Arizona Wildcats is 4-1 in the 2026 sample and averages 32.4 points with 451.4 yards per game. The offense produced 151.6 rushing yards and 299.8 passing yards per game while converting 57.8% on third down. That profile points to an offense that is most comfortable when it avoids obvious passing situations.
ArizonaA2026 seasonLatest WVU Football News
View all newsMichael Hawkins Jr. accounted for 376 yards of offense and Cam Cook rushed for 142, helping West Virginia build 518 total yards in a back-and-forth Big 12 game.
Iowa State answered with 577 yards and recovered the decisive late fumble. WVU now turns to an October 10 home game against 4–1 Arizona.


Arizona Wildcats
4-1 · Verified Arizona Athletics 2026 snapshot · Checked Oct 4, 2026, 2:23 AM EDT
The available 2026 sample does not establish a complete defensive allowance profile for Arizona Wildcats. WVU should test the front on the ground, protect the football and adjust quickly to Arizona Wildcats’s coverage, pressure and personnel usage. Early-season samples are matchup indicators, not predictions; game-day availability and role changes can materially alter the picture.
The matchup in numbers
WVU vs. Arizona Wildcats
WVU averages 5.0 more points per game. Different opponents and small samples matter; these are indicators, not a prediction.
2026 season · Each metric uses its own zero-based scale. Larger is more production.
Saved statistical baseline · Opponent source · WVU source
The latest sample leans through the air, producing 299.8 passing yards per game against 151.6 on the ground.
A 57.8% third-down rate shows an offense capable of extending possessions; WVU must win first down.
- Scoring productionMatched statistical sample: WVU 37.4 vs. opponent 32.4.
- Rushing productionMatched statistical sample: WVU 294.0 vs. opponent 151.6.
- Passing productionMatched statistical sample: WVU 178.0 vs. opponent 299.8.
- Arizona passingMatched statistical sample: WVU 178.0 vs. opponent 299.8.
- Arizona third downMatched statistical sample: WVU 50.0 vs. opponent 57.8.

Michael Hawkins Jr. remains WVU's command player after throwing for 227 yards and rushing for 149 in Ames. He produced 376 yards of offense against Iowa State. Watch how he handles third down and decides when to throw or take off. Against Arizona, those choices could be the difference between a promising possession and a scoring drive.
TMSWV editorial pick
Cam Cook anchors a WVU ground game averaging 294 yards through five games. He rushed for 142 yards against Iowa State. Watch the carries that keep WVU out of third-and-long, not just the runs that make the highlights. Keeping the ground game moving would give the Mountaineers more ways to attack Arizona.
TMSWV editorial pick
DJ Epps gives WVU a proven downfield option against Arizona's defense. He recorded 114 receiving yards against Iowa State. Watch whether he can give the quarterback a dependable target when the first option disappears. A timely catch against Arizona could matter just as much as a long one.
TMSWV editorial pick