No. 18 BYU faces Arizona this Saturday. The Cougars remain unbeaten, while the Wildcats have just one loss against Iowa State. Last year, BYU was dominant at LaVell Edwards Stadium. And history also leans their way. BYU has beaten Arizona in 4 straight meetings. But this time, the Wildcats are hungry enough to flip the script. And their defensive growth suggests that. But one question still hangs in the air. Literally. Will the weather play nice? We have already seen games being delayed for hours on end due to lightning. But this time, it’s bigger than that.

As per the weather report, Saturday’s showdown at Arizona Stadium might come with a tropical twist. Rolling in from the Pacific via Baja California, Tropical Storm Priscilla’s leftovers could turn Arizona Stadium into a slip-and-slide. Reports further suggest that this storm could bring 1 to 3 inches of rain. Moreover, the National Weather Service warns of heavy rain and possible thunderstorms. If the forecast holds, fans might witness a game where the usual plays won’t work as smoothly. Keeping this in mind, will the kickoff time change?

CFB insider Brett McMurphy reported on October 10 that the BYU at Arizona matchup is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. ET as planned. The game should proceed as planned unless there is a “drastic change” in the weather projections. As of now, Big 12 and school officials are monitoring Tropical Storm Priscilla closely. And if the storm hits hard, delays could push the game deep into the night. Hence, fans should be ready for anything and exercise some patience. But the Cougars are embracing the storm. Looks like they’re ready to turn soggy conditions into an advantage.

And that’s why Kelly Poppinga, BYU’s special teams and DEs coach, said, “We’re ready for the monsoon. Let’s go.” Then he added that there’s not much you can do besides prepare on special teams. “We’ve done some wet-ball drills. It looks like it will be heavy rain, but I think our team is up for it, whatever the environment throws at us.” And finally, he wrapped up his statement with confidence, saying, “We love the elements. We’re ready for it.” If mother nature gets her way, this matchup could turn into a defensive battle.

Arizona’s secondary has been sharp. Through 5 games, they racked up 7 interceptions and didn’t give up a single passing TD. On the other side, BYU’s defense has also been relentless. They placed second in the Big 12, allowing only 12.2 PPG. But while BYU is ready despite the inclement weather, are the Wildcats feeling confident as well?

Is Arizona ready to face BYU under these weather conditions?

Although the weather forecast calls for rain, Arizona HC Brent Brennan isn’t sweating it. “The Wildcats are like the mailman. We gotta go to work, rain, sleet, snow, it doesn’t matter. We gotta show up and get after it,” he said. Then he emphasized the mindset to not let the weather dictate the game. Because for him, “The biggest thing about playing in weather is not letting the weather be a factor.” Now while the showers could make passing tricky, Arizona’s WRs are ready.

And it’s probably the reason why WRs coach Bobby Wade stated., “We don’t think about the weather, honestly. If it comes to a point where we know it’s going to rain, we’ll do some wet-ball drills, things like that, for preparation.” Then he emphasized fundamentals in the wet conditions, saying, “Do whatever you need to do to get the ball to your body.”

However, the Arizona HC then stressed around the mental side of the game. “It’s about a mentality, it’s a process, and how you go in the game thinking about it. Football is football. That’s the beautiful thing, nothing stops football. Nothing stops game day, except for lightning,” he said. The Wildcats are ready to show that a little rain won’t dampen their drive against BYU. Let’s see what happens on game day.