Washington State will get another chance to show where it stands when it hosts Arizona at 4:30 p.m. Saturday on CBS. The Cougars enter the game as a 10.5-point underdog, but they also have something real on the line: the chance to build on last weekend's win over Duquesne and move toward a second straight victory.
The matchup has the feel of a legacy Pac-12 game even though Arizona now plays in the Big 12. That history adds a little more weight to a meeting that has been shaped by recent results in Pullman. Arizona won the last game there in 2023, and the Wildcats have not lost in Pullman since 2014.
For Washington State, the challenge is straightforward. The Cougars are 1-3 and need to keep their season from slipping further. A loss would make the path to any momentum even steeper, while a win would give them a much-needed step forward after an uneven start.
What Arizona brings
Arizona's offense is the biggest test on the schedule, and Noah Fifita is the central reason why. He has completed 81% of his passes for 834 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception, production that explains why the Wildcats can travel into Pullman with confidence after putting up 42 points in their last game.
That kind of efficiency forces opponents to stay disciplined for four quarters. It also makes Arizona a tough follow-up opponent for a Washington State team still trying to settle in week by week.
What Washington State is focused on
Kirby Moore said the message this week has been simple: control what the team can control. He pointed to good meetings, walk-throughs and practice as part of that approach, and said the Cougars have done a good job of being where their feet are ahead of Saturday's challenge.
The emotional layer is there, too. DJ Warner noted that it will be great to see Arizona after the game, a reminder that these teams share enough history to make the matchup feel familiar even as the conference map keeps changing around them.
There is also a personal connection on the Arizona sideline. Brent Brennan said he and Trent Bray go back to Oregon State from 2012-14, and he described Bray as a really good friend of his. Brennan also said Bray is “Uncle Trent” to his kids, which gives this meeting a smaller-world feel inside a larger conference shift.
In the end, though, this game comes back to the basics. Washington State needs to keep building, Arizona needs to keep its offense rolling, and Saturday afternoon in Pullman will tell a lot about both teams.
