Oregon State Football Opponent Preview: Arizona
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With the start of the 2023 season just around the corner, BeaversEdge kicks off the first in an opponent preview series diving into all 12 of Oregon State's opponents in 2023...
Up next is a road matchup with the Arizona Wildcats, another opponent the Beavers haven't faced since 2019...
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THE GAME
Date: Saturday, October 28th
Time: TBD
Location: Arizona Stadium - Tucson, Ariz.
TV: TBD
Oregon State 2022 record: 10-3 (6-3 Pac-12)
Arizona 2022 record: 5-7 (3-6)
Arizona Head Coach: Jedd Fisch (6-18 at Arizona, 7-19 overall)
DID YOU KNOW? Oregon State won its last matchup with Arizona in 2019 (also in Tucson, 56-38)
Arizona 2022 Recap
Following a dismal 1-11 campaign in Jedd Fisch's first season at Arizona, the Wildcats took a massive step forward in year two as they became a lot more competitive and finished with a 5-7 overall mark, including 3-6 in Pac-12 play.
A big reason for the four-win turnaround was the arrival of former Washington State quarterback Jayden de Laura, who emerged as a risk-it-for-the-biscuit type player, throwing for a ton of yards and TD's (3,685 and 25) and created some big plays, while also tallying a career-high in interceptions (13).
As for why the Wildcats weren't better? Defense... The offense was able to find its groove under de Laura and they ranked near the middle of the Pac-12 in most offensive categories, but the defense was the Achilles heel, allowing 468 yards per contest (11th), only bested by lowly Colorado
The Wildcats' best win of the season easily stands out as the UCLA win, as the Bruins won nine games this season and were playing great football at various points under Chip Kelly and Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
The worst loss is certainly Cal as the Bears were very bad this last season and it shouldn't have been a game the Wildcats should have dropped, let alone by 18 points...
The 2022 season was a huge step forward for the program under Fisch, but given the competitive nature of the conference this season, the Wildcats could make further progress and still only have only five or six wins under their belt...
Best Win: vs UCLA (34-28)
Worst Loss: vs Cal (49-31)
Arizona 2023 Outlook
After going 5-7 a season ago, the goal for Arizona and head coach Jedd Fisch in 2023 is going to be crossing that six-win plateau and reaching the postseason for the first time since the 2017 campaign.
With de Laura and a pair of solid receivers in Jacob Cowing and Tetairoa McMillan in tow, I'd expect the Wildcats to be able to put up points this season. However, the defense is likely to still be a big work in progress after allowing 468 yards per game last season.
Fisch and Co. hit the transfer portal hard and added some new defensive talent, including former Oregon linebacker Justin Flowe, but there's likely still a year or two of building on that side of the ball before it becomes a strength for UA...
I see the Wildcats flirting with the six-win threshold in 2023 and think it'll largely depend on if de Laura and the offense can overcome a subpar defense and win shootouts. I think they've got a decent chance to reach the postseason, but they'll have to beat the teams they're capable of beating...
Key Players: QB Jayden de Laura, WR Jacob Cowing, WR Tetairoa McMillan, LB Justin Flowe, LB Jacob Manu
Season Projection: 6-6
Early Prediction
PREDICTION - Oregon State 38, Arizona 21
-> Fresh off the lone bye week of the 2023 football season, Oregon State will be looking to make it two straight against the Arizona Wildcats down in Tucson...
The Wildcats figure to be improved in Jedd Fisch's third season in the desert, but I don't expect this to be a game the Beavers slip up with. While Jayden de Laura and the Wildcat offense could put up points, the defense figures to be a work in progress again and that's where the Beavers have the big-time advantage...
The timing of this game is interesting as you can never quite predict how a team will play after an off week, but I'm not particularly worried about Arizona knocking off the Beavers in this matchup, even with Arizona also having a bye ahead of the contest.
While Arizona's strength is on offense, their strength isn't defensively and they weren't great at stopping the run last season (200+ allowed per game) and I don't expect that to change much, giving the Beavers a blueprint to victory...
Look for Oregon State to heavily lean into the run game in this matchup, limiting De Laura and how often Arizona's offense takes the field.
I like the Beavers by 17...
Previously
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