach fired.
Another week, another highly-ranked team on the schedule.
Another week, another late-night kickoff.
Yes, it’s another week of Arizona football filled with plenty of reasons for pessimism among the fan base. It has been a frustrating and disappointing five-game stretch for the Wildcats, and an 8 p.m. start time as heavy underdogs on a chilly Saturday night leaves little motivation for fans to find their way to Arizona Stadium.
For the team, it’s impossible to know where its mindset is right now. There is plenty to play for (bowl eligibility, upset of a top 10 team and the senior’s final home game), but there has been constant adversity with rotating quarterbacks, injured offensive lineman and defensive coach firings, just to name a few of the obstacles.
That makes Saturday’s game almost impossible to predict. Arizona could very easily succumb to the circumstances and take a beating from Utah, which has been the most complete team in the Pac-12 all season long. The Wildcats could also air out their frustrations with an unexpectedly inspired effort, leaving the Utes fighting for their College Football Playoff lives.
As I wrote earlier this week, the only thing I know for certain about Saturday’s game is that it will be the last time taking the field at Arizona Stadium for the senior class. It is a shame the situation is not more positive, and it is a bigger shame there likely will not be a bigger crowd on hand to honor these young men for their dedication to the program, university and community the last several years.
With that said, if the Wildcats are to pull off a stunning upset, here’s the recipe.
Arizona Football Keys to the Game
1. Make Big Plays
2. Create Turnovers
3. Be More Physical
4. Steal a Possession
5. Non-offensive touchdown
Arizona wins if …
Everything listed above takes place. Utah is a very complete football team that does not give up big plays, but its lone loss at USC came with the Trojans hitting some big plays in the passing game. The Wildcats have to find a way to get big chunks of yardage, because no one lines up and pounds away four yards at a time and has success against Utah’s defense. Secondly, the Wildcats will have to create and capitalize off turnovers, something they have struggled to do throughout Pac-12 play. Next, Arizona must be the most physical football team on the field, something Utah prides itself in doing. Maybe the Wildcats catch the Utes off guard or maybe they simply put it all on the line for the seniors, but Arizona has to block, tackle and play though contact for four quarters. Even if the Wildcats are able to do those things, they will likely need to steal a possession somewhere during the game and/or score a non-offensive touchdown. Arizona has yet to post a defensive or special teams touchdown this season, and to upset a top 10 like Utah, it will likely need one (or two).
Utah wins if …
The Utes need to assert their physicality early, protect the football and attack the Arizona quarterback(s). Utah has a balanced offense that will establish the run, but will also take shots and expose the vulnerabilities in the Wildcats’ pass coverage. If they hold onto the football, their defense is stout enough to make it a long night for Arizona’s offense, which may be without multiple offensive line starters once again. That will make it difficult for the Wildcats to run the football, which will then put immense pressure on quarterbacks to make plays with their arm. Utah has proven to be a team that gets tougher as the game wears on, which is the opposite of what the Wildcats have shown. The Utes main concern will be not allowing a fast start from Arizona, but even if that happens, Utah will stick to its game plan and assert its dominance over four quarters.
The Prediction
Utah 41, Arizona 17
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