Wildcats Begin Season's Second Half at Houston

TUCSON, Ariz. — The Arizona Wildcats (4-2, 1-2) hit the road for just the second time this season to take on the Houston Cougars (5-1, 2-1) this Saturday morning at TDECU Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. MST.

Saturday's game will be nationally televised on FS1 with Eric Collins (PxP) and Spencer Tillman (Analyst) on the call. The game will also be broadcast live on Wildcats Radio 1290 AM featuring play-by-play from Brian Jeffries.

Arizona is coming off a double overtime loss to the BYU Cougars last weekend and looking to rebound with a road win to kick off the second half of their season.

For more news and notes on Saturday's game, continue below.

Arizona Notes & Numbers

• The Arizona Wildcats, who sit at 4-2 midway through their season, travel to take on the Houston Cougars this Saturday morning.
• Saturday’s game will be nationally televised on FS1 with Eric Collins (PxP) and Spencer Tillman (Analyst) on the call.
• The game will also be broadcast live on Wildcats Radio 1290 AM featuring play-by-play from Brian Jeffries.
• The Wildcats and Cougars have faced off five times previously, with games dating back to 1969 and Houston holding a narrow 3-2 lead in the all-time series.
• The two programs have met once as members of the Big 12 Conference, a 2024 showdown in which the Wildcats came out on top, 27-3, in Tucson.
• The only previous meeting in Houston between the Wildcats and Cougars came in 2018, a game won by Houston 45-18.
• Arizona’s defense currently ranks among the top 25 units in the nation in total defense (15th), team pass efficiency defense (1st), turnovers gained (5th), interceptions (6th), tackles for loss (8th), passing yards allowed (10th), and first downs allowed (15th).
• The Wildcats defense has allowed just 10 touchdowns in regulation in six games this season, and has held opposing offenses out of the end zone in 18-of-24 non-overtime quarters played.
• QB Noah Fifita has continued to climb the program’s career leaderboards and is now among the top passers in program history in both career passing touchdowns (3rd, 59) and career passing yards (4th, 7,515).
• Arizona’s defense has pulled in nine interceptions and 13 turnovers in six games this year after creating just eight interceptions and 16 turnovers in 12 games last season.

SOME GAME THEMES: The Arizona Wildcats (4-2, 1-2) head east for a showdown against the Houston Cougars (5-1, 2-1) this Saturday morning at TDECU Stadium in Texas…Saturday’s game will be nationally televised on FS1 with Eric Collins (play-by-play) and Spencer Tillman (analyst) on the call…The game will also be broadcast live on Wildcats Radio 1290 AM featuring play-by-play from the Voice of the Wildcats, Brian Jeffries…This weekend’s game will kick at 11 AM locally in Houston and 9 AM in Tucson, making it the earliest kick in Tucson time since the last time Arizona played at Houston in 2018, another 9:00 a.m. MST kickoff…The Wildcats and Cougars have faced off five times previously, with games dating back to 1969 and Houston holding a narrow 3-2 lead in the all-time series...The two programs have met once as members of the Big 12 Conference, a 2024 showdown in which the Wildcats came out on top, 27-3, in Tucson...The only previous meeting in Houston between the Wildcats and Cougars came in 2018, a game won by Houston 45-18.

LAST TIME OUT: Arizona lost a heartbreaker in double overtime at home to then No. 18 ranked BYU Cougars. Arizona trailed 14-7 before a one hour and 14-minute weather delay halted play at the end of the first quarter. After play resumed, the Wildcats rattled off 24 consecutive points to take a 10-point lead that the Cougars erased over the final four minutes of regulation. Additional highlights from last week’s game include…

Notable Postgame Notes

• The Wildcats defense came away with two interceptions against BYU, giving them nine for the season; Arizona had only eight interceptions during the entire 2024 campaign.
• Arizona’s defense has created 13 turnovers halfway through this year after securing only 16 all of last year.
• Arizona held BYU off the scoreboard in the second quarter, snapping a stretch of 62 consecutive scoring quarters for the Cougars.
• RB Kedrick Reescano tallied 90 yards and one touchdown on 13 attempts; his 6.9 yards per carry average was his best mark since going for 73 yards on 7 touches (10.4 ypc) at Utah in 2023.

NO FLY ZONE: The Wildcats defensive secondary has led the charge for one of the best pass defenses in the nation through the first five weeks of the season; Arizona has only allowed one passing touchdown all year, the fewest allowed by any FBS program. Arizona also ranks among the national leaders in fewest passing yards allowed (10th, 151.3 ypg) and team passing efficiency defense (1st, 84.12). Three times this year the Arizona defense has held opponents to fewer than 100 passing yards: Weber State (68), Kansas State (88), and Oklahoma State (69). According to Pro Football Focus, the Wildcats defense has logged a coverage grade of 80 or better in four of five games this season, highlighted by a 90.2 mark against Oklahoma State.

NOAH'S ARC: Redshirt junior quarterback Noah Fifita, one of the most prolific passers in program history, returns behind center to lead the Wildcats offense in 2025. The California native has logged three-plus seasons and 33 games with the Wildcats since his true freshman campaign in 2022. Over that span he has etched his name into the Arizona record books and looks to cement his legacy even further this season. Fifita currently sports 7,515 career passing yards and 59 career passing touchdowns, marks that ranks fourth and third in program history, respectively. Fifita is 104 yards shy of moving past Tom Tunnicliffe (1980–83) for third all-time, while also standing eight passing touchdowns shy of a tie for first. The fourth-year signal caller was selected to a trio of watch lists this preseason, earning national recognition from the Maxwell Award, the Polynesian Player of the Year Award, and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

I GOT 5 ON IT: Quarterback Noah Fifita’s five passing touchdown performance last weekend against Oklahoma State was the fourth of his career and his second this season. The only other FBS player with multiple 5+ TD games this season is Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza (via Stats Perform). Across all of Arizona Football history there have been only 15 five-plus pass touchdown performances, four of which belong to Fifita, the most by any player (next: Khalil Tate, 3).

PICK CITY: Arizona’s nine interceptions this season are the sixth most in the nation. The Wildcats are currently on pace for 18 interceptions this season, which would be the most for the program since pulling in 19 during the 2017 season. The Wildcats defense is spearheaded by Defensive Coordinator Danny Gonzales, who has made led multiple INT-hungry defenses during his career. From 2011–16 while he served as the safeties coach at San Diego State, the Aztecs pulled in 100 interceptions, the third most in the country during that span. Across 12 games last year the Wildcats pulled in just eight interceptions. Six different players have combined to pull in Arizona’s nine picks: DBs Jay’Vion Cole (2), Treydan Stukes (2), Genesis Smith, Gavin Hunter, and Jack Luttrell, alongside LB Taye Brown.

HIT SOMEONE: Early returns on Defensive Coordinator Danny Gonzales’ unit have been promising, with the Wildcats ranking among the top 25 teams in the nation in total defense (10th), passing defense (11th), scoring defense (19th), and rushing defense (25th). The Arizona defense has also been busy in the turnover department, pulling in 11 turnovers across the first five games of the season after logging only 16 across 12 games last season. The Wildcats 11 turnovers gained (7th) and +0.8 turnover margin (25th) are both among the best marks in the nation among all 134 FBS programs.

GONE PORTALIN’: According to research done by ESPN’s Max Olson, the Wildcats are ranked fourth among Power Four programs and second in the Big 12 Conference in experience added via the transfer portal. Arizona added 27 transfers that brought with them 403 starts and 25,467 snaps of Division I experience.

GENESIS SMITH MAN OF THE YEAR: Arizona Football defensive back Genesis Smith has been selected to the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year watch list, the organization announced earlier this month. The award, in its ninth year, is presented annually to the FBS college football player who has demonstrated a record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field. Smith, a junior, has established himself as a leader in the locker room and the Tucson community during his time with the Wildcats. On the field, Smith is a leader in the Wildcats secondary and currently ties for the team lead with 26 tackles while pacing the team with five pass breakups. Across two-plus seasons and 29 games played, Smith has tallied 113 tackles, five interceptions, and 11 pass breakups. In the community, the Wildcats team captain has given back through the Genesis Smith Foundation and initiatives such as Christmas Cats and the R.I.S.E. Camp. Twenty semifinalists will be selected by a by a subset of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Selection Committee and announced on Tues., October 14. Three finalists will then be named for the award on Monday, December 15. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony at The Star in Frisco, Texas, on April 16, 2026.

MAHDI MOTION: Arizona running back Ismail Mahdi has been a key piece of the Wildcats offense over the first three games, tallying 559 all-purpose yards and a pair of touchdowns. Prior to his time with the Wildcats, Mahdi spent two years at Texas State and one season at FCS Houston Christian. The Murphy, Texas native currently boasts one of the most productive careers in the nation: Mahdi's ranks among the top five active career leaders with 4,111 all-purpose yards (4th), 87.9 rush yards per game (5th), and 132.61 all-purpose yards per game (2nd) during his FBS career.

WILDCATS IN THE NFL: The Arizona Wildcats are once again well represented in the NFL, with 11 players currently sprinkled throughout league rosters. Highlighting the group of former Wildcats are a pair of first round picks in Tetairoa McMillan (2025) and Jordan Morgan (2024). With his selection earlier this year, McMillan became the 12th Arizona player to earn a first round NFL Draft pick. He joined a list that includes Morgan (2024; 25th, Green Bay), Antoine Cason (2008; 27th, San Diego), Trung Canidate (2000; 31st, St. Louis), Chris McAlister (1999; 10th, Baltimore), John Fina (1992; 27th, Buffalo), Chris Singleton (1990; 8th, New England), Anthony Smith (1990; 11th, Oakland), Rickey Hunley (1984; 7th, Cincinnati), Mike Dawson (1976; 22nd, Arizona), Bill Lueck (1968; 26, Green Bay), and Walt Nelson (1939; 10th, New York Giants). McMillan was the first of four Wildcats selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, marking the most Arizona picks since 2008.

Current Wildcats on NFL Rosters (as of 10/12/25)

• Jonah Savaiinaea, OL, Miami Dolphins
• Nick Folk, K, New York Jets
• Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Washington Commanders
• Tyler Loop, K, Baltimore Ravens
• Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, LB, New York Giants
• Roy Lopez, DT, Detroit Lions
• Jordan Morgan, OT, Green Bay Packers
• Lucas Havrisik, K, Green Bay Packers
• Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers
• Jacob Cowing^, WR, San Francisco 49ers
• Gary Brightwell*, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

*Practice Squad    ^Reserve/Injured