Arizona Visits Washington State: Wildcats Face Road Challenge Against Cougars

Two weeks after traveling to Provo, Utah , Arizona will make another long trip to Pullman, Washington , for a road game against Washington State . Can the Wildcats avoid the upset in a tricky spot?

A tough Big 12 schedule has Arizona needing to make sure it wins the games it's "supposed" to win. This would qualify as one of those games, but don't sleep on the Cougars, especially in Pullman. Having said that, Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita is off to a hot start, completing 81.1% of his passes for 834 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. If Fifita keeps that up against Washington State, the Wildcats should emerge victorious.

Washington State could provide an interesting challenge for Arizona because it's already proven to be a tough out. In Week 1, the Cougars went toe-to-toe with rival Washington. It also helps that the game is in Pullman, where the Cougars have been excellent recently. It just might be a challenge to keep that trend rolling with a talented Arizona team coming to town.

This former Pac-12 showdown will be reignited on CBS this weekend, and there's a chance for a bit of chaos. Here's everything you need to know as Arizona makes the long journey up to Pullman.

Arizona vs. Washington State: Need to know

Impressive in Pullman:  The Cougars have won four straight and six of their last seven games at home. Over the course of its four-game winning streak at home, Washington State is beating opponents by an average margin of 27.7 points per game. Arizona certainly can't take this game lightly, but at the same time, the Cougars haven't faced the toughest of competition at home lately.

Fifita's hot start:  Only two quarterbacks have been more accurate than Fifita through the first three weeks of the season. His 81.1% completion percentage ranks third in the FBS, and that's also the highest completion percentage through three games by any Arizona quarterback this century. Fifita clearly has a strong connection with his top two targets, as receivers Tre Spivey and Gio Richardson each have at least 12 receptions. Slowing this passing game has to be a priority for Washington State.

Wazzu's passing game struggles:  On the flip side, Washington State has got to get its passing game rolling against Arizona. The Cougars are averaging just 134.3 passing yards per game, which is 132nd in the country. Considering the Wildcats allow just 75.7 rushing yards per game, Washington State may not find much success on the ground. That means quarterback Caden Pinnick will have to make more plays with his arm, although he's struggled in that department so far.

Where to watch Arizona vs. Washington State live

Date : Saturday, Sept. 26 |  Time : 7:30 p.m. ET Location : Martin Stadium -- Pullman, Washington

TV: CBS |  Live stream: CBSSports.com ,  CBS Sports App Streaming on   Paramount+ Premium

Arizona vs. Washington State prediction, pick

Arizona enters this game as a 10.5-point favorite, and on the surface, it seems like a lot of points for a team traveling a long distance to play in Pullman. That said, this seems like a terrible matchup for the Cougars. They want to run the ball, and the Wildcats are great at stopping the run. It certainly doesn't help that Washington State is facing one of the hottest quarterbacks in the country, Noah Fifita. Arizona could run away with this one.  Pick: Arizona -10.5

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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/arizona-washington-state-prediction-pick-odds-spread-where-to-watch-live/)._