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Shedeur Sanders and Noah Fifita are about to do battle. Sure, it's Colorado and Arizona that prepare to lock horns in what figures to be a shootout, but the two quarterbacks are the story. Colorado's much-hyped star and Arizona's undersized sophomore star control the story. Here's how the two passers stack up heading into their matchup on Saturday.
Shedeur Sanders vs. Noah Fifita comparison
Recruiting profile
As massive as the hype surrounding Sanders was, he wasn't a massive recruit. 247Sports ranked him as a three-star QB and the 37th-best quarterback in the 2021 recruiting class. He chose Jackson State to play for his father, Deion Sanders.
Fifita was similarly not a big-time recruit, as he was a three-star out of high school. Fifita was ranked as the 40th-best QB in the 2022 class and another three-star recruit. Fifita's 5-foot-10 height (he is listed an inch taller now) was doubtlessly a factor in his light recruitment. Fifita chose Arizona early in the recruiting process.
Early evolution
Shedeur Sanders shined at HBCU Jackson State. He played two seasons there, going 23-3 as a starter. Sanders threw for 6,963 yards, 70 touchdowns and just 14 interceptions. Shedeur Sanders was joined by not only his father but his brother, Shilo, who transferred in from South Carolina.
Sanders then transferred to Colorado for the 2023 season, along with his father and brother. While Colorado was just 4-8, Sanders shined, throwing for 3,230 yards and 27 touchdowns against three interceptions. The pass-first team with no defense or run game was less than brilliant, but the outstanding QB was a playmaker to watch.
Fifita redshirted in 2022, throwing just 19 passes but retaining the year of eligibility. In 2023, he was expected to back up veteran Jayden DeLaura at Arizona. DeLaura was injured in the fourth game of the season, and, given an opportunity to play, Fifita immediately claimed the QB job.
Fifita faced five consecutive ranked teams but managed to win three of the games. He also posted three 300+ yard passing games in that span and threw 14 touchdowns against four interceptions.
He was the starter from then out, and on the season, he finished with 2,869 yards and 25 touchdowns. Those were impressive numbers for a player who threw just eight passes in the first four games.
2024 season
Sanders is trying to get Colorado to increased heights in 2024, with a 4-2 start giving the Buffaloes a real shot at their first bowl appearance since 2020. Sanders has actually improved somehow, going from 69.3% completions last year to 72.6% this year. His 2,018 yards so far include 8.5 yards per attempt, up a full yard from 2023's totals.
Additionally, Sanders' 17 touchdowns are set to eclipse last year's total of 27. While he has thrown four interceptions this year, he remains one of college football's top-rated passers.
Sanders has also had his share of magical moments, including a Hail Mary to engineer a comeback win over Baylor. He passed for 388 yards and three scores in a tough loss to Kansas State.
On the other hand, Fifita has struggled in 2024. Without coach Jedd Fisch, who moved on to take the Washington job, Arizona is just 3-3, down from 10-3 last year. Fifita has seen his completion percentage drop from 72.4% last year to 58.9% this season. He has also dropped from 8.6 yards per pass to 7.1.
Fifita's 25 touchdowns to six interceptions last year have shifted to eight touchdowns to nine interceptions in 2024. Of 16 passers in the Big 12, Fifita is sitting at 13th in QB rating.
Overall advantage
A season ago, Noah Fifita, particularly in being paired with standout wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, might have been given the advantage over Shedeur Sanders. But the 2024 season has been a massive setback for Fifita, while Sanders and Colorado seem to be on the uptick.
What could shift the narrative again? Well, the Wildcats are a 2.5-point favorite over Colorado. An impressive victory by Noah Fifita might pull him back into competition, or Shedeur Sanders could open up his advantage even wider.
What do you make of the Shedeur Sanders/Noah Fifita matchup? Share your thoughts and predictions below in our comments section!
