The Pac-12 South is arguably the toughest division in college football after week two. With four of its teams in the AP Top 25, the Pac-12 Conference as a whole is becoming must-see TV for college football fans.
Arizona and UCLA will clash at Arizona Stadium come Sept. 26. The Wildcats are currently ranked No. 20 in the AP Top 25, while the Bruins are No. 10. This game will serve as the beginning of conference play for both schools as the race for the Pac-12 South Championship begins to heat up.
College GameDay should bring it to you live.
UCLA has won its last two meetings with Arizona, but not by much. Two years ago, the Bruins visited Tucson and were ranked No. 19. The Wildcats were unranked and late in the game, they almost mounted a comeback against the Brett Hundley-led Bruins. Though their efforts fell short, the Wildcats forced their opponent to the brink of an upset.
This game will be UCLA freshman quarterback Josh Rosen’s first Pac-12 challenge. Arizona is the reigning Pac-12 South champion and returned an experienced group of players vying to defend the team’s title and its home turf. A tough environment for a young, inexperienced quarterback in Rosen is enough to put the game on upset alert.
Now imagine if the Wildcats are fortunate enough to get Scooby Wright III back?
College GameDay would benefit from a game like this. We know that Ohio State is great. We know the SEC is essentially an NFL training ground.
It should show a new game with a new cast that the country does not get to see every weekend.
Broadcasting an up-and-coming program like Arizona sqauring off with a title contender in UCLA would be fun for college football fans everywhere, and a great way for the Pac-12 South race to begin.
— Kyle Hansen
VS
ESPN’s College GameDay is a college football tradition—waking up every Saturday morning, turning on the TV to watch four professionals and the occasional celebrity guest predict every top matchup of the day and listening to Lee Corso interrupt another analyst’s prediction to say, “Not so fast my friend,” as he puts on his pick’s mascot head.
GameDay is one of the most iconic shows ESPN has to offer.
With the possible storm of an undefeated matchup between Arizona and UCLA brewing, it makes sense for GameDay to take its talents to the Old Pueblo for the first time since 2009. Two top-20 teams in the almighty Pac-12 South going toe-to-toe under the lights of Arizona Stadium only makes sense for the GameDay crew.
The last time Arizona was on College GameDay, the Wildcats’ destiny to play the Rose Bowl vanished after Oregon posted a miraculous comeback with two minutes left to win in double overtime.
All of the signs point to GameDay coming to Tucson, but the Oregon example alone is the main reason why Arizona fans shouldn’t want to host ESPN. It may sound superstitious, but why risk it?
The main question surrounding the game as of now is whether Scooby Wright III will be in the lineup.
If he’s not back and the bad luck of GameDay comes to Tucson, the Wildcats just might get blown out on their own turf.
If they wish to return to Levi’s Stadium, the Wildcats cannot afford to drop a game behind the division when every matchup in the Pac-12 Conference is crucial.
— Justin Spears
