WVU Football returns home after its first road game against Oklahoma State, with Arizona coming to town for the team’s third annual Coal Rush outing. The Week 6 contest is also set to serve as WVU Sports Hall of Fame Weekend. Neither of those promotions bode well, as WVU lost both in both editions last year, as well as the inaugural Coal Rush in 2024. Alas, a new season means another chance to right wrongs of the past. Read more: Tale of the Tape 2.0 – Arizona.
The October 10 matchup marks the Wildcats’ first trip to Morgantown, and just the second all-time meeting between the two programs.
Related: Tale of the Tape 2.0 – Iowa State
Setting the stage: Arizona rebuild on schedule
Talk about a turnaround. Head coach Brent Brennan enters his third season at the helm for Arizona after taking a 4-8 program in 2024 to a 9-4 finish this past year. The improvements carried to Big 12 Conference play, too. From 2-7 to 6-3, it seems Brennan and co. found something special.
A fourth place finish, with two road wins against ranked opponents and a bowl berth to boot, is quite the improvement.
WVU can wish to have similar results this season, given the 4-8 finish from a year ago.
The lone matchup
The Mountaineers and Wildcats have only shared the gridiron once. It took place during Arizona’s inaugural Big 12 campaign in 2024.
WVU went out to Tuscon with an up-and-down team and picked up one of its six wins on the year. Arizona native Nicco Marchiol led the Mountaineers to a win in his de facto homecoming game, despite a frantic comeback attempt.
Related: Respect isn’t given, WVU must earn it (M*tch, Please!)
Three of WVU’s scores came on fourth downs, capitalizing at the most crucial times on the way to a 31-26 victory.
Despite winning, you can presume WVU’s corners from this game still have nightmares about former Wildcat and current Carolina Panthers WR Tet McMillan, who tore the Mountaineers apart on 10 catches for 202 yards.
Perhaps the most memorable play of the game came on a fake field goal that worked to perfection, helping propel WVU to victory in the desert.
One constant despite transfer trend
Like most other schools, Arizona was ravaged once again by offseason departures — 43, to be exact.
One constant they do have is a big one, though. Noah Fifita returns his senior season with the Wildcats. Having a constant at QB helps. He also happens to be the QB that led the charge in the comeback attempt against none other than WVU.
Fifita has spent his entire collegiate career with Arizona, taking over the starting job in the middle of his redshirt freshman season. Since then, he has made his way to the top of the leaderboard for passing touchdowns among active QBs (73). Fifita is expected to dazzle once again while making more records, and outside sources see it too. He was recently named as the only QB on the 2026 Preseason All-Big 12 Team.
Plus, he is the all-time leader in touchdown passes in program history. He is a force.
Whether two players, 43 players, or 95 players left in the offseason, Fifita was always going to run it back. And that makes him the no-brainer player to watch for when the Wildcats come to town.
Final wrap
WVU welcomes Arizona to Milan Puskar Stadium for the first time October 10. It will not be confirmed until closer to game day, but expect this to be a night game. Both Coal Rush outings have been, and it fits the all-black theme. TV rights make it less of a given, though.
This game will serve as the official halfway point of the regular season.
Return to WV Sports Nation next Friday for the seventh entry into Tale 2.0, breaking down the Week 7 home contest against a familiar foe — Cincinnati.
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