Noah Fifita is 51st in the "Ranking every Power 4 quarterback one month into the season" posted by ESPN on Wednesday. Fifita has had an inconsistent start to the 2025 season. Arizona has primarily been carried by its running game and defense during a 3-1 start to the 2025 season.
There was a lot of optimism entering the 2025 season with Arizona head coach Brent Brennan hiring Seth Doege as offensive coordinator. Doege has made a big difference in elevating Arizona's rushing offense, but Fifita has often struggled.
Fifita is 79th nationally, averaging 197.3 passing yards per game against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents. Against FBS opponents Hawai'i, Kansas State and Iowa State, Fifita has completed 58.7 percent of his pass attempts for 592 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions and a 112.13 passer rating.
Arizona needs far more consistency and production from Fifita in the remaining seven 2025 Big XII games for the Wildcats. Iowa State exposed Fifita and the Arizona pass offense by forcing the Wildcats to keep everything underneath and denying explosive plays.
"51. Noah Fifita, ArizonaBill Connelly, ESPN
Total QBR: 63.0 | Pass Yds: 965 | Rush Yds: 133 | Total TDs: 11
Arizona has shown some life after a 2024 collapse, but it mostly has come from the defense and run game. In three games against FBS opponents, Fifita averaged a ghastly 4.9 yards per dropback with six sacks, and in the Wildcats' loss to Iowa State last week he threw two interceptions and averaged just 7.9 yards per completion. When Arizona has to throw, the ball doesn't really go anywhere."
Converse to Fifita and the passing offense, Arizona is 41st nationally, averaging 174.67 rushing yards per game and 22nd among FBS teams posting 5.14 yards per carry. There was some criticism after the loss at Iowa State that Doege needs to commit more to the run.
Fifita is 62nd nationally with a 144.0 QB rating and 64th, averaging 7.7 yards per attempt versus FBS opponents and in total QBR. The two interceptions Fifita threw against Iowa State were his first in 2025. Houston, who is second and Houston, who is third, are the only pass defenses in the top eight in the Big XII remaining on the 2025 Arizona schedule.
Fifita had 253 passing yards against Iowa State on 48 attempts. Ninety of the passing yards by Fifita came in the fourth quarter on 13 attempts with Iowa State ahead 36-14 after 45 minutes. Fifita is 81st nationally with 31 completions of 10 yards or more.
Iowa State provided Big XII opponents with a blueprint on how to beat Arizona and limit Fifita and the Wildcats on offense. Arizona finished with a respectable 360 total yards, but Iowa State limited Arizona in the red zone and kept the Arizona wide receivers in front of them.