The Arizona Wildcats are set to battle the Texas Tech Red Raiders for the UA's Big 12 home opener.Β Here's a look atΒ starting lineups, key matchups and a prediction from Star reporter Justin Spears.Β
Texas TechΒ (4-1) at Arizona (3-1)
When:Β Saturday, 8 p.m.
Where:Β Arizona Stadium
Watch:Β Fox/11
Radio:Β 1290-AM, 107.5-FM
Texas Tech's running back Tahj Brooks (28) runs for a touchdown against TCU in a Big 12 football game, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, at Jones AT&T Stadium.
Texas Tech
Record:Β 4-1 (1-0 Big 12)
WHEN TEXAS TECH IS ON OFFENSE (PROJECTED):Β
[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
WR | 8 | Coy Eakin | 6-2 | 210 | So.
TE | 12 | Jalin Conyers | 6-4 | 265 | Sr.
LT | 67 | Dalton Merryman | 6-9 | 305 | Jr.
LG | 79 | Sterling Porcher | 6-4 | 315 | Sr.
C | 72 | Sheridan Wilson | 6-5 | 300 | So.
RG | 56 | Davion Carter | 6-0 | 295 | Sr.
RT | 76 | Caleb Rogers | 6-5 | 310 | Sr.
WR | 3 | Josh Kelly | 6-1 | 195 | Sr.
WR | 5 | Caleb Douglas | 6-4 | 205 | Sr.
QB | 2 | Behren Morton | 6-2 | 215 | Jr.
RB | 28 | Tahj Brooks | 5-10 | 230 | Sr.
WHEN TEXAS TECH IS ON DEFENSE (PROJECTED):
[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
DE | 33 | Harvey Dyson III | 6-3 | 250 | So.
DT | 8 | E'Maurion Banks | 6-5 | 300 | Jr.
NT | 5 | Quincy Ledet Jr. | 6-2 | 315 | Sr.
DE | 88 | Amier Washington | 6-2 | 270 | R-Fr.
WLB | 10 | Jacob Rodriguez | 6-1 | 230 | So.
MLB | 13 | Ben Roberts | 6-3 | 230 | So.
NB | 1 | A.J. McCarty | 6-0 | 190 | R-Jr.
CB | 0 | Bralyn Lux | 5-11 | 185 | Sr.
SS | 9 | C.J. Bakersville | 6-3 | 210 | Sr.
FS | 25 | Chapman Lewis | 6-1 | 180 | Sr.
CB | 4 | Maurion Horn | 5-11 | 180 | So.
Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton prepares to pass the ball during the second half of the Red Raiders' game against Washington State on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Pullman, Wash.
TEXAS TECH 2024 SCHEDULE
August
31 |Β ABILENE CHRISTIANΒ | W, 52-51 (OT)
September
7 |Β at Washington StateΒ | L, 37-16
14 | NORTH TEXAS | W, 66-21
21 | ARIZONA STATE | W, 30-22
28 |Β CINCINNATIΒ | W, 44-31
October
5 | at Arizona
19 |Β BAYLOR
26 | at TCU
November
2 | at No. 16 Iowa State
9 | COLORADO
23 |Β at Oklahoma State
30 | WEST VIRGINIA
Home games inΒ BOLD
TEXAS TECH 2024 STATS
PASSING
[Name | Comp-Att-INT | Yards | TDs | Long]
Morton | 122-192-2 | 1,426 | 14 | 70
Hammond | 5-7-0 | 70 | 0 | 32
RUSHING
[Name | Carries | Yards | TDs | Per carry | Per game]
Brooks | 103 | 551 | 4 | 5.3 | 137.8
Dickey | 21 | 129 | 1 | 6.1 | 25.8
Brown | 8 | 83 | 0 | 10.4 | 16.6
Valdez | 9 | 40 | 0 | 4.4 | 20.0
Williams | 6 | 34 | 1 | 5.7 | 17.0
RECEIVING
[Name | Receptions | Yards | TDs | Per catch | Per game]
Kelly | 39 | 487 | 3 | 12.5 | 97.4
Eakin | 17 | 307 | 5 | 18.1 | 61.4
Douglas | 16 | 204 | 1 | 12.8 | 40.8
Conyers | 12 | 108 | 2 | 9.0 | 21.6
Brown | 7 | 101 | 0 | 14.4 | 20.2
DEFENSE
[Name | Tackles | Sacks | INTs | FR | FF]
Rodriguez | 20 | 5.5 | 0 | 0 | 0
Roberts | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Baskerville | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Horn | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0
Lewis | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
McCarty | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Banks | 12 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 1
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita warms up before an NCAA college football game against Utah, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Salt Lake City, Utah. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Arizona Wildcats
Record:Β 3-1 (1-0 Big 12)
WHEN ARIZONA IS ON OFFENSE (PROJECTED):
[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
XWR | 4 | Tetairoa McMillan | 6-5 | 212 | Jr.
FWR | 2 | Jeremiah Patterson | 5-10 | 175 | Jr.
LT | 59 | Rhino Tapa'atoutai | 6-5 | 311 | R-Fr.
LG | 72 | Wendell Moe | 6-2 | 339 | R-So.
C | 75 | Josh Baker | 6-3 | 300 | Sr.
RG | 60 | Alexander Doost | 6-7 | 332 | R-Fr.
RT |Β 71 | Jonah Savaiinaea | 6-5 | 336 | Jr.
TE | 88 | Keyan Burnett | 6-6 | 248 | Jr.
ZWR | 5 | Montana Lemonious-Craig | 6-2 | 194 | Sr.
QB | 11 | Noah Fifita | 5-10 | 188 | R-So.Β
RB | 7 | Quali Conley | 5-10 | 209 | Sr.
WHEN ARIZONA IS ON DEFENSE (PROJECTED):
[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
DE |Β 46 | Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei | 6-4 | 280 | Jr.
DT | 47 | Stanley Ta'ufo'ou | 6-2 | 274 | R-Sr.
NT | 91 | Isaiah Johnson | 6-1 | 311 | R-So.
DE | 3 | Tre Smith | 6-5 | 270 | R-Jr.
MLB | 5 | Jacob Manu | 5-11 | 228 | Jr.
WLB | 6 | Taye Brown | 6-2 | 225 | So.
STAR | 12 | Genesis Smith | 6-2 | 203 | So.
CB | 20 | Marquis Groves-Killebrew | 6-0 | 185 | R-So.
CB | 1 | Tacario Davis | 6-4 | 190 | Jr.
BS | 43 | Dalton Johnson | 5-11 | 202 | R-Jr.
FS | 9 |Β Gunner Maldonado | 6-0 | 194 | Sr.
Arizona running back Kedrick Reescano (3) gets mobbed by his teammates after ripping off a long run for a score against Northern Arizona in the fourth quarter Sept. 7 at Arizona Stadium.
UA 2024 SCHEDULE
August
31 |Β NEW MEXICOΒ | W, 61-39
September
7 |Β NORTHERN ARIZONAΒ | W, 22-10
13 | at No. 14 Kansas State* | L, 31-7
28 | at No. 10 Utah | W, 23-10
October
5 |Β TEXAS TECH
12 | at No. 17 BYU
19 |Β COLORADOΒ (Homecoming)
26 |Β W. VIRGINIAΒ (Family Weekend)
November
2 | at UCFΒ
15 |Β HOUSTON*
23 | at TCU
30 |Β ASUΒ (Senior Day)
Home games inΒ BOLD;Β *=Friday game
UA 2024 STATS
PASSING
[Name | Comp-Att-INT | Yards | TDs | Long]
Fifita | 63-99-3 | 863 | 5 | 78
RUSHING
[Name | Carries | Yards | TDs | Per carry | Per game]
Conley | 55 | 322 | 4 | 5.9 | 80.5
Reescano | 16 | 147 | 1 | 9.2 | 36.8
Croskey-Merritt | 13 | 106 | 1 | 8.2 | 106.0
Riley | 1 | 15 | 0 | 15.0 | 5.0
Fifita | 9 | 13 | 0 | 1.4 | 3.3
RECEIVING
[Name | Receptions | Yards | TDs | Per catch | Per game]
McMillan | 29 | 503 | 4 | 17.3 | 125.8
Burnett | 8 | 125 | 1 | 15.6 | 31.3
Lemonious-Craig | 9 | 96 | 0 | 10.7 | 24.0
Conley | 11 | 83 | 0 | 7.5 | 20.8
Hyatt | 3 | 77 | 0 | 25.7 | 19.3
DEFENSE
[Name | Tackles | Sacks | INTs | FR | FF]
Manu | 34 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0
Brown | 30 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Johnson | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Stukes | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0
Smith, T. | 17 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 1
Davis | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Smith, G. | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0
Head to Head
Arizona defensive back Genesis Smith (12) rips off his helmet after snaring a second-quarter interception in the Wildcats' season-opener against New Mexico. Smith was charged with an unsportsmanlike penalty for the celebration.
12 Genesis Smith vs. 5 Joshua Kelly
With nickel back Treydan Stukes likely out for Saturday after an injury at Utah, Smith is expected to make his third start this season. The second-year player from Chandler leads the UA with two interceptions and, if he starts in place of Stukes Saturday, it will his third different starting spot in the secondary (he previously started at strong safety and free safety).
Kelly is second in the Big 12 in receptions (39) and fifth in receiving yards (487). In last week's win over Cincinnati, Kelly had eight catches for 111 yards. The sixth-year wide receiver previously played at Washington State and Fresno State before transferring to Texas Tech for his final season. Kelly has 2,715 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns over his career.Β
Arizona tight end Keyan Burnett had six career catches coming to this season. In the Wildcats' recent upset of No. 10 Utah, he had five catches and his first career touchdown.
88 Keyan Burnett vs. 10 Jacob Rodriguez
Burnett broke out at Utah for five catches for 76 yards and a touchdown, the first of his career. Burnett's first touchdown as a Wildcat was a 35-yard heave in the fourth quarter. In training camp, he appeared to be due for a breakout season, but was quiet prior to last week. Burnett looked like a legitimate target for quarterback Noah Fifita.Β Β
Rodriguez originally signed with the Virginia Cavaliers as a quarterback, tight end and running back, but transferred to Texas Tech in 2022 and switched from offense to linebacker. Rodriguez, who leads the Red Raiders in tackles this season, was named theΒ Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Defensive Player of the Week.Β
The matchup
When Arizona has the ballΒ β¦Β
The Wildcats moved playcalling duties from offensive coordinator Dino Babers to tight ends coach and passing game coordinator Matt Adkins and Arizona found more creativity and better execution in its offense than the previous three games. Arizona distributed the football and eight players recorded a reception last week at Utah.Β
When Texas Tech has the ballΒ β¦Β Β
The Red Raiders have the most pass-centric offense Arizona will face all season, a unique contrast to the previous two opponents, Utah and Kansas State, which had an offensive game plan surrounded around running the ball. Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks leads the Big 12 in rushing yards (551) and is among the top rushers in the nation. TTU quarterback Behren Morton has 14 touchdowns, which is tied with Josh Hoover (TCU) and Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) for the most in the Big 12.Β
Prediction: Arizona 38, Texas Tech 27Β
Texas Tech has the fourth-best passing offense in the Big 12 while also ranking last in passing defense, allowing 10 passing touchdowns this season. Even though Arizona will be shorthanded on defense, expect the Wildcats to deploy the "dollar" package with seven defensive backs to counter Texas Tech's spread attack on offense. If Arizona can prevent Texas Tech from converting every red zone trip to a touchdown, the Wildcats should have a handle on this game. It could be a high-scoring contest Saturday night if both offenses find a spark.Β
