The University of Arizona football team (3-6, 1-5 Big 12) will be preparing to take on the University of Houston (4-5, 3-3 Big 12) on Friday, Nov. 15 at 8:15 p.m. at Arizona Stadium. As the Wildcats return home, they aim to break their five-game losing streak and secure a victory in each of their next three games in order to become bowl eligible.
This matchup against Houston marks the fifth meeting between the two programs in history as the Wildcats currently hold a 1-3 losing record against the Cougars. The most recent matchup took place in 2018 where Houston defeated Arizona 45-18.
Houston this year
Led by head coach Willie Fritz, Houston currently boasts a 4-5 overall record and is notably 1-3 in away games. The Cougars have won their last two games leading into Friday’s matchup against Arizona. In Houston’s previous 24-19 win against Kansas State University on Nov. 2, quarterback Zeon Chriss finished 11-11 of his passes and threw 103 yards. Chriss continued to impress, scoring the game-winning 41-yard touchdown and rushed for 75 yards.
Senior kicker Jack Martin is another player to keep an eye out for, as he proves his consistent kicking abilities and crucial role for Houston. Martin continues to showcase his skills, scoring each of his last five field-goal attempts, including a 22-yard kick against Kansas State. Additionally, Martin kicked the game-winning 43-yard field goal against the University of Utah as time expired, leading the Cougars to their 17-14 victory.
Defensively, Houston has held its opponents from scoring over 20 points in all of its victories this season. Against Kansas State, the Cougars held their opponent scoreless in the fourth quarter, securing its second consecutive victory. Houston’s defense has also limited its opponents to only 10 rushing touchdowns this season, ranking 21 out of all Power Four schools.
The Cougars come to Tucson looking to extend their win streak to three games on Friday, the longest since October of 2022.
Arizona this year
Coming off a restful bye-week, Arizona has lost five consecutive games heading into its matchup against the Cougars. The Wildcats have fallen 1-5 in Big 12 play which marks the longest losing streak since the 2022 season. Arizona is led by head coach Brent Brennan, who will have to utilize his key players in order to beat Houston. In Arizona’s most recent matchup on Nov. 2 against the University of Central Florida, the Wildcats allowed 56 points to be scored by the Knights. This was the most points Arizona has given up since falling 70-7 to ASU on Dec. 11, 2020.
Despite Arizona’s loss to UCF, quarterback Noah Fifita completed 24 of 33 passing yards for 256 yards, moving to 11th in all-time program history with 5,321 passing yards throughout his career. Fifita also managed to score 2 touchdowns in the game against the Knights. Additionally, Fifita has been ranked 10th in program history after achieving 39 career passing touchdowns.
Tetairoa McMillan, another key player for Arizona, will have to throw off Houston defensively in order to help the Wildcats win. McMillan ranks second in the nation with 1,066 receiving yards, becoming the first player in program history to record more than 1,000 receiving yards in a single season.
Notably, Tyler Loop continues to impress this season as the kicker boasts 309 career points, only 3 points shy of passing Ka’Deem Carey for third all-time. In spite of the Wildcats’ loss to UCF, Loop converted all but one of his extra-point attempts. Prior to the game, he set a program record of most consecutive extra points made (119-119) marking 120-for-122 for his career. If Loop can maintain his consistency and accuracy in the matchup against Houston, the Wildcats can add crucial points to help lift them to victory.
Keys to success
As both programs have struggled protecting the ball this season, Arizona will need to tap into its offensive and defensive efficiency to be able to secure a win against Houston. The Wildcats currently average 22.11 points per game and give up an average of 33.11 to their opponents.
Capitalizing on scoring opportunities will be essential for the Wildcats if Fifita is able to accurately throw and maintain long drives to put pressure on the Cougars. The Wildcats must protect the ball and decrease Houston’s scoring abilities by forcing turnovers to limit the Cougars’ offense. Arizona may benefit from utilizing its special teams to make big plays such as a successful field goal or a punt return in order to gain control of the game.
