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Arizona vs. Kansas State, 8:00 ET

Published|Updated

Arizona vs. Kansas State, 8:00 ET

We are in Week 3 of college football, and one of the more exciting things for this season is the College Football Playoff expansion. It may seem a bit strange to focus on the playoffs, but with the constant changes and big games that come up, I can’t help but get excited for who might make it and who won’t. As the season goes on, I usually feel like Thursday and Friday don’t offer great games, but tonight is different. Tonight, we get ranked teams battling and both are bubble teams as the Arizona Wildcats take on the Kansas State Wildcats in a battle of very original mascot names. 

Arizona has taken care of business in their first two games. In their first game against the University of New Mexico, they were able to win by 22 points. The offense looked great, putting up 61 points, but it wasn’t exactly like the defense from the Lobos was very good. In the next game, they took on Northern Arizona and were trailing at halftime. The defense stepped up in that one and was able to hold their opponent scoreless in the second half. The offense took care of business and what could’ve been a very bad loss turned into an ugly win. This will be a difficult game for Arizona as they have to go up against a defense that has a good front line and a solid secondary. Noah Fifita, the quarterback, is surprisingly talented and really doesn’t make many mistakes (although he did throw an interception in the last game). He is a true passer, not really using his legs much, but he can escape the pocket if needed. Kansas State will have to find a way to stop Tetairoa McMillan who has already hauled in 315 yards and four touchdowns for the season. Expect Fifita to continue looking his way, and look for Kansas State to try and double him or provide masked coverage so he doesn’t get the ball in space. 

Sep 7, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita (11) rolls out to pass against Northern Arizona Lumberjacks linebacker Tommy Ellis (46) during first quarter at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Kansas State is one of the teams that will likely be fighting for a playoff spot and trying to make a case all season. At the moment, they have three ranked teams on their schedule with Arizona, Oklahoma State, and Iowa State. Obviously a lot can change, but for the most part, their schedule isn’t overly difficult. They will have to go to Colorado, but they should be able to win that game. I’d expect them to have only two losses this season. If they are good losses, they should have a great shot at making it into the playoffs. Avery Johnson has looked good in his first two games with 334 passing yards and four touchdowns. He has completed about 66% of his throws and has thrown an interception. He doesn’t have the same top-tier receiver that Arizona has, but he has found a way to spread the ball around and get the ball to playmakers. This should be a good time for the offense to shine against an Arizona defense that has some holes that will be unlikely to be filled. 

I think the offense and the defense are both better on the Kansas State side of the ball. Arizona has two wins, but I wouldn’t say I was overly impressed with either of them. I think that Kansas State will be able to throw and rush for virtually everything and anything they want. I am expecting Arizona to at least be competitive, but I think Kansas State will win this one and cover the touchdown spread. And, as for the title of this article, again, both teams are named the Wildcats. 

For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024