What it will take for Arizona Football to beat North Dakota State

Just days away from taking on a talented FCS team in North Dakota State, Arizona Football will have a battle on its hands but these are the keys to victory.  

Just like that, we are now into week three of the 2022 Arizona Football season. And despite the Wildcats snapping back to reality with their 39-17 loss to Mississippi State, Arizona will return to action for a big match-up against North Dakota State.

For the third straight week, the Wildcats face a significant challenge as the Bison are the Alabama of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). They are a skilled, physical, and athletic football team that can put up a lot of points, and for Arizona, beating them won’t be easy by any means.

Now, while Arizona looked good in week one, it is hard to take too much stock in that win as their game against Mississippi State proved that this team still has a long way to go.

And as Arizona Football enters this game against North Dakota State, if they are going to get the win, these are the keys to doing it!

Get the Running Game Going

To say Arizona struggled in running the football against Mississippi State would be a major understatement. Granted, all the credit goes to the Bulldogs for slowing down the Wildcats’ offense; however, Arizona cannot have a repeat performance on Saturday.

North Dakota State is a skilled, talented, and well-coached team on defense. And once again, Arizona will have a tough challenge on its hands.

To me, if Arizona has any hope of not only succeeding but possibly even beating the Bison on Saturday, they are going to need a better effort in their running game. Should the Wildcats end up with just 40 yards rushing again, it could be a long night for Arizona.

Return of Jayden de Laura’s Confidence and Poise

Arizona did a great job of setting the tone early and often against San Diego State, and aside from their first drive of the game against Mississippi State, the Wildcats largely struggled on offense on Saturday evening.

If the Wildcats can find their offensive rhythm early, I like their chances of winning this one; however, they have to find a way to get going and get going early in this one. The Bison are too talented of a team, and the last thing you want is to struggle and let them get rolling.

The key for the offense for this weekend will be on Jayden. He struggled and forced a lot against Mississippi State. This weekend he will need to calm down and let the game come to him. If he can find his confidence and poise, I like Arizona’s chances.

Take advantage of the Opportunities

On Saturday, Arizona’s defense did a great job in forcing three turnovers, but unfortunately, it only resulted in 10 points for the Wildcats, and the Wildcats lost 39-17.

Moving forward, Arizona has to do a better job in taking advantage of those opportunities. If the Wildcats are going to beat North Dakota State this Saturday, they need to not only play well, but they need to capitalize when given the opportunity.

Arizona has to Tackle Better

Last week, the Wildcats struggled against a bigger and more physical Mississippi State team. And while the defense had its moments on Saturday, overall, they did struggle a bit, especially when it came to tackling in the open field.

To me, this is one of the few areas that the Wildcats’ defense needs to improve in and quickly. The Bison are a physical, power-running team, and with Arizona’s struggles against Mississippi State, they are going to have to wrap up and tackle better, otherwise, this could be a long day for Arizona.

Still looking to lock in your bets ahead of the Wildcats’ weekend action against North Dakota State? Check out WynnBet for more betting options!