Arizona has a huge opportunity this weekend.

The No. 22 Wildcats travel to Lubbock to face No. 13 Texas Tech on Saturday, with both teams sitting at 6-1 overall and 3-1 in Big 12 play. Arizona has won five straight games, including a dominant 39-3 victory over Iowa State, and now has a chance to prove it belongs among the conference’s top contenders.

Winning in Lubbock is the priority, but Arizona’s playoff push doesn’t end there. Several other games around the Big 12 could help the Wildcats move closer to the conference championship game, which offers the clearest path to the College Football Playoff.

The challenge is that Arizona is competing with several teams that have the same conference record. The Wildcats need to keep winning, but they should also be rooting for a few results elsewhere to break their way.

Here’s the rooting guide for Arizona fans heading into Week 9.

1. Cincinnati over Utah

Root for Cincinnati.

This is the biggest game on the schedule for Arizona fans outside of their own matchup.

Utah is 7-0 overall and 4-0 in Big 12 play, making the Utes the conference’s only undefeated team. They’re currently sitting alone at the top of the standings, one game ahead of Arizona, Texas Tech, BYU, and Oklahoma State.

Arizona can’t afford to let Utah pull further away. A Cincinnati victory would hand the Utes their first loss of the season and give the Wildcats a chance to close the gap with a win over Texas Tech.

There is a wrinkle here: Cincinnati already beat Texas Tech last weekend, so Arizona would be cheering for a team that just helped one of its direct competitors. But that shouldn’t matter. The bigger priority is making the Big 12 race as tight as possible.

If Arizona wins in Lubbock and Utah loses in Cincinnati, the Wildcats would be in a much better position heading into the next stretch of the season.

The ideal result: Arizona wins, Utah loses, and the Wildcats pull within striking distance of first place.

2. Arizona State over BYU

Root for Arizona State on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.

BYU is another major obstacle in Arizona’s path to the Big 12 Championship Game. The Cougars are 6-1 overall and 3-1 in conference play, putting them alongside Arizona and Texas Tech in the standings. BYU also owns a head-to-head win over Arizona, having beaten the Wildcats 28-17 in September.

That head-to-head result could become important if the teams finish with the same conference record. Arizona can’t change what happened in Provo, but it can benefit if BYU takes another loss.

An Arizona State win would drop the Cougars to 3-2 in conference play and give the Wildcats a chance to create separation with a victory in Lubbock. The Sun Devils are 2-2 in Big 12 play, so an upset would help Arizona by putting another loss on one of the teams ahead of it.

This is a straightforward rooting interest. Arizona needs to win its own games, but a BYU loss would remove some pressure from the Wildcats as they try to climb the standings.

Rooting interest: Arizona State. If the Sun Devils can pull off the upset, Arizona could gain valuable ground in the conference race.

3. Iowa State over Oklahoma State

Root for Iowa State on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.

Oklahoma State is 5-2 overall and 3-1 in Big 12 play, putting the Cowboys in the same group of conference contenders as Arizona. They have been one of the league’s most productive offenses, and their 57-24 win over Colorado last weekend showed how dangerous they can be when things are clicking.

The Cowboys aren’t going away quietly, which is why Arizona fans should be pulling for Iowa State.

An Iowa State victory would give Oklahoma State its second conference loss and create another opportunity for Arizona to move up the standings. The Cyclones are 1-3 in conference play, so they have little realistic chance of catching the leaders themselves. That makes this a useful opportunity for Wildcats fans to root for a team that needs a win against a more immediate competitor.

Arizona still has to face Utah later in the season, meaning the Wildcats have opportunities to influence their own standing. But getting help from Iowa State would be a welcome development.

Rooting interest: Iowa State. A Cowboys loss would make the Big 12 race a little less crowded at the top.

4. USC over Ohio State

Root for USC on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

This game doesn’t have a direct impact on the Big 12 standings, but Arizona fans should pay attention to the national playoff picture, too.

Ohio State is ranked No. 2 in the AP Top 25, while Arizona sits at No. 22. A USC upset would give one of the nation’s highest-ranked teams another loss and potentially open some room for Arizona to climb in the rankings.

Of course, Arizona’s clearest path to the playoff is winning the Big 12. The Wildcats shouldn’t be relying on a series of upsets elsewhere to make their case. Still, if Arizona keeps winning and builds a strong résumé, losses by highly ranked teams could help its position in the selection committee’s rankings.

The most important thing is that Arizona keeps taking care of business. A win over Texas Tech would be far more valuable than any result in the Big Ten, but a little national chaos certainly wouldn’t hurt.

Rooting interest: USC. An upset could help clear some space in the national rankings if Arizona continues to win.

5. Keep an eye on the Big 12 standings

Arizona fans should also be watching the broader conference race as the weekend unfolds.

The Wildcats, Texas Tech, BYU, and Oklahoma State all entered Week 9 at 3-1 in Big 12 play, with Utah leading the conference at 4-0. Houston is also in the mix at 3-2.

That means every result involving those teams carries some weight. Arizona has already taken care of Iowa State and has a chance to earn a major road win against Texas Tech. If the Wildcats can get that win while Utah, BYU, or Oklahoma State loses, they could finish the weekend in a much better position.

The schedule gets tougher from here, too. Arizona hosts TCU on November 6 before welcoming Utah to Tucson on November 14. That Utah game could become a major opportunity for the Wildcats to control their own fate in the Big 12 race.

The Wildcats don’t need to win every game by a huge margin, but they do need to keep stacking victories. The best way to make the playoff conversation real is to stay near the top of the conference standings and earn a spot in the championship game.

The perfect weekend for Arizona

If you’re watching the scoreboard along with the Wildcats, here’s the ideal scenario:

• Arizona beats Texas Tech: The most important result. The Wildcats earn a road win over a ranked conference rival and improve their position in the Big 12 race.
• Cincinnati beats Utah: The conference leader takes its first loss, tightening the race at the top.
• Arizona State beats BYU: A direct competitor takes its second conference loss.
• Iowa State beats Oklahoma State: Another contender falls behind in the standings.
• USC beats Ohio State: A national contender loses, potentially creating more room in the playoff rankings.

The first four results are the ones Arizona fans should care about most. They would directly influence the Wildcats’ path toward the Big 12 Championship Game, while the Ohio State-USC result is more about the national picture.

Arizona has a chance to make a statement

The Wildcats have put themselves in this position by winning five straight games and dominating Iowa State. Noah Fifita continues to lead a productive passing attack, and the defense has been making life difficult for opposing offenses. Arizona is averaging 310.9 passing yards per game, while its defense ranks among the national leaders in sacks and red-zone defense.

Now comes the test: Can Arizona take that performance on the road and beat a ranked opponent in a difficult environment?

A victory over Texas Tech would give the Wildcats more than another win. It would prove they can compete with one of the Big 12’s top teams and strengthen their case as a legitimate conference championship contender.

The bottom line: Arizona needs to beat Texas Tech first, then root for Cincinnati, Arizona State, and Iowa State. Those results would give the Wildcats the best chance to gain ground on the teams ahead of them. The College Football Playoff path is there, but the Wildcats need to take advantage of this opportunity before the schedule gets even more demanding.