The Arizona Wildcats are one of two Football Bowl Subdivision teams (along with UNLV) left without a win in 2021.
The 0-6 Wildcats are bogged down in an 18-game losing streak entering the team’s Friday night game with 2-4 Washington in Tucson.
The squads square off inside Arizona Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Arizona time on ESPN2, one of four college football games available for wagering Friday at Arizona betting apps.
Arizona Huge Underdogs Against Huskies
A trio of Arizona sportsbooks — BetMGM Arizona, DraftKings Sportsbook Arizona and FanDuel Sportsbook Arizona — have the Wildcats as a 17.5-point underdog against the Huskies.
The Wildcats’ last victory over the Huskies came in Tucson seven years ago, when then 17th-ranked Arizona knocked off Washington, 27-26.
Since then, it’s been tough sledding against Washington for Arizona, which has lost four straight in the series — three decided by 17 points or more.
When the teams met in 2020, Washington thumped Arizona, 44-27, in Seattle — a year after beating the Wildcats, 51-27, in Tucson.
Someone Has To Win Friday
Washington enters Friday’s game coming off consecutive losses — to Oregon State (27-24) and UCLA (24-17).
The Huskies’ two wins came against Cal (31-24 in overtime) and Arkansas State (52-3). Washington lost to Montana 13-7 in its season opener and followed that with a 31-10 loss at Michigan.
Washington’s offense has given second-year coach Jimmy Lake little to be proud of, averaging 23.5 points per game and 357.2 yards per game.
The Huskies are averaging 246.2 passing yards and 111 rushing yards per game, ranking 57th and tied for 113th in the country in the two categories.
For first-year Arizona coach Jedd Fisch, Friday’s game represents a chance to turn the tables on a dismal season.
Fisch will once again turn to sophomore QB Will Plummer, after Gunner Cruz (hand injury) and Jordan McCloud (ankle/knee) suffered season-ending injuries in successive games.
Plummer has struggled, completing 50.7% of his passes for 380 yards, while tossing more interceptions (3) than touchdowns (2).
The former Gilbert High School QB will look to connect with fellow in-state stalwart, WR Stanley Berryhill III on Friday night.
Berryhill has been one of the lone success stories for Arizona, hauling in 48 catches for 445 yards — both of which are more than double the next closest Wildcat.
The former Mountain View Lions receiver has caught at least five passes in each of Arizona’s games this season, including eight against Colorado last Saturday.
Fisch summed up the Wildcats’ difficult standing in the college football world in his comments to the media this week, saying Arizona will show up Friday and compete.
“Everybody wants to win, and I challenged the team to go out there and find a way to get better,” Fisch said. “And what else can you do? Why else do you play the sport and why else do you participate in a team sport like this other than to go find a way to keep competing and keep competing?
“And it’s hard right now. But you know what it is in terms of what’s gone on in the past and all we can control is what goes on, on Friday night. And our job on Friday night to go out against Washington is to play our best game of football, and to do everything we humanly possibly can to move the football and get a victory.”
