New Mexico at No. 21 Arizona, Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Arizona by 31 1/2.
Series record: Arizona 44-20-3
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Arizona kicks off its first season under coach Brent Brennan after a successful three-year rebuild by former coach Jedd Fisch, now at Washington. Brennan arrives from San Jose State with a stacked roster and the program’s first preseason ranking since 2015. The Wildcats are explosive offensively and are much improved on the defensive side of the ball. The Lobos opened their first season under a new coach Bronco Mendenhall with a 35-31 loss to Montana State last week.
KEY MATCHUP
New Mexico’s defense vs. Arizona’s run game. The Wildcats have one of the nation’s best passing duos in quarterback Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan, so the Lobos will likely focus on slowing those two down. That could open up the run game. Arizona had to rebuild its running backs room and added Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who ran for over 1,900 yards and 17 TDs for New Mexico last season. The Lobos allowed 362 yards and three TDs rushing against Montana State last week, so it could be a tough ask to slow the Wildcats.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New Mexico: QB Devon Dampier. Last season’s backup had a strong spring and earned the starting nod coming out of fall camp. He threw for 172 yards and a TD against Montana State, adding a 24-yard rushing TD.
Arizona: Fifita. The backup to start last season, Fifita turned into one of the Pac-12’s best quarterbacks, throwing for 2,869 yards and 25 touchdowns with six interceptions. The decisions by him and McMillan to stay in Tucson when Fisch left were huge for Brennan and the Wildcats.
FACTS & FIGURES
Arizona has won seven straight games, the nation’s second-longest active streak. … New Mexico RB Eli Sanders ran for 87 yards on 17 carries against Montana State, his first game since transferring from Iowa State. … McMillan had a sterling sophomore season, catching 90 passes for 1,402 yards and 10 TDs. He was Arizona’s first Associated Press preseason All-American earlier this month. … Arizona beat New Mexico 45-37 in the teams’ last meeting in 2015. The rivalry dates to 1908. … Arizona has what could be one of the nation’s best defensive secondaries, led by CB Tacario Davis and S Dalton Johnson.
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