Melisa Guzeloglu
Beginning this season, the University of Arizona football team saw three consecutive victories for the first time since 2015, before opening conference play. The Wildcats figured out a way to adjust with their young core, built around redshirt junior quarterback Noah Fifita.
However, the team has seen multiple losses, including a double overtime score of 33-27 to No. 18 BYU on Oct. 11, and a 31-28 defeat to the University of Houston. Despite this, Arizona saw tremendous efforts in its first few games, not allowing any passing touchdowns into the endzone.
With the disruption in its momentum, the Wildcats have to figure out a way to stay on course if they want to remain bowl-eligible. With less than five games remaining, Arizona needs to win at least two more to hit six wins. If the team looks towards any improvements, the Wildcats must improve their run defense, as they allowed BYU to rush for 258 rushing yards and, in a loss to Houston, 232 running yards.
“We were so good earlier in the season, in our run defense. What we’ve seen is that people have been attacking us with a bunch of quarterback runs the last two weeks,” head coach Brent Brennan said. “I think it’s a combination of a couple of those things, missing tackles or maybe us not executing the exact details of what we’re supposed to get done, and I think we’re also playing against good football teams.”
Michael Smith
Losing three out of the last four games, the Arizona Wildcats find themselves in a steep hole, but Brennan notices the sparks and flashes the team has shown and seeks to bounce back in the second half of the season. Under center, quarterback Noah Fifita has had a tremendous start to the year. The redshirt junior set a new program record for completion percentage with 92.3 while also throwing for 269 yards and a touchdown in the loss to the University of Houston.
Despite the Wildcats’ placing in the top 80 in the nation in red zone scoring percentage, the two-headed dragon backfield has made up for the struggles. Texas State University transfer running back Ismail Mahdi and junior Kendrick Reescano are the yin-yang tailback duo Arizona has been needing.
In the 23-17 win over Kansas State University, Mahdi sprinted for 189 yards and 221 all-purpose yards, which earned the first-year Wildcat Big 12 honors in week three. Reescano, the junior power-back, trucked his way to 90 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries in the loss to BYU.
Defensively, the Wildcats have had their ups and downs. Arizona’s secondary has been all over the field, led by defensive backs Dalton Johnson and Treydan Stukes. Johnson has 28 tackles on the year and is on pace to lead the team in that category.
However, Arizona has struggled to stop the run. In the double-overtime loss to No. 18 BYU, the Wildcats gave up 258 rushing yards with 162 of those yards going to BYU running back LJ Martin on 25 attempts. Last week, Houston ran for 232 yards, led by running back Dean Connors, who finished with 100 yards. Not far behind, the Cougars’ quarterback Conner Weigman ran for 98 yards on 14 carries.
If the Wildcats want to be bowl-eligible by the end of the season, the main priority is stopping the run. Looking ahead, Arizona will go on the road in three of the remaining five games of the season. Yet, Brennan holds a road record of 1-7 during his Wildcat tenure. Notably, the Wildcats will face two ranked teams, No. 24 ASU and No. 21 University of Cincinnati, with both games away from home. Reaching six wins will be a tall task for the second-year head coach, but the ceiling for Arizona is only getting higher.
Ian Weaver
Despite having suffered consecutive losses, Arizona should not be deemed out of the running. The Wildcats have heart. In the rainy BYU game at Arizona Stadium, Arizona was up 24-14 with 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Despite being down by two possessions, they battled back and forced a double overtime. While they didn’t come out on top, their efforts were impressive.
Similarly, in the game against Houston, Arizona was down 28-14 heading into the fourth quarter. Again, Fifita and the Wildcats battled back and nearly beat Houston, if not for a last-second field goal.
Fifita has played great so far this season. After a loss earlier in the season to Iowa State University, Fifita led the Wildcats to a 41-13 smackdown against Oklahoma State University. This was a significant win for the Wildcats, as it served as a kickoff to their Big 12 schedule of games. Despite only playing three quarters in the OSU game, Fifita was 28-38 on 376 yards passing, with 5 touchdowns.
Another impressive aspect of the team is the endurance of the defense. Despite giving up some points in the first three quarters against tougher opponents, they have been able to stop the opponent’s offense in the fourth quarter. This has allowed the Wildcat offense to make a comeback late in games.
Logan Kimel
The family weekend loss against BYU definitely took a toll on Arizona’s momentum. Following that loss with another tough game against Houston made it even harder to keep the team’s energy up. However, Arizona has had plenty of strong moments this season that deserve recognition.
One game that stands out is the Weber State University matchup on Sept. 6 at Arizona Stadium. Fans were held inside the stadium for over two hours due to weather delays but once play finally resumed, the atmosphere was electric. The Wildcats came out focused and dominated Weber State 48-3. That game really showed the dedication of Arizona’s fan base and the team’s ability to stay locked in despite tough circumstances.
Fans should be looking forward to the upcoming game against the University of Colorado on Saturday, Nov. 1. Even though it won’t be in Tucson, the Wildcats have a great chance to bounce back and redeem themselves after last year’s loss to the Buffaloes and their recent losses against BYU and Houston.
Haziel Richardson
The three consecutive losses definitely hurt Arizona, mainly because the Wildcats looked good before then and truly had a chance at being ranked. With three losses, especially falling to BYU as we were up by 10 and without the Cougars’ starting quarterback, I think that really took the air out of our sails.
The game that stood out the most to me was the game against Kansas State. Arizona showed the potential that we have as a team when Brennan and the players are on the same page. As we look forward to the last home game against the University of Kansas, it would be a great chance for us to prove that we can still beat decent teams in front of the home crowd.
Kellen O’Halloran
After a disappointing first season under Brennan, I was unsure whether Brennan was the right hire. But after our first seven games, I’m confident Arizona can complete year in and year out in the Big 12. Absent the loss on the road earlier in the season, we’ve lost two straight games by a combined score of 9 points. One of those being a double overtime loss to No. 11 BYU. All the teams we have lost to have combined for only three losses. The less competitive teams we have played, we have handled easily.
Our defense is what gives me confidence in Brennan going into the future. Brennan, alongside defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales, has led one of the best units in the Big 12. Leading up to our loss to BYU, we had not allowed a passing touchdown. Expect Arizona to continue dominating on the defensive side of the ball.
Offensively, Arizona has been more than formidable. Fifita has improved greatly after a down year last year, with a better completion percentage, touchdown to interception ratio and quarterback rating. Mahdi has been a nice addition, averaging 5.8 yards per carry. Mahdi’s addition gives me confidence Brennan can be effective in the portal moving forward.
After a bye week, we play Colorado, which I expect to win after getting some much needed rest. The next four games are winnable, with the toughest being our last two road games at Cincinnati and rival ASU. A 9-3 season with three competitive losses will leave me confident with our team going into next season.
Will Shenot
Halfway through the season, the University of Arizona Wildcats hold a 4-3 overall record and are 1-3 in Big 12 conference play. The team has shown noticeable improvement over their performance in 2024, marking Brennan’s second season at the helm. However, consistency remains the main challenge for Brennan’s Wildcats, as the offense and defense have struggled to produce strong, complementary performances throughout all four quarters of games.
Despite the inconsistency, there are promising signs, particularly from Fifita. His recent performance against Houston was exceptional, setting a school record for completion percentage at 92.3.
The Wildcats’ offense has become highly efficient this year, utilizing a range of weapons as they search for a new go-to option following the departure of Tetairoa McMillan. Players like Tre Spivey and Luke Wysong have established significant roles within the passing game, while the running attack has become more balanced. Reescano and Mahdi form a thunder-and-lightning duo, with Reescano delivering the thunderous power and Mahdi flashing with lightning-quick speed, making a solid complement for Fifita.
One area where the offense can improve is generating explosive plays, defined as runs of 10 or more yards and passes of 20 or more yards. Nevertheless, the offense has successfully replaced the production of previous stars and continues to utilize its variety of talent.
The Wildcats’ defense has made significant strides this year, allowing just 20.3 points per game, down from 31.8 at this stage last year. Much of this improvement is credited to new defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales, who has built a more aggressive, ball-hawking unit. The pass defense has allowed approximately 90 fewer yards than in 2024 and is ranked within the top 40 for forcing turnovers. This turnaround is particularly impressive given the loss of key players from the front seven, including Jacob Manu and several defensive linemen.
Given their progress, it is reasonable to expect the Wildcats to finish the season with a 7-5 record and earn a spot in a mid-tier bowl game. Upcoming matchups against teams like Cincinnati and ASU carry significant implications for the Wildcats’ ranking and could dramatically shift the trajectory of their season if they manage to pull off upset victories. For Arizona to improve on its solid start, it is crucial for Brennan and the offensive staff to scheme up more explosive plays, while the defense must continue to generate turnovers and steal possessions. These factors will be key to the Wildcats’ success in the second half of the season.
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