Arizona @ Washington State preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 28, 2017 ) Washington State 37, Arizona 58

Washington State will try to tie the school record for wins in a season when the No. 9 Cougars host Arizona in a Pac-12 game Saturday night. Washington State can also clinch the North Division outright with a win over Arizona and a loss by Washington against visiting Oregon State.

The Cougars are 9-1 for the first time since 2002 and can match the 10-win school record set in 1997. Washington State is scheduled to conclude the regular season Nov. 23 against in-state rival Washington, which is a game behind the Cougars. Arizona has won two in a row to stay in the hunt in the tightly packed South Division, where the Wildcats (4-3), Arizona State (4-3) and No. 19 Utah (5-3) are bunched at the top. Arizona concludes its regular season against Arizona State and would need to win its final two games and hope Utah loses its conference finale at Colorado on Saturday to clinch a berth in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Washington State -9.5

ABOUT ARIZONA (5-5, 4-3 Pac-12): The Wildcats have the top rushing offense in the Pac-12 at 206.4 rushing yards per game, and running back J.J. Taylor is a major reason why they're No. 1 in that department. Taylor has rushed for 1,221 yards so far this season, which is fourth in the FBS and ninth-most in program history. Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate isn't piling up the rushing yards like he did last season, but he's moving the ball well with his arm, completing 36-of-55 passes in the past two games for 539 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions.

ABOUT WASHINGTON STATE (9-1, 6-1): The Cougars will try to win another game with quarterback Gardner Minshew II, who has thrown for at least 300 yards in every contest this season and completed at least 30 passes. The senior graduate transfer threw the ball a season-high 58 times against Colorado last week, completing 35 for 335 yards, keeping him No. 1 in the country in passing yards (3,852) and passing yards per game (385.2). One of Minshew's favorite targets has been running back James Williams, who has a team-high 63 receptions, second-most by a Washington State running back in program history.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Arizona’s run defense has limited its past three opponents under an average of four yards carry, the first time the Wildcats have had such a streak since 2010.

2. The last four receptions for Arizona WR Shawn Poindexter have gone for touchdowns.

3. The Cougars have won 12 straight at Martin Stadium, their longest home-winning streak since winning 19 straight from 1928-33.

PREDICTION: Washington State 42, Arizona 31