What teams are playing?
The Arizona Wildcats and the Colorado Buffaloes.
Where is this game being played?
Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado.
What time does the game start and where can I find it on my television?
5:00 PM (PT)/6:00 PM (MT) on Pac-12 Network.
What is the point spread?
Arizona is favored by 13 points (-13)
What should I watch for when Arizona has the ball?
If it seems like Ka'Deem Carey has an extra bounce in his step this week its because of the opponent he is facing. Last year when Colorado faced Arizona, Carey had one of the best rushing performances in Pac-12 history when he exploded for an Arizona record 366 yards and five touchdowns. Less than one full year later, things have not changed much. Carey is once again leading the nation in rushing yards per game and has actually improved his mark from last year by almost 13 yards. The man who had to fill in for Matt Scott at quarterback that day, B.J. Denker, is now the full time starter and is playing well recently after a poor start to the season.
Colorado's defense while better than last year, is still not in any shape to slow down Carey. It's no secret that Colorado is going to give up a lot of yards and a lot of points to Arizona but the key to not getting embarrassed is tackling. Colorado got blown off the ball last year but they compounded that with terrible tackling and that allowed Carey to break five to 10 yard gains into explosive 20+ yard plays. Colorado can't hope to shut Carey down but if they stick to fundamentals they can at least avoid getting embarrassed like last year.
What should I watch for when Colorado has the ball?
Colorado is now starting true freshmen at both quarterback and running back for the first time in school history. Sefo Liufau and Michael Adkins are very talented young football players but it is hard to imagine them playing well enough to pull off an upset against Arizona. Arizona's defense should try to find out if Liufau can answer two questions: How poised and calm is he under pressure and can he go through his progressions effectively? Mike MacIntyre has raved about this kid's calm confidence in the pocket but he didn't have to face much pressure last week against Charleston Southern. Liufau does have an important asset in his disposal in Paul Richardson, one of the best receivers in college football. Arizona needs to double cover him and keep him under wraps and force Liufau to find other receivers. If I'm Arizona defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel, I want to know if Liufau has it in him to look off Richardson and rely on his other receivers or if I can bait him into forcing passes to a covered Richardson.
Athletes in Space is named after ESPN/ABC's Kirk Herbstreit and his favorite saying that has spawned many drinking games. It is the most spectacularly mediocre Pac-12 Football and Men's Basketball blog on the internet and is filled with all the player analysis, game breakdowns, predictions, gambling advice, and news your pretty brain can handle. Owned and operated by Cam Stuerle, a lifelong Oregon fan, non-partisan writer, and an exiled college football lover living in Kelowna, BC, Canada.
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