Arizona
Arizona vs. BYU is a battle of elite defenses. Which one is better?
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By almost every statistical measure, the three best defenses in the Big 12 Conference so far this season belong to Arizona, BYU and Texas Tech.
Two of those teams happen to be facing each other on Saturday, Oct. 11, at Arizona Stadium.
Which one actually has the better defense?
That’s what we’re going to explore in this week’s “Cats Stats.” The answer might surprise you.
At first blush, one would give the edge to the Cougars. They’re first in the league in total defense (239.6 ypg) and second in scoring defense (12.2 ppg). The Wildcats are third (244.8) and fourth (15.6), respectively.
Even if you adjust the latter to account for the pick-six against Arizona last week, the Wildcats are still two points worse per game than the Cougars.
But we like to dig beneath the surface here at Cats Stats Inc. Other numbers better illustrate the effectiveness of the UA defense under Danny Gonzales.
The statistic most often cited to measure a defense’s worth is yards per play. Arizona has the edge in that category — over everyone else in the conference.
The UA has allowed 3.92 yards per play. Texas Tech is second at 3.94. BYU is third at 4.06. No one else is under 4.50.
If you separate run and pass defense, you can argue that the advantages each side has basically cancel each other out. But we would argue that the gap between BYU and Arizona against the run is narrower than the gap between the Wildcats and Cougars against the pass.
BYU allows 92.2 rushing yards per game and 2.8 per attempt; Arizona is at 96.6 and 3.0. Not much of a difference.
The Wildcats have the No. 1 pass defense in the conference in terms of yards allowed per game (147.2) and per attempt (4.9). The Cougars are barely behind them in the former (147.4). They’re nearly a full yard behind in the latter (5.8).
Arizona also has a sizable edge in completion percentage allowed (51.3% vs. 57.0%) and sacks per game (2.6 vs. 2.0). Overall, the Wildcats spend more time in the opposition’s backfield, averaging a league-best 8.60 tackles for loss per game. BYU is sixth at 6.20.
Conversion case
Still not convinced? Let’s dig deeper.
Two areas that are critical to team success are third-down and red-zone efficiency. Arizona’s defense has been better than BYU’s, both through five games.
The Wildcats have allowed opponents to convert 25.7% of their third downs. Only Texas Tech, at 25.4%, has been better in the Big 12. BYU is third at 29.7%.
(In a related development, Arizona has been slightly better at first-down prevention. The UA has allowed 13.2 first downs per game, tied with Texas Tech for the fewest in the Big 12. BYU is third at 14.8.)
Arizona is No. 1 in the conference at keeping the opposition out of the end zone once it crosses the 20-yard line. The Wildcats have allowed a touchdown on only 42.9% of opponents’ red-zone opportunities. The Cougars are tied for fourth in the league at 50%.
Who’s better at taking the ball away? Again, at least so far, it’s been Arizona.
The Wildcats average 2.2 takeaways per game, second in the conference behind Texas Tech (2.4). The Cougars are fourth at 1.8.
Even if you include fourth-down stops — Gonzales classifies those as takeaways, worthy of footballs being punctured by the Turnover Sword — Arizona has the edge. The Wildcats have 18 combined takeaways and fourth-down stops, an average of 3.6 per game. The Cougars have 15, or 3.0 per game.
BYU has been better at preventing big plays, but the difference is negligible. The Cougars have allowed 13 plays of 20-plus yards, per cfbstats.com, or 2.6 per game. The Wildcats have allowed 14 — 2.8 per game.
The real deal?
Both defenses have been elite at almost all of the above. BYU has a more extensive track record; the Cougars finished first in the Big 12 in total defense and yards allowed per play last season.
As such, it’s reasonable to believe that what BYU has accomplished so far on defense is real — and wonder whether Arizona is due for some regression. The Wildcats are new to this shutdown business, after all.
Skeptics also might question Arizona’s schedule so far. “U of A hasn’t played anybody.” About that …
We looked at three websites that calculate strength of schedule: ESPN, Sagarin and Massey. Arizona’s average SOS on those sites entering this weekend was 91. BYU’s was … also 91.
Both have faced an FCS opponent from the Big Sky Conference — Portland State (BYU) and Weber State (Arizona). Both have faced a Group of Five foe — East Carolina (BYU) and Hawaii (Arizona). Both have faced a Power Four opponent — Stanford (BYU) and Kansas State (Arizona). Both have played two conference games.
BYU has played one more road game; the ECU contest was in Greenville. Counterpoint: Arizona blew out Hawaii, which defeated Stanford the previous week. And although Stanford has a better record (2-3) than Kansas State (2-4), KSU is considered superior by most metrics. For example, ESPN’s FPI ranks K-State 43rd and Stanford 86th.
BYU coach Kalani Sitake, for one, doesn’t need any convincing. He believes Arizona’s defense is legit.
“Danny’s done a great job with the defense,” Sitake told reporters on Oct. 6. “They tackle well. They’re aggressive.
“Danny’s done a great job everywhere he’s been. He’s from that same lineage as Rocky Long, Bronco Mendenhall and them. So we’re very familiar with the defense.
“But the way he’s able to combine their base coverages with the pressures — he calls a really good game, and he can make things really difficult for any offense. So we’re going to have to be at our best.”
Odds of winning the Powerball and Mega Millions are NOT in your favor
Odds of hitting the jackpot in Mega Millions or Powerball are around 1-in-292 million. Here are things that you’re more likely to land than big bucks.
The Arizona Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers
11-18-39-43-67, Mega Ball: 23
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers
7-7-0
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Fantasy 5 numbers
16-19-20-26-37
Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Triple Twist numbers
11-15-24-25-28-30
Check Triple Twist payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news and results
What time is the Powerball drawing?
Powerball drawings are at 7:59 p.m. Arizona time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
How much is a Powerball lottery ticket today?
In Arizona, Powerball tickets cost $2 per game, according to the Arizona Lottery.
How to play the Powerball
To play, select five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls, then select one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball.
You can choose your lucky numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick your numbers.
To win, match one of the 9 Ways to Win:
- 5 white balls + 1 red Powerball = Grand prize.
- 5 white balls = $1 million.
- 4 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $50,000.
- 4 white balls = $100.
- 3 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $100.
- 3 white balls = $7.
- 2 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $7.
- 1 white ball + 1 red Powerball = $4.
- 1 red Powerball = $4.
There’s a chance to have your winnings increased two, three, four, five and 10 times through the Power Play for an additional $1 per play. Players can multiply non-jackpot wins up to 10 times when the jackpot is $150 million or less.
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Arizona Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $100 and may redeem winnings up to $599. For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Arizona Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket and a copy of a government-issued ID to P.O. Box 2913, Phoenix, AZ 85062.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID to any of these locations:
Phoenix Arizona Lottery Office: 4740 E. University Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4400. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Tucson Arizona Lottery Office: 2955 E. Grant Road, Tucson, AZ 85716, 520-628-5107. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Phoenix Sky Harbor Lottery Office: Terminal 4 Baggage Claim, 3400 E. Sky Harbor Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4424. Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.
Kingman Arizona Lottery Office: Inside Walmart, 3396 Stockton Hill Road, Kingman, AZ 86409, 928-753-8808. Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://www.arizonalottery.com/.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Arizona Republic editor. You can send feedback using this form.
PHOENIX – Officials with the Arizona Game and Fish Department said unseasonably warm temperatures in the state will increase risks for rattlesnake encounters.
What they’re saying:
In a statement released on Feb. 27, the agency said while rattlesnakes are most active in desert areas from March through October, they “may appear earlier in the year as warming temperatures bring them out of winter hibernation.”
“During the spring, it’s common for rattlesnakes to be out during daylight hours,” read a portion of the statement. “As the days become increasingly hot, rattlesnakes tend to move around more at night.”
What you can do:
Officials said there are things people can do to keep themselves safe, including:
- Step back and let a rattlesnake move away if you see one on a trail
- Be mindful of where you place your feet and hands, because rattlesnakes can easily blend in with their surroundings
- Carry a flashlight at night, especially on warmer nights when rattlesnakes can be most active
- Clean up yard debris and reduce standing water near homes, in order to avoid attracting rattlesnakes
- Stay on marked trails, as rattlesnakes encounters are more likely to occur when a person leaves a marked trail
Game and Fish officials said people should do the following if someone was bitten by a rattlesnake:
- Remain calm
- Reassure the victim
- Call 911 and seek medical attention without delay
- Remove all jewelry and watches from the affected area
- Immobilize the extremity, and keep it below the heart
- Decrease total body activity, as feasible
The Source: Information for this article was gathered from a statement released by the Arizona Department of Game and Fish.
MOSCOW, Idaho — — Jackson Rasmussen had 19 points in Idaho’s 78-58 win over Northern Arizona on Thursday.
Rasmussen also had seven rebounds for the Vandals (16-13, 8-8 Big Sky Conference). Isaiah Brickner scored 15 points while shooting 6 of 11 from the field and 2 for 4 from the line. Jack Payne shot 4 for 5 from beyond the arc to finish with 12 points.
Diego Campisano finished with 11 points for the Lumberjacks (10-19, 4-12). Chris Komin added 11 points for Northern Arizona. Karl Markus Poom also had 10 points.
—-
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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