Arizona returns to Tucson to face the Kansas Jayhawks at Arizona Stadium for homecoming. Here's a look atΒ starting lineups, key matchups and a prediction.Β
Kansas (5-5) at Arizona (5-3)
When:Β 1:30 p.m. Saturday
Where:Β Arizona Stadium
TV:Β ESPN2
Radio:Β 1290-AM, 107.5-FM,Β 92.5-FM (Spanish)
Kansas Jayhawks
2025 record:Β 5-4 (3-3 Big 12)
WHEN KU IS ON OFFENSE (PROJECTED):Β
[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
WR | 10 | Levi Wentz | 6-2 | 205 | R-Sr.
TE | 88 | Boden Groen | 6-4 | 240 | R-Sr.
Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels is pressured by Cincinnati defensive lineman Jalen Hunt as he throws a 93-yard pass to wide receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr. for a touchdown during the first half Sept. 27, 2025, in Lawrence, Kan.
LT | 75 | Calvin Clements | 6-7 | 315 | R-So.
LG | 56 | Amir Herring | 6-3 | 305 | R-So.
C | 61 | Bryce Foster | 6-5 | 330 | R-Sr.
RG | 70 | Kobe Baynes | 6-4 | 320 | R-Sr.
RT | 77 | Enrique Cruz Jr. | 6-6 | 320 | R-Sr.
WR | 7 | Cam Pickett | 6-0 | 200 | R-Jr.
WR | 1 | Emmanuel Henderson | 6-1 | 190 | Sr.
QB | 6 | Jalon Daniels | 6-2 | 220 | R-Sr.
RB | 4 | LJ Martin | 6-2 | 220 | Jr.
WHEN KU IS ON DEFENSE (PROJECTED):
[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
DE | 5 | Dean Miller | 6-5 | 240 | R-Sr.
DT | 52 | DJ Withers | 6-4 | 300 | R-Sr.
DT | 92 | Tommy Dunn Jr. | 6-3 | 305 | R-Sr.
DE | 15 | Justice Finkley | 6-2 | 250 | Sr.
LB | 1 | Bangally Kamara | 6-2 | 235 | R-Sr.
LB | 4 | Trey Lathan | 6-1 | 230 | R-Jr.
NB | 26 | Jalen Todd | 6-1 | 195 | So.
CB | 7 | DJ Graham II | 6-0 | 200 | R-Sr.
SS | 27 | Taylor Davis | 6-0 | 197 | R-So.
FS | 2 | Lyrik Rawls | 6-1 | 205 | R-Sr.
CB | 0 | Austin Alexander | 6-0 | 190 | R-Fr.
KU 2025 SCHEDULE
August
23 |Β FRESNO STATEΒ | W, 31-7
29 |Β WAGNER*Β |Β W, 46-7
September
6 | at MissouriΒ | L, 42-31
20 |Β WEST VIRGINIAΒ | W, 41-10
Kansas head coach Lance Leipold looks on during the first half of a game against Fresno State on Aug. 23, 2025.
27 |Β CINCINNATIΒ | L, 37-34
October
4 |Β at UCF |Β W, 27-20
11 |Β at No. 9 Texas Tech | L, 42-17
25 |Β KANSAS STATEΒ | L, 42-17
November
1 |Β OKLAHOMA STATEΒ | W, 38-21
8 | at Arizona
22 |Β at Iowa State
28 |Β UTAH*
Home games inΒ Bold; * = played on Friday
KU 2025 STATS
PASSING
[Name | Comp-Att-INT | Yards | TDs | Long]
Daniels | 160-240-3 | 1,991 | 20 | 93
Ballard | 7-16-1 | 71 | 0 | 28
Marshall | 3-3-0 | 28 | 0 | 12
RUSHING
[Name | Carries | Yards | TDs | YPC | YPG]
Williams | 71 | 391 | 6 | 5.5 | 48.9
Hishaw | 76 | 363 | 4 | 4.8 | 51.9
Daniels | 88 | 271 | 2 | 3.1 | 30.1
Marshall | 8 | 112 | 0 | 14.0 | 18.7
RECEIVING
[Name | Rec. | Yards | TDs | YPC | YPG]
Henderson | 36 | 573 | 4 | 15.9 | 63.7
Pickett | 33 | 361 | 3 | 10.9 | 40.1
Groen | 29 | 332 | 4 | 11.4 | 36.9
Wentz | 11 | 172 | 2 | 15.6 | 19.1
Canty | 9 | 149 | 1 | 16.6 | 16.6
DEFENSE
[Name | Tackles | Sacks | INTs | FR | FF]
Lathan | 60 | 1.5 | 1 | 1 | 0
Rawls | 53 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0
Kamara | 42 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 1
Todd | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Herold | 34 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0
Arizona Wildcats
2025 Record:Β 5-3 (2-3 Big 12)
WHEN ARIZONA IS ON OFFENSE (PROJECTED):
[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
WR | 12 | Tre Spivey III | 6-4 | 212 | R-So.
WR | 6 | Javin Whatley | 5-10 | 171 | R-Sr.
LT | 75 | Ty Buchanan | 6-6 | 314 | R-Sr.
LG | 55 | Chubba Maae | 6-2 | 349 | R-Sr.
C | 52 | Ka'ena Decambra | 6-3 | 308 | R-Sr.
RG | 63 | Alexander Doost | 6-7 | 330 | R-So.
RT | 71 | Tristan Bounds | 6-8 | 291 | R-Sr.
TE | 84 | Sam Olson | 6-3 | 229 | R-Sr.
WR | 4 | Kris Hutson | 5-11 | 174 | R-Sr.
QB | 1 | Noah Fifita | 5-10 | 195 | R-Jr.Β
RB | 21 | Ismail Mahdi | 5-9 | 184 | Sr.
WHEN ARIZONA IS ON DEFENSE (PROJECTED):
[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
DE | 44 | Malachi Bailey | 6-2 | 273 | Sr.
DT | 0 | Deshawn McKnight | 6-3 | 288 | Sr.
DT | 98 | Tiaoalii Savea | 6-4 | 301 | R-Sr.
LB | 7 | Chase Kennedy | 6-3 | 232 | R-Jr.
LB | 6 | Taye Brown | 6-2 | 231 | Jr.
LB | 4 | Max Harris | 6-0 | 230 | Sr.
NB | 2 | Treydan Stukes | 6-2 | 200 | R-Sr.
CB | 9 | Ayden Garnes | 6-0 | 183 | R-Sr.
CB | 8 | Jay'Vion Cole | 5-10 | 189 | R-Jr.
BS | 43 | Dalton Johnson | 5-11 | 198 | R-Sr.
FS | 12 |Β Genesis Smith | 6-2 | 204 | Jr.
UA 2025 SCHEDULE
August
30 |Β HAWAII | W, 40-6
September
6 |Β WEBER STATE | W, 48-3
12 |Β KANSAS STATE* | W, 23-17
27 | at No. 14 Iowa State | L, 39-14
October
4 |Β OKLAHOMA STATE |Β W, 41-13
11 |Β No. 18Β BYUΒ | L, 33-27 (2OT)
18 | at Houston | L, 31-28
November
1 | at Colorado | W, 52-17
8 |Β KANSASΒ (Homecoming, Military Appreciation)
15 | at No. 25 Cincinnati
22 |Β BAYLORΒ (Senior Day)
28 | at Arizona State* (Territorial Cup)
Home games inΒ Bold;Β *=Friday game
UA 2025 STATS
PASSING
[Name | Comp-Att-INT | Yards | TDs | Long]
Fifita | 166-254-4 | 2,042 | 21 | 85
Locke | 5-15-1 | 68 | 0 | 40
Bray | 1-2-0 | 22 | 0 | 22
RUSHING
[Name | Carries | Yards | TDs | YPC | YPG]
Mahdi | 80 | 530 | 2 | 6.6 | 66.3
Craig | 37 | 234 | 1 | 6.3 | 29.3
Reescano | 41 | 199 | 4 | 4.9 | 39.8
Fifita | 62 | 84 | 3 | 1.4 | 10.5
RECEIVING
[Name | Rec. | Yards | TDs | YPC | YPG]
Whatley | 33 | 404 | 4 | 11.6 | 50.5
Hutson | 29 | 355 | 3 | 12.2 | 50.7
Spivey | 11 | 280 | 6 | 25.4 | 35.0
Hunter | 18 | 251 | 2 | 13.9 | 31.4
Wysong | 18 | 249 | 2 | 13.8 | 31.1
DEFENSE
[Name | Tackles | Sacks | INTs | FR | FF]
Johnson | 59 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0
Brown | 54 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0
Harris | 51 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1
G. Smith | 45 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1
Stukes | 29 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0
Head to Head
Arizona defensive back Treydan Stukes, left, breaks up a pass intended for Colorado wide receiver Quentin Gibson in the second half, Nov. 1, 2025, in Boulder, Colo.
9 Daniel Hishaw vs.Β 2 Treydan StukesΒ
Hishaw entered the season on the Doak Walker Award watch list as one of the top running backs in college football. The redshirt senior and Moore, Oklahoma native has the second-most rushing yards (363) at Kansas this season behind Leshon Williams (391). Hishaw and Williams combined for 22 carries for 142 yards and three touchdowns last week against Oklahoma State. Hishaw has 1,853 yards and 22 touchdowns in his six-year career.Β
Since returning from a season-ending knee injury he suffered in 2024, the sixth-year Stukes has 29 tackles, a sack and two interceptions this season. Stukes was recently invited to the East-West Shrine Bowl, an all-star showcase of the top draft-eligible players. Stukes is one of Arizona's top open-field tacklers and has the second-best tackling grade (76) for the Wildcats this season (minimum of 200 defensive snaps).Β
Arizona wide receiver Tre Spivey runs for a touchdown after pulling in a pass in the first half against the Buffaloes, Nov. 1, 2025, in Boulder, Colo.
26 Jalen Todd vs. 12 Tre Spivey
Todd "is an explosive, young player," Arizona head coach Brent Brennan said earlier this week. The Detroit native signed with the Jayhawks last year as a four-star recruit and chose KU overΒ Auburn, Boston College, Florida, Iowa and Penn State. In a nickel back role, also known as "Hawk" at KU, Todd has the fourth-most tackles and the third-most pass deflections for the Jayhawks this season.Β
Even though Spivey is sixth in receptions at Arizona this season, the third-year receiver leads the Wildcats in receiving touchdowns (6) and has become a playmaker, especially in the first quarter. In three of the last four games, all of Spivey's four receiving touchdowns were in the first quarter. Spivey scored touchdowns against Houston and Colorado on the third play from scrimmage in both games.Β
The matchup
When Arizona has the ballΒ β¦Β
Besides Arizona's season-opening game against New Mexico last year, the Wildcats failed to score more than 30 points in a game last year. This year, Arizona has scored 30-plus points four times, including 52 points on the road against Colorado. Arizona's scoring average has risen from 21.8 points last season to 34.1 this year. Arizona is averaging 11.3 points in the first quarter this season, and the Wildcats have 31 combined points in the first quarter against Houston and Colorado. A fast start and Arizona potentially taking a two-score lead could make the Jayhawks a one-dimensional team and move away from running the ball.Β
When Kansas has the ballΒ β¦Β
With quarterback Jalon Daniels leading the offense, the Jayhawks are known for their pre-snap movement and motioning receivers and running backs. In some ways, Arizona's defense is similar with disguised blitzes and players at the line of scrimmage and then dropping back in coverage. Arizona's defense "can't get out of their gap or be in the wrong place," Brennan said. He added: "They have to have discipline. All of those things, everyone doing their job is so important when you play a team that has an effective offense. They do enough movement that gets you off-balance."
College Football 26 prediction: KU 13, UA 10
In our video simulation of Arizona-Kansas on College Football 26, Arizona couldn't find a rhythm offensively a week after scoring 52 points against Colorado. KU out-rushed Arizona 111-41 and averaged 5 yards per carry to the UA's 2.3 yards per rush. Arizona's only touchdown of the game was a 1-yard pass from quarterback Noah Fifita to wide receiver Chris Hunter with just over three minutes left in the game. After Fifita's touchdown pass, Kansas picked up three first downs and ran out the clock for a win.Β
