Northern Arizona (0-0) at Arizona (0-0)
Saturday, September 3rd, 2011, 7:00 PM MST
Arizona Stadium
Nick Foles - Arizona QB
Here’s the Deal…
Mike Stoops is entering his 8th year as the Arizona head coach. The Wildcats have made it to a bowl game in each of the last three years, but they ended last season on a five-game losing streak. If Coach Stoops cannot win some big games this year and have his team show a little more fight then he will be in the hot seat. Arizona will have a chance to avenge four of their losses from last year within their first five games this year. The Wildcats are stacked at the skill positions, but there is a big concern with the run blocking and quarterback protection. Former BYU offensive coordinator Robert Anae was brought in to coach the offensive line, which only has one career start between them.
Northern Arizona returns 11 starters from last year, but not their quarterback. Head coach Jerome Souers has said he would like to have an equally balanced attack on offense with the pass and the run and is in no hurry to name a starting quarterback. The Lumberjacks have had no fewer than five losses every year since ’03 and would like to change that around this year.
Why Arizona Might Win:
Arizona QB Nick Foles is back for his senior year to lead a passing attack that finished last year ranked #9 in the nation. Foles threw for over 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns despite missing two games. Foles’ two favorite targets were Juron Criner and David Douglas. Criner had 1,233 yards and 11 touchdowns receiving last year while Douglas racked up over 500 yards and 5 touchdowns. A new face that will also see the ball a lot is Texas transfer Dan Buckner. The Lumberjacks are going to have to have a solid plan to stop those three receivers or Foles is going to throw for well over 300 yards. Senior running back Keola Antolin and the highly touted freshman Ka’Deem Carey will also be in the backfield ready to bust thru any holes the line makes. The Wildcats firepower on offense alone should be enough for them to walk away with a win.
Why Northern Arizona Might Win:
The Wildcats have not tasted victory since October of last year. After five straight losses the Wildcats may have forgotten how to win. Northern Arizona has the opportunity to try and sneak in a win against the vulnerable Wildcats. Last year with a much more experienced offensive line the Wildcats ranked 88th nationally in sacks allowed and rushing yards. If the Lumberjacks are able to disrupt the Wildcats’ passing offense and force their hand to run the ball they have a good shot to pull off the upset. The Wildcats’ defense has some holes at defensive end and is really thin at linebacker, which may be an area of attack for Northern Arizona. The Lumberjacks’ prescription for success is to stop the Wildcats passing attack and run the ball effectively themselves.
What To Watch Out For:
Nick Foles has said that he has confidence in his offensive line, two of which are true-freshman. Sometimes experience is extremely over-rated, the Wildcats are hoping that’s the case. Watch for the run and pass blocking for Arizona. Arizona senior RB Keola Antolin rushed for 668 yards and 7 touchdowns last year as the backup. In Arizona’s five losses to close out last season, the only game they rushed for over 100 yards was their double overtime loss to Arizona State. If Antolin is able to go for over 100 yards that will open up the passing game and lift the heavy burden off the offensive line. For Northern Arizona, look no further than their sophomore running back Zach Bauman. As a freshman Bauman rushed for over 1,000 yards, which was the most by any freshman in the school’s history. Arizona is inexperienced on the edges of the line and Bauman may be able to swing to the sidelines and pick up some good gains.
What Will Happen:
The Wildcats have never lost to the Lumberjacks under Coach Stoops and they aren’t going to start now. The Lumberjacks’ three-headed rushing monster will be tough for the Wildcats to stop, but once they do they will have the game won. The Wildcats have too much skill on the offensive side of the ball to be stopped; even an inexperienced offensive line isn’t going to hamper them. The Wildcats will be tested the first three quarters before building a comfortable lead to finish the game off. The Lumberjacks haven’t defeated the Wildcats since 1932 and we’ll be saying that the next time they meet as well.
JIB Prediction: Arizona 34 – Northern Arizona 17
