The Arizona Wildcats are entering the 2024 college football season as a potential sleeper contender.
Led by star quarterback Noah Fifita, the Wildcats are currently ranked No. 21 in the nation. A lot of that has to do with their offense.
Fifita put together a strong 2023 campaign for Arizona. He completed 72.4 percent of his pass attempts for 2,869 yards, 25 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Those numbers have put him on the watchlist at the quarterback position for the 2024 campaign. He has even been talked about as a sleeper contender to win the Heisman Trophy.
While it’s very unlikely that he will reach that level of play this year, he is a player who should have an even bigger year than he had in 2023.
NFL Draft Buzz has done a breakdown of Fifita’s game and even compared him to a few NFL quarterbacks.
His best comparison was San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. However, the other two similar players that were named are Jake Haener and Stetson Bennett.
Simply being compared in any way, shape, or form to Purdy is a huge honor.
Here is a brief snippet of the breakdown that they had for Fifita:
“If Fifita can refine his game and overcome physical limitations, he has the potential to be a dependable backup or spot starter in the NFL. His accuracy, quick decision-making, and mobility are tools that can translate well with the right coaching. While his college success is promising, his ability to adapt and grow at the pro level will be the ultimate test at the next level.”
Those are strong words that provide big-time potential for the young quarterback in the future.
As previously mentioned, the Heisman hype has started growing for Fifita. The Athletic recently gave him a shot at winning the prestigious award.
All of that being said, it will be interesting to see what the upcoming 2024 season has in store for Fifita. He is beginning to be a quarterback that NFL teams are looking at and has an offense around him capable of being elite.
If he plays to his full potential, Fifita will put together a monstrous season and should lead Arizona to a very successful year.
The 2026 Arizona Legacy Races in Buckeye, Ariz., are ringing in a new year for futurity horses December 30 – January 6, at the Buckeye Equestrian & Events Center. Formerly known as the MVP Futurity and Greg Olson Futurity, these two races have been a staple in many professional trainers’ schedules for decades. This year, the two events boast $22,000 in added money.
Linzie Lindsey and Fame Dancin Yola claimed the Round 1 win with a 17.577 for $1,959. Barbara Merrill rode TKW Eye Am Tess to the 2D win.
After finishing out of the 1D money in Round 1, Loralee Ward and Dark Honey ran the fastest time of the futurity with a 17.030 to claim the Round 2 win. The duo also earned the Futurity Reserve Championship for $1,652.
Lindsey and Fame Dancin Yola finished second in Round 2 with a 17.164, adding $1,603 to their futurity earnings and claiming the Futurity Championship for another $2,019.
Jenna Duhon and PMC AintSheBeautiful earned the Round 2 2D win. In the 2D Average, it was Estella Martin and Quanahs Kingdom claiming the win.
Round 1 of a very tough Derby went to Jana Bean and Feature This Goodbye with a 17.268. 2025 futurity standout Blissful Version and Lora Nichols finished second in Round 1 with a 17.282, won Round 2 with a 17.032, and claimed the Average win.
“Buddy” and Nichols were in contention for the highest money-earning futurity horse of the previous season, before the cancellation of the last two major events of the season due to EHV-1. By $7 million sire Winners Version, Buddy banked over $300,000 in his futurity year.
Megan McLeod-Sprague and Seis Corona (“Jagger”) were hot off the 2025 National Finals Rodeo. The duo won the Roohide Hot Rod with a 17.004 for $1,368. They also earned the Friday Open 1D win for $1,083.
With the first 16-second run of the weekend, Sherry Cervi and MP Meter My Fame won the Saturday Open 1D with a 16.969.
Rita Cheeney and HP Dash Ta Fairfax ran the only other sub-17-second run of the weekend, with a 16.996 that took the top spot in Sunday’s Open 1D.
Nichols and Buddy doubled down on their derby earnings, placing deep in the Open 1D both days, as well as the Roohide Hot Rod, and Big Time Boss.
Youth competitor Tabitha Dyal also had an outstanding weekend, earning Open 1D money Friday, Saturday, and Sunday aboard Slym Shady. She swept the Youth 1D on Slym Shady and earned Open 1D, Open 2D, and Youth 1D checks on Promise Me Fame Guys and Smooth Operraider. Dyal wrapped up her weekend with several checks in the Big Time Boss.
Authorities say a prominent California agriculture heir is accused of traveling to Arizona to kill his estranged wife amid a bitter divorce, a case now drawing national attention for its cross-state trail and high-profile ties.
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On today’s Digital Pregame Show presented by Little Caesars, J.B Long, D’Marco Farr, and Maurice Jones-Drew preview the Los Angeles Rams’ Week 18 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium. The trio discuss key players to watch, game predictions, and more. Tune in for kickoff at 1:25pm PT on FOX.
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