👋 GOOD MORNING - Happy Friday!

What a huge weekend coming up for the Diamondbacks, who have an opportunity to capitalize on the struggles of the Minnesota Twins, who have lost eight of their last 10 games. It’s so crazy to think that Arizona remains in the thick of the Wild Card race, but a stellar few weeks have kept them in the conversation, even if actual playoff chances are less than two percent.

You know the drill — here’s a joke to get you through to the weekend: I was at a ballgame the other day and wondered why the ball kept getting bigger and bigger. Then it hit me.

Let’s run it back next week. On to the show!

— Patrick Brown, PHNX Sports Daily Editor

Welcome to Week 3 of college football.

The Wildcats face their toughest test of the season tonight (6 pm, FOX), eyeing a 3-0 start for the first time since 2015 (!!!). The Sun Devils, meanwhile, need a huge bounce back game at home against Texas State to right the proverbial ship and keep hopes of another College Football Playoff appearance alive.

And so goes football, where one bad game can impact an entire season.

Let’s dive in to this weekend’s matchups

Kansas State (1-2, 0-1 Big 12) at Arizona (2-0)
Game info: Tonight, 6 pm, FOX
bet365 odds: Arizona +1.0
Last Meeting: Arizona 7, Kansas State 31 (2024)

Revenge is a dish best served cold, and Arizona has an opportunity to do just that against a reeling Kansas State team. KSU started the season as a dark horse to potentially win the conference, but losses to Iowa State and Army (who lost to Tarleton State) have derailed those aspirations pretty quick.

Even so, Kansas State is desperate to get its season back on track before it’s too late, so this one is anything but a gimme.

Arizona averages the fourth-most passing yards per game in the conference (283.5), and the group will need another strong showing from QB Noah Fifita to keep that up. Fifita, in fact, played only three quarters in last week’s dominant win over Weber State, but Kansas State poses a much bigger challenge.

Kansas State averages a respectable 254.3 yards per game through the air, but their rushing attack has been virtually nonexistent all season. The Wildcats (KSU) have averaged just 109 rushing yards per game, and they were outgained 237-74 against the Black Knights last week.

If Arizona can minimize big plays through the air, they have a good shot at one of their best starts in recent memory.

Coach Brent Brennan and Co. shouldn’t need any added motivation for tonight’s game, but KSU upended Arizona’s quest for a 3-0 start last year with a 31-7 win in Manhattan, Kans. UA won just two games after that en route to a 4-8 finish, and it just feels like a little revenge in 2025 could lead to bigger and better things as the season wears on.

I’m honestly surprised Arizona is a one-point underdog at home against a struggling Kansas State team, but the oddsmakers clearly see this game as a virtual coin flip. Any added motivation can make a huge impact.

Texas State (2-0) at Arizona State (1-1)
Game info: Saturday, 7:30 pm, TNT/HBO Max
bet365 odds: ASU -17.5
Last Meeting: W, 31-28 (2024)

Last year’s matchup at Texas State was almost a disaster for Kenny Dillingham and the Sun Devils. This year’s team needs a win over the Bobcats even more.

Texas State already has wins over Eastern Michigan (52-27) and UTSA (43-36), and though its unblemished record is impressive, there are also clear defensive vulnerabilities that Sam Leavitt can expose to help get the Sun Devils back over .500

Yes, their 2-0 record is nice, but Texas State has allowed 31.5 points against programs not nearly as talented as ASU, and the Sun Devils need to expose that. Over two games the Bobcats have allowed 194 rushing yards per game and another 234 passing yards per game, giving Dillingham and his coaching staff ample opportunity to strike early and often.

And that’s just it — the Sun Devils need to race out in front and stay there throughout the game. They dug themselves far too big of a hole last week after falling down 17-0 in Starkville, and though the team put together an impressive rally to take a late-game lead, it was unable to hold it, allowing Mississippi State to score the game-winning touchdown with just 30 seconds remaining.

Brutal loss, but those memories can be erased with a win this weekend.

It’s stunning to see that the Sun Devils average the fewest passing yards per game in the Big 12 (260.5), especially considering the expected connection between Leavitt and start wideout Jordyn Tyson. Alas, the duo has left a lot to be desired through two weeks of play, but they also have a chance to establish sound footing against a lesser opponent. They need to seize that opportunity.

On to the Playoffs: The Mercury dropped their regular season finale, 97-76 to the Dallas Wings. It was basically a meaningless game, though, as Phoenix is on to its First Round matchup against the New York Liberty, who finished with an identical record (27-17).

ESPN gives the fifth-seeded Liberty a 72.3 percent chance of advancing, but let’s see how it plays out. Game 1 is Sunday at PHX Arena (2 pm, ESPN).

Minny Skinny: The D-backs kick off a pretty big three-game set in Minnesota tonight, facing a struggling team with a chance to still hang in the Wild Card race. Odds remain low, but Arizona is just 3.5 games behind the Mets for the final spot, and a series sweep against the Twins would go a long way.

Rise Up: Rising FC has a big one tomorrow against second-place Sacramento Republic FC, and Phoenix needs every point it can get as it holds on to a three-way tie for the final playoff spot in the USL table. Phoenix has finished with two consecutive draws (3-3 vs. El Paso and 0-0 vs. Las Vegas), and needs all the points it can get to hang on to a postseason spot.

These are pretty slick

Heading into the weekend like: