"It's never fun hiding it": BYU's Jewish QB Jake Retzlaff breaks barriers with eye-catching statement ahead of Arizona clash

Jake Retzlaff's has come a long way. The Los Angeles-born shot caller attended two junior colleges in Southern California before transferring to the BYU Cougars ahead of the 2023 season. He finally got his chance as an FBS starting quarterback in 2023 when former Cougars QB Kedon Slovis went down with an injury against West Virginia.

Retzlaff seized the moment and has been the Cougars' starting quarterback ever since. Ahead of the Week 7 game against the Arizona Cardinals, Retzlaff sat down with CBS Sports Network for an "Inside College Football" feature to discuss an array of topics, including his Jewish faith.

“I just can’t wait for the game because it’s going to be a special day that there’s a Jewish kid playing football on Yom Kippur," Retzlaff said. "If that makes headlines, that means I get to be another light for somebody else.”

Retzlaff is breaking barriers, and next on his list is to take down the Wildcats in Week 7 of the 2024 college football season.

How is Jake Retzlaff performing this season?

Jake Retzlaff is one of the better quarterbacks in the country. The junior-year signal-caller has been impressive for the BYU Cougars in five contests this year.

Retzlaff has posted over 200 passing yards in four out of five games, amassing 1,208 passing yards, 12 passing touchdowns and five interceptions in the process. The quarterback has been a steadying component of the undefeated Cougars in 2024.

What to expect in the BYU vs. Arizona game?

The BYU Cougars will continue their impressive 2024 season when they take on the Arizona Wildcats, their new Big 12 rivals. BYU is fresh off a Week 6 off after a 34-28 road victory at Baylor, while the Wildcats are coming off a 28-22 loss to Texas Tech in their last game.

According to the SportsLine consensus, the Cougars are 3-point favorites in the latest BYU vs. Arizona odds. The over/under for total points scored is 48.5.

The Cougars have limited their opponents to under 20 points in all but one of their five games in 2024. They will be tasked with containing the dynamic partnership of Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan. Once they can nullify the threat, they should come out on top in the Big 12 showdown.

It's expected that the Cougars get the win and improve their record to 6-0 for the year. It's up to Jake Retzlaff and Co. to keep the streak going.