Arizona and Colorado have three combined wins.

The Buffaloes and Wildcats have beaten only one conference opponent between the two of them. They boast a collective record of 3-16 and occupy the bottom two spots in the Pac-12 South.

Arizona and Colorado are bad football teams, but despite their forgettable seasons, Saturday’s matchup in Boulder, Colo., is enticing.

Two teams with nothing to play for but the enjoyment of victory couldn’t be more pure. Two bad teams lining it up and proving they aren’t the worst in the conference has its fair share of intrigue.
And one thing is for sure — points will be scored.

Arizona is last in the conference in total defense.

Colorado is second to last.

The Wildcats give up 34.8 points per game. The Buffs allow 38.7.
Let there be touchdowns.

Nick Foles may break the single-game passing record. If healthy, Juron Criner could catch five touchdown passes. Ka’Deem Carey might rush for 200 yards.

Trevin Wade could become the leading active interceptions leader with a pick.

And then there are storylines. Jon Embree faces Arizona for the first time as Colorado’s coach. Meanwhile, Tim Kish has a chance to garner what will most likely be one of his last wins as a collegiate head coach.

This could be Kish’s last chance at legitimate glory, assuming the Wildcats fall to ASU in Tempe next weekend. Many could not care less about Louisiana-Lafayette coming to town in the final game.

There are also former Wildcats on the Colorado sideline. Last year’s secondary coach and the media’s favorite interviewee, Greg Brown, is coaching the Buffs defense.

Colorado defensive line coach Mike Tuiasosopo came to Arizona with Kish and Mike Stoops in 2004. He left with Brown last season, but there’s no question hugs and hand-pounds will be exchanged.

Then there’s UA secondary coach Ryan Walters.

The former Colorado safety and Greg Brown’s protege returns to his former school for the first time as a coach. Given his ties to Brown and his bleak future with the Wildcats — the new coaching hire should clean out Arizona’s current staff — Boulder could become his new home.

The Arizona-Colorado ties are endless.

Two bad teams going head to head to avoid the title of Pac-12 South bottom feeder holds some significance.

Sure, any Arizona fan would rather watch this game as a steppingstone to a bowl game. No Wildcat wants to be 2-7.

Foles wasn’t supposed to go out like this. A team whose members wore “All In, No Looking Back” on their wrists before the season shouldn’t have performed like this.

But with little to look forward to in a lost season, there are subtleties to keep this year exciting. This isn’t where the Wildcats want to be.

But right now, it’s all they have.

— Mike Schmitz is a marketing senior. He can be reached at sports@wildcat.arizona.edu.