Arizona and Texas Tech face off in Top 25 Big 12 showdown
The Wildcats arrive with a 24-point average margin of victory, while the Red Raiders seek to extend a 10-game home winning streak.
By Pedro Barnes ·
Arizona enters Saturday's matchup with a five-game winning streak, having won each contest by an average of 24 points. The Wildcats have posted a 6-1 record, which is the best start for the program since a 10-win season in 2014 under coach Rich Rodriguez. Their previous defeat was a 33-27 double-overtime loss to No. 8 BYU.
No. 13 Texas Tech hosts the Wildcats at noon ET on ESPN. The Red Raiders are coming off a 37-24 loss at Cincinnati, their second defeat of the season. In the 2025 campaign, the team did not lose until its seventh game before going on a six-game winning streak that secured the first Big 12 championship and a College Football Playoff berth.
Texas Tech is currently on an 11-game winning streak at home. That mark is one victory short of the school record established in 1942. Under head coach Joey McGuire, the Red Raiders have won 16 of their last 20 home games against Big 12 opponents over the past five seasons.
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita has thrown for 2,064 yards with 18 touchdowns and four interceptions this season. He faces a Texas Tech defense that has returned five interceptions for touchdowns in its last four contests. The Wildcats have won five straight games since falling to BYU, a stretch that has propelled them into the national rankings.
In other Big 12 action, No. 6 Utah, which is 7-0, travels to Cincinnati at 3:45 p.m. ET. The Bearcats hosted a top-10 team for the first time in 20 years when they beat Texas Tech last week. No unranked Big 12 team has ever won consecutive games against top-10 opponents. Utah has won 13 straight games, the longest active FBS streak, and is 7-0 for the first time since 2010.
The conference currently features six Top 25 teams, the highest number since 2012. TCU has the Big 12's top defense, allowing 13.9 points and 264 total yards per game, but the Horned Frogs have dropped four games by a combined 24 points. Colorado enters its home game against Kansas State with a nine-game Big 12 losing streak. Houston and West Virginia have the league's final open dates.
Cincinnati's Cole Tabb ran for 173 yards and a 58-yard touchdown in the victory over Texas Tech. The Red Raiders had not allowed a rushing touchdown or a 100-yard rusher since 2024. Utah ranks first in the Big 12, allowing only 88.3 rushing yards per game. UCF quarterback Keyone Jenkins threw for 293 yards and three touchdowns in a 39-31 upset of BYU, including two scores in overtime.
