Arizona at BYU Game Preview

Talk about a matchup with massive Big 12 implications right out of the gate. It really doesn’t get much bigger than this. This Saturday, Arizona is taking the short trip to Provo for an afternoon showdown at LaVell Edwards Stadium to take on the No. 15 BYU Cougars.

Looking at this game from a national storyline standpoint, you really don’t have to go too far back, as BYU came away with a 33-27 overtime victory in a double-overtime thriller last season at Arizona. That game served as a massive win for BYU, while Arizona’s devastating loss halted the trajectory of the Wildcats’ season and launched the Cougars into their eventual run for a conference championship.

; This time around, Arizona football is certainly not lacking in motivation and is traveling with a massive chip on their shoulder as they look to end their five-game losing streak to BYU.

Arguably everything hinges on Arizona's star quarterback. Heisman hopeful Noah Fifita has already recorded a legendary career, and he enters this season just 549 yards away from Nick Foles’ school career passing yards record.

Due to Fifita’s prowess and playmaking ability, BYU may have their work cut out for them in the secondary. However, Fifita will need a lot of support in the backfield. After a TRO against the NCAA, running back Ismail Mahdi is back and is officially cleared. The Wildcats need Mahdi to be effective on the run and serve as the spark plug for this offense. Last season, Mahdi was completely shut down by BYU, managing only 21 yards on seven carries. If he can break loose for a few big runs early on, it will open up the signature deep shots that Fifita loves to take.

On the other side of the ball, BYU’s recipe for success is simple: rely on their incredible rushing attack and keep their home winning streak against the Wildcats alive.

The Cougars opened up their season by absolutely destroying Utah Tech 63-7, showing off an extremely dominant running game that gave them more than 300 yards of offense.

The BYU offense relies on one man; LJ Martin. Martin tallied 1300+ yards a year ago, serving as a workhorse for the Cougars offense.

Last season, Arizona ranked in just the 59th percentile as a rushing defense, a number they will need to improve upon against Martin on Saturday.

Although a small sample size, the Wildcats showed signs of massive improvement, holding Northern Arizona to -7 rushing yards in Week 1. Arizona's defensive coordinator, Danny Gonzales, has been game-planning for this exact rushing attack since January. If BYU can control the line of scrimmage, avoid careless early-season turnovers, and keep Fifita off the field, they will be in a great position to control the game.

This game has all the ingredients to be an instant classic. Arizona has been waiting a full calendar year for this exact moment of redemption, and they have the offensive firepower to push the Cougars to their limits. But winning in Provo is one of the toughest tasks in college football, and BYU is ranked 15th in the country for a reason. Expect a physical, hard-hitting battle that comes down to the final minutes. Arizona has the talent to start fast, but if the Cougars can control them out of the gate, their powerful running game should allow them to hold on en route to continuing their perfect season.