Arizona faces the Houston Cougars Saturday morning to begin the second half of the season. Here's a look atÌýstarting lineups, key matchups and a prediction.Ìý
Arizona (4-2) at Houston (5-1)
When:Ìý9 a.m. Saturday
Where:ÌýTDECU Stadium
TV:ÌýFS1
Radio:Ìý1290-AM, 107.5-FM,Ìý92.5-FM (Spanish)
Arizona Wildcats
2025 Record:Ìý4-2 (1-2 Big 12)
WHEN ARIZONA IS ON OFFENSE (PROJECTED):
[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
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WR | 12 | Tre Spivey III | 6-4 | 212 | R-So.
WR | 6 | Javin Whatley | 5-10 | 171 | R-Sr.
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita runs off the field after warm ups before a game against Iowa State, Sept. 27, 2025, in Ames, Iowa.
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 | 11 | Chris Hunter | 6-1 | 195 | R-Jr.
QB | 1 | Noah Fifita | 5-10 | 195 | R-Jr.Ìý
RB | 21 | Ismail Mahdi | 5-9 | 184 | Sr.
WHEN ARIZONA IS ON DEFENSE (PROJECTED):
[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
DE | 42 | Dominic Lolesio | 6-4 | 252 | R-So.
DT | 0 | Deshawn McKnight | 6-3 | 288 | Sr.
DT | 98 | Tiaoalii Savea | 6-4 | 301 | R-Sr.
Arizona defensive back Genesis Smith, right, cradles an interception on a pass intended for Houston wide receiver Stephon Johnson (5) in the second quarter on Nov. 15, 2024, at Arizona Stadium.
DE | 44 | Malachi Bailey | 6-2 | 273 | Sr.
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 |ÌýGenesis Smith | 6-2 | 204 | Jr.
UA 2025 SCHEDULE
August
30 |ÌýHAWAII | W, 40-6
September
6 |ÌýWEBER STATE | W, 48-3
12 |ÌýKANSAS STATE* | W, 23-17
27 | at No. 14 Iowa State | L, 39-14
October
4 |ÌýOKLAHOMA STATE |ÌýW, 41-13
11 |ÌýNo. 18ÌýBYUÌý| L, 33-27 (2OT)
18 | at Houston
November
1 | at Colorado
8 |ÌýKANSASÌý(Homecoming, Military Appreciation)
15 | at No. 24 Cincinnati
22 |ÌýBAYLORÌý(Senior Day)
28 | at Arizona State* (Territorial Cup)
Home games inÌýBold;Ìý*=Friday game
UA 2025 STATS
PASSING
[Name | Comp-Att-INT | Yards | TDs | Long]
Fifita | 131-209-4 | 1,560 | 15 | 85
Locke | 5-9-1 | 68 | 0 | 40
Bray | 1-2-0 | 22 | 0 | 22
RUSHING
[Name | Carries | Yards | TDs | YPC | YPG]
Mahdi | 71 | 403 | 1 | 5.7 | 57.2
Craig | 28 | 210 | 1 | 7.4 | 34.5
Reescano | 25 | 145 | 2 | 5.8 | 48.3
Fifita | 48 | 60 | 3 | 1.3 | 10.0
RECEIVING
[Name | Rec. | Yards | TDs | YPC | YPG]
Whatley | 25 | 328 | 3 | 13.1 | 54.7
Hutson | 20 | 262 | 2 | 13.1 | 52.4
Hunter | 17 | 239 | 2 | 14.1 | 39.8
Wysong | 15 | 229 | 1 | 15.3 | 38.2
Spivey | 9 | 153 | 4 | 17.0 | 25.5
DEFENSE
[Name | Tackles | Sacks | INTs | FR | FF]
Johnson | 41 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0
G. Smith | 38 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1
Brown | 36 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0
Harris | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1
Stukes | 20 | 0.5 | 2 | 0 | 0
Houston Cougars
2025 record:Ìý5-1 (2-1 Big 12)
WHEN HOUSTON IS ON OFFENSE (PROJECTED):Ìý
[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
WR | 18 | Koby Young | 6-0 | 180 | R-Fr.
TE | 9 | Tanner Koziol | 6-7 | 240 | Sr.
LT | 79 | Alvin Ebosele | 6-6 | 312 | Jr.
LG | 73 | Jason Brooks Jr. | 6-4 | 315 | Sr.
C | 59 | Demetrius Hunter | 6-2 | 310 | Jr.
Houston quarterback Conner Weigman (1) hands the ball off to running back Dean Connors (44) during the first half of a game, Oct. 4, 2025, in Houston.Ìý
RG | 74 | Matthew Wykoff | 6-6 | 325 | Sr.
RT | 75 | Dalton Merryman | 6-9 | 305 | Sr.
WR | 8 | Devan Williams | 6-1 | 190 | Jr.
WR | 0 | Amare Thomas | 6-0 | 205 | Jr.
QB | 1 | Conner Weigman | 6-3 | 210 | Jr.
RB | 44 | Dean Connors | 6-0 | 205 | Sr.
WHEN HOUSTON IS ON DEFENSE (PROJECTED):
[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
DE | 90 | Eddie Walls III | 6-4 | 250 | Sr.
NT | 5 | Carlos Allen Jr. | 6-1 | 295 | Sr.
DT | 18 | Khalil Laufau | 6-3 | 300 | Jr.
OLB | 10 | Latreveon McCutchin | 6-3 | 245 | Jr.
MLB | 12 | Sione Fotu | 6-0 | 225 | R-Jr.
WLB | 36 | Jalen Garner | 6-1 | 225 | Sr.
Houston defensive end Latreveon McCutchin (10) wraps up Texas Tech running back Cameron Dickey (8) as defensive back Blake Thompson (0) looks on during a game on Oct. 4, 2025, in Houston.
NB | 22 | Marc Stampley II | 5-11 | 185 | Sr.
CB | 15 | Will James | 6-0 | 185 | So.
SS | 6 | Jordan Allen | 5-11 | 200 | So.
FS | 8 | Kentrell Webb | 5-11 | 185 | Jr.
CB | 1 | Latrell McCutchin Sr. | 6-1 | 180 | Sr.
UH 2025 SCHEDULE
August
28 |ÌýSTEPHEN F. AUSTIN^Ìý|ÌýW, 27-0
September
6 | at RiceÌý| W, 35-9
12 |ÌýCOLORADO*Ìý| W, 36-20
26 |Ìýat Oregon State*Ìý| W, 27-24 (OT)
October
4 |ÌýNo. 11 TEXAS TECH | L, 35-11
11 |Ìýat Oklahoma State | W, 39-17
Houston wide receiver Amare Thomas during a game against Rice on Sept. 6, 2025, in Houston.
18 |ÌýARIZONA
25 | at Arizona State
November
1 |ÌýWEST VIRGINIA
7 | at UCF*
22 |ÌýTCU
29 |Ìýat Baylor
Home games inÌýBold; * = played on Friday; ^ = played on Thursday
UH 2025 STATS
PASSING
[Name | Comp-Att-INT | Yards | TDs | Long]
Weigman | 91-148-2 | 1,216 | 8 | 74
Chriss-Gremillion | 9-20-1 | 99 | 1 | 64
RUSHING
[Name | Carries | Yards | TDs | YPC | YPG]
Connors | 95 | 438 | 4 | 4.6 | 73.0
Houston running back Dean Connors (44) celebrates his touchdown with wide receivers Stephon Johnson (5) and Amare Thomas (0) against Rice during a game on Sept. 6, 2025, in Houston.
Weigman | 52 | 145 | 5 | 2.8 | 24.2
Sneed | 33 | 130 | 0 | 3.9 | 21.7
Chriss-Gremillion | 12 | 79 | 0 | 6.6 | 19.8
RECEIVING
[Name | Rec. | Yards | TDs | YPC | YPG]
Thomas | 23 | 441 | 2 | 19.2 | 73.5
Koziol | 30 | 310 | 2 | 10.3 | 51.7
Johnson | 13 | 275 | 2 | 21.2 | 45.8
Connors | 13 | 75 | 1 | 5.7 | 12.5
Broussard | 3 | 44 | 1 | 14.7 | 7.3
DEFENSE
[Name | Tackles | Sacks | INTs | FR | FF]
Allen | 43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1
Garner | 42 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2
Fotu | 32 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | 0
Webb | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1
McCutchin | 25 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0
Head to Head
BYU cornerback Therrian Alexander (1) tries to slow down Arizona wide receiver Kris Hutson (4), holding on to his shirt tail after a catch during the third quarter of their Big 12 game, Oct. 11, 2025, in Tucson.
4 Kris Hutson vs.Ìý 1 Lattrell McCutchin Sr.
Hutson had a breakout game for the Wildcats last week against BYU with nine catches for 106 yards and a touchdown, matching his total from the previous two games against Iowa State and Oklahoma State. After dealing with injuries in training camp and the first half of the season, Hutson is emerging as one of the Wildcats' top receivers this season.Ìý
McCutchin started his college football journey as a four-star cornerback at Oklahoma, which had current UA cornerbacks coach Chip Viney on staff as a recruiting analyst. McCutchin appeared in nine games before transferring to USC in 2022, where he played for former UA cornerbacks coach Donte Williams. McCutchin has been a mainstay in Houston's defense for the last two seasons.Ìý ÌýÌý
Arizona defensive back Michael Dansby (25) gets loosened up running down some short throws before the Wildcats face BYU in their Big 12 game, Oct. 11, 2025, in Tucson.
25 Michael Dansby vs.Ìý0 Amare ThomasÌýÌý
In his first season at Arizona after spending the last three seasons at San Jose State, Dansby is second on the team in pass breakups (4) behind Genesis Smith and Ayden Garnes. Dansby and Garnes have yet to record interceptions this season. Dansby, who has a combined three passing interference calls in Arizona's two losses this season, will be tested against Houston's physical receiving corps.
Thomas is one of 30 players UH added in the transfer portal for head coach Willie Fritz's second season at the helm. Thomas spent the last two seasons at UAB and hadÌý115 catches for 1,107 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Thomas' receptions and touchdowns rank in the Top 10 in UAB history. Thomas is nowÌýHouston's leading receiver, averaging 19.2 yards per catch.
The matchup
When Arizona has the ballÌý…Ìý
Similar to the opponents Arizona lost to this season in Iowa State and BYU, the Cougars have a balanced defense and are led by their defensive backs. Houston is also fifth in the Big 12 in rushing defense, allowing 125.5 yards per game. With running back Kedrick Reescano healthier, coupled with the rise of Ismail Mahdi, the Wildcats can stay on schedule with an effective run game and have short-yardage situations on third down. Arizona hasn't scored a rushing touchdown on the road since the BYU game last October.Ìý
When Houston has the ballÌý…Ìý
When Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita signed with Arizona as a three-star recruit, Houston quarterback Conner Weigman signed with Texas A&M as a five-star prospect and one of the top passers in the nation. The Cougars are in the bottom half of the Big 12 in offense, but Weigman only has two interceptions this season. Weigman has a career-high in carries (52), rushing yards (145) and rushing touchdowns (5) this season. His evolution as a runner and Houston's tough receivers will be a test for the Wildcats.Ìý
College Football 26 prediction: Arizona 34, Houston 17
Despite Weigman completing 34 of 38 passes for 347 yards and a touchdown, Houston couldn't contain Mahdi, who had 22 carries for 159 yards and a touchdown, averaging 7.2 yards per rush. Hutson had five catches for 59 yards and two touchdowns. Four Wildcats had double-digit tackles: safety Dalton Johnson (14), linebacker Taye Brown (12), safety Genesis Smith (11) and linebacker Max Harris (11). If reality reflects our simulation on College Football 26, it will be Arizona's first-ever win in Houston — and the first victory in the state of Texas since the Alamo Bowl in 2023.Ìý Ìý
Contact Justin Spears, the Star's Arizona football beat reporter, at jspears@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @JustinESports
Justin Spears
Sports Reporter
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