Arizona's inaugural season was in 1899. The school first played as an independent before joining a conference in 1931, when they became a member of the now-defunct Border Conference. They, alongside rival Arizona State (ASU), would become part of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in 1962. In 1978, both Arizona and ASU joined the Pac-12 Conference (then known as the Pac-10). They were placed in the Pac-12 South Division when the conference realigned in 2011. Divisions within the Pac-12 were removed starting in the 2022 season, with the teams with the two best records in the conference making the conference title game.[3]
On August 4, 2023, Arizona announced it would join the Big 12 Conference beginning in the 2024–25 academic year.[4]
The Wildcats have won at least a share of six conference championships, as well as a Pac-12 South division title in 2014, and made 21 bowl appearances, one of which are among the "New Year's Six" bowls.
Arizona has had a long football history since it first played in 1899. Although the football program has been mostly playing in the shadow of the Wildcats' elite basketball program in terms of winning and recruiting which has been leading to many mediocre and losing seasons,[5] it has, however, had successful winning seasons sporadically over the years, primarily during the early part of the 1990s when it had a dominant defense that was known to fans as the "Desert Swarm".[6]
1899–1950s (Early history)
Coach Skinner
The varsity football program at the University of Arizona began in 1899, though the Wildcats nickname was not adopted until later.[7][8]Stuart Forbes became the first head coach of Arizona football history and the team compiled a 1–1–1 record.[9] From 1900 to 1901, William W. Skinner served as head football coach at the University of Arizona.[10] While there, he also studied geology. He guided Arizona to 3–1 and 4–1 records, respectively.[10] On November 7, 1914, the team traveled to the west coast to play Occidental, then one of the reigning gridiron powers in California. Occidental won 14–0. Arizona later received the name "Wildcats" after a Los Angeles Times correspondent, Bill Henry, wrote that "The Arizona men showed the fight of wildcats".[citation needed]
Pop McKale was a very successful high school coach in the Tucson area when he was hired at UA.[11] In 1921, Drop-kicker/receiver Harold "Nosey" McClellan led the nation in scoring with 124 points. Wildcats finished the regular season 7–1, and were invited to UA's first bowl game, the East-West Christmas Classic in San Diego, to play powerhouse Centre College of Kentucky; Arizona lost the game 38–0. The Wildcats did not compete in football in 1918 due to World War I. On October 18, 1926, UA quarterback and student body president John "Button" Salmon died from injuries sustained in a car wreck. His final words, spoken to coach "Pop" McKale, were: "Tell them.....tell the team to Bear Down."[12] Soon thereafter, the UA student body adopted "Bear Down" as the school's athletic motto.
On October 18, 1929, Arizona opened up Arizona Stadium for college football play. They won their first game against Caltech with a shutout score of 25–0. McKale retired after sixteen seasons at Arizona. The McKale Center, the Wildcats' home basketball venue, was opened in 1973 and named in McKale's honor.[11] In 1931, Arizona joined the Border Conference and Fred Enke replaced McKale as coach and in one season as the head coach, he posted a record of 3–5–1[13] before getting demoted to assistant coach. Gus Farwick served as the head football coach at Arizona in 1932, compiling a record of 4–5[14] before his resignation. Tex Oliver coached the Arizona Wildcats to a 32–11–4 record in five seasons.[15] During that stretch, his teams never had a losing season.[15] Oliver's "Blue Brigade" played an expanded, more nationwide schedule, and Arizona produced their first All-Americans under Oliver. The team's 1938 record of 8–2 was a school best to date.[15] Oliver resigned after the 1937 season to accept the head football coach position at Oregon.[16]Orian Landreth replaced Oliver and struggled in his one season as head coach, compiling a 3–6 record[17] before he was fired. That season was the first losing season for the Wildcats in several years.
Mike Casteel came to Arizona from his post as an assistant coach at Michigan State. In his eight seasons (Arizona did not field football teams in 1943 or 1944 due to World War II), Casteel compiled a 46–26–3 record and led the Wildcats to the first bowl berth in three decades in his final season, a loss in the 1949 Salad Bowl to Drake.[18]Bob Winslow served as Arizona's head football coach for three seasons, posting a record of 12–18–1, with the team improving every year under his tutelage, going 2–7–1, 4–6 and 6–5 in Winslow's three years.[19] Winslow resigned after three seasons.
In 1954, under coach Warren Woodson, who came to Arizona from Hardin–Simmons, the Wildcats were led by starting halfback Art Luppino. He went on to lead the nation in rushing, scoring, all-purpose running, and kickoff returns.[20] Luppino became the first player in NCAA history to lead the nation in rushing twice.[20] He also tied for the national title in all-purpose running and was third in scoring.[20] Woodson was replaced after five seasons and a 26–22–2 record[21] and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1989. Ed Doherty came to Arizona from his post as an assistant coach for the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles.[22] In two seasons, Doherty compiled a record of 4–15–1[23] before getting fired. Doherty is the only person to serve as head football coach at both Arizona and archrival Arizona State.[24]Jim LaRue, formerly running backs coach at Houston, was hired to take over the program as head coach after Doherty's firing. LaRue's 1961 team finished 8–1–1 and finished the season ranked No. 17 in the final AP Poll.[25]
1960s–1977 (The WAC era)
In 1962, Arizona (and rival Arizona State) left the Border Conference and joined the Western Athletic Conference, and LaRue posted records of 5–5, 5–5, 6–3–1, 3–7 and 3–7 before being was fired due to poor results as well as pressure from fans and alumni.[25][26]
Coach Mudra
Darrell Mudra came to Arizona from North Dakota State in 1967 to lead the team after LaRue's dismissal.[27] His first team posted a record of 3–6–1 but in his second year, Mudra's Wildcats posted a record of 8–3, capped with a loss to Auburn in the Sun Bowl, only the Wildcats third bowl appearance in school history and first since 1949.[28] Mudra left Arizona after two seasons to accept the head football coach position at Western Illinois.[29] His final record is 11–9–1.[27] Mudra was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 2000.[27] In 1969, Bob Weber was promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach following Mudra's departure.[30] Under Weber, the Wildcats were 16–26, with their best season being a 5–6 1971 season.[31] Weber failed to post a winning season as Arizona's head coach and was fired after four seasons.
In 1973, Jim Young, formerly defensive coordinator at Michigan, was hired to turn around the downtrodden Wildcats football program.[32] Improvement came immediately, as Young's team surprised the nation with an 8–3 record in his first season and shared the WAC title with Arizona State, Unfortunately, the Wildcats did not go to a bowl game due to losing the head-to-head rivalry game to ASU that season (at the time, only the outright conference winner earned a bowl since there were fewer bowl games available, unless a team from the same conference appears in a major bowl).[33] Young's Wildcats went on to post records of 9–2 in 1974 and 1975, the latter ending with a No. 13 and No. 18 ranking in the Coaches and AP polls, respectively (like in 1973, both seasons ended in no bowl appearances for the Wildcats due to them finishing second in the WAC).[33] In a rebuilding year, Young's team posted a 5–6 record in 1976 to cap Young's mark of 31–13 in four seasons.[33] Young departed Arizona after the 1976 season to accept the head football coach position at Purdue.[34] He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1999.[35]
By 1977, Arizona hired Tony Mason from Cincinnati to replace Young.[36] Under Mason, the Wildcats went 5–7, 5–6 and 6–5–1 for a combined record of 16–18–1.[37] The 1977 season was the last for Arizona as a member of the WAC.
1978–1980s (The early Pac-10 years)
Before the 1978 season, both Arizona schools accepted an invitation to join the Pacific 8 Conference (which became the Pac-10).[38] After a mediocre inaugural Pac-10 season, the Wildcats would rebound in 1979, and played in the Fiesta Bowl, ultimately losing to Pittsburgh.[37] Mason was let go as head coach after the season due to an alleged slush fund scandal involving him and the program during his tenure.[39]
Prior to the start of the 1980 season, Arizona hired Tulane coach Larry Smith, to replace Mason.[40] His first season was Arizona's third in the Pac-10. Smith put great emphasis on in-state recruiting, built up the rivalry with ASU, and focused the team on what he called "running and hitting". His first team went 5–6, including a 44–7 blowout loss to ASU; it would be his only losing season at Arizona. The highlight of the season was a 23–17 upset of second-ranked UCLA (the Bruins were poised to become No. 1 as top ranked Alabama had lost earlier in the day).[41] The team improved to 6–5 during his second season, highlighted by a major 13–10 upset of #1 USC on the road. It was Arizona's first victory over a top-ranked team in program history.[42]
In 1982, the Wildcats improved and finished with a record of 6–4–1, which included upset victories over Notre Dame and rival ASU (with the latter being knocked out of the Rose Bowl as a result). However, Arizona was ineligible for a bowl game due to self-imposing a postseason ban prior to the start of the season as a result of the scandal under Mason's watch. The NCAA would eventually punish the Wildcats by placing them on probation and barred them from bowl eligibility in the 1983–84 seasons.[43]
Despite the NCAA sanctions, Arizona continued to become competitive in the Pac-10 under Smith's leadership, and began to dominate Arizona State, and by 1985, their bowl ban was lifted. They played in the Sun Bowl, where a tie with Georgia gave the Wildcats an 8–3–1 record. In 1986, they defeated ASU yet again and defeated North Carolina in the Aloha Bowl for their very first bowl victory and finished with a 9–3.[41] Seven Arizona players earned All-America honors during his tenure, including two-time consensus All-American linebacker Ricky Hunley and All-Americans linebacker Lamonte Hunley (Ricky's younger brother), Morris Trophy-winning center Joe Tofflemire, safety Allan Durden, placekicker Max Zendejas (who is known for kicking game-winning field goals against Arizona State in 1983 and 1985), linebacker Byron Evans, and safety Chuck Cecil (who is known for returning an interception for a touchdown in the win against ASU in 1986). Over twenty of Smith's Wildcats players went on to play professionally.[41] Smith departed after the season to accept the head football coach position at conference foe USC.[44] Smith ended has Arizona tenure with a 48–28–3 record. He died in 2008 and was voted as the second-best Wildcat football coach only behind his successor, Dick Tomey.
1990s–2000 (Tomey and the "Desert Swarm")
Coach Tomey circa 1973
In 1987, Tomey arrived in Arizona from Hawaii to replace Smith.[45] During his 14-season tenure with Arizona, he coached five future NFL first-round draft choices, 20 All-Americans, and 43 Pac-10 first team players.
His best teams were in the 1990s, highlighted by a tenacious defense nicknamed the "Desert Swarm." He led Arizona to at least ten wins in 1993 and 1998 and resigned after the 2000 season.[46]
In Tomey's first year, the Wildcats seemed to miss Smith's presence and had to rebuild, leading to a season where they had three ties, with one of them against Arizona State (the only tie in the rivalry's history). However, Arizona would improve from 1988 to 1990 as they started to win under Tomey, and won against North Carolina State in the Copper Bowl in 1989 (which was played at Arizona Stadium, the first time that the Wildcats played a bowl game on their home field). In 1990, the Wildcats would lose to Syracuse in the Aloha Bowl.
After missing the postseason in 1991, Arizona entered the 1992 season with Tomey on the hot seat due to the team's poor record during the previous year. However, the so-called "Desert Swarm" defense began to dominate and was characterized by tough, hard-nosed tactics. Arizona led the nation in scoring defense and nose guard Rob Waldrop was a consensus All-American. The season included an upset victory over top-ranked Washington, which fans called the biggest Arizona win in the decade and the turning point for the program at the time.[47] It was also Arizona's second win over a #1 team. The Desert Swarm would ultimately lead Arizona to a winning record. However, Arizona's offense seemed to be overshadowed by the dominant performance by the "Swarm" and it led to them scoring fewer points, and lost to Baylor in the Sun Bowl (then known at the time as the John Hancock Bowl). Tomey was awarded the Pac-10 coach of the year for the team's efforts.
In 1993, the Swarm continued its dominance and it led to Arizona winning nine games in a season for the first time since 1975, and won a share of the Pac-10 title with UCLA and USC. However, the Wildcats split the two games against the two during the season, winning against the Trojans and losing to the Bruins, and it prevented Arizona from earning a trip to the Rose Bowl. The Wildcats would be invited to the 1994 Fiesta Bowl and the Desert Swarm led the way to a victory over Miami by a score of 29–0. It was the bowl game's first shutout in its history. Arizona ended the year with a 10–2 record, which was the first time in school history that the Wildcats won at least ten games or more in a season. The dominant Swarm, led by Waldrop and linebacker and future Super Bowl champion Tedy Bruschi, led the nation in total defense and rushing yards allowed. Waldrop would be named the Pac-10 defensive player of the year.
Arizona entered the 1994 season ranked sixth and were top contenders for the Rose Bowl and a possible national championship. Despite the continuation of the Desert Swarm's dominance, Arizona's offense, however was below-average at times and it led to Arizona dropping out of the Rose Bowl picture. The season ended with an 8–4 record and a loss to Utah in the Freedom Bowl.
After mediocre seasons from 1995 to 1996, despite Bruschi winning the 1995 Pac-10 defensive player of the year award, Arizona ended the 1997 season with a win over old rival New Mexico in the Insight Bowl in only their second bowl game played at home.
By 1998, Arizona's offense began to improve and started to dominate in the Pac-10, with fans nicknaming it the "Desert Storm" due to their performance and as a pun on the Desert Swarm name.[48] It led the team to a near-perfect record of 11–1, with the Wildcats being defeated by UCLA midway through the season that denied an outright Pac-10 title and Rose Bowl berth. A major highlight occurred earlier in the season when Arizona scored a memorable touchdown in the closing seconds against Washington, which led to a road victory. They would play in the Holiday Bowl and defeated Nebraska to end the year with 12 wins, eclipsing the 1993 record.[49] Arizona ended the season ranked fourth nationally in both the coaches and AP polls.
In 1999, the Wildcats were Rose Bowl and possible national title contenders. However, in the season opener, they were humiliated by traditional powerhouse Penn State and never recovered after that. By the 2000 season, Arizona's offense became inconsistent and suffered several close losses and ended the season on a losing streak, including a rivalry loss to Arizona State, and missed a bowl.[50] Tomey resigned under pressure after the season and it was mostly due to team's inability to accomplish their goal of making it to the Rose Bowl after several near-misses at it during his tenure.[51] He finished with a record of 95–64–4, with the 95 victories being the most by an Arizona coach. The Wildcats would decline in wins and went on a bowl game drought over the next several years, as well as consistently becoming overshadowed by Arizona's basketball team. Tomey would become rated as the best coach in Wildcat football history and he died in 2019, eleven years after his predecessor, Larry Smith.
2000s (Decline and rebuild)
After the 2000 season, former Illinois and Texas head coach John Mackovic was hired to replace Tomey for the 2001 season.[52] Mackovic was a college football analyst at ESPN at the time of his hiring.
Mackovic's tenure became a disaster, as he alienated his players and failed to post a winning record in two and a half seasons in Tucson.[53][54] Also, he finished with a 10–18 record and never had a winning season or went to a bowl game.[55] In his first season, which was affected by the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Wildcats narrowly missed a bowl game yet again.
Midway through the 2002 season, Mackovic told one of his players that he was a disgrace to his family due to his poor performance (the player would later be arrested possessing 87 pounds of marijuana).[56][57] He also told another player to quit therapy or he would be kicked off the team. This and other incidents led 40 players (including future Pro BowlerLance Briggs) to hold a secret meeting with school president Peter Likins. The players complained about Mackovic's constant verbal abuse, such as ugly tirades after losses. Mackovic offered a public apology to his players, the university, and fans.[58][59]
In 2003, however, whatever goodwill that he'd managed to restore quickly evaporated. Many players had lost their love for the game due to Mackovic's brusque manner and fans chanted "Fire Mackovic" during games. Five games into the season, Mackovic was fired and replaced on an interim basis by defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz for the rest of the season.[60] School officials said they had to act because it was obvious that the Wildcats would not win with Mackovic at the helm.[61] Mackovic was known as the worst Arizona coach in history (his predecessor, Dick Tomey, was the best). Arizona also had poor recruiting during Mackovic's tenure that led to bad results, and were embarrassed by their opponents in most of their losses. The 2003 season was the worst in program history with a record of 2–10, with the ten losses being a school record at the time. Wildcat fans and nearly all of Tucson had seen enough of Mackovic and shifted their attention to basketball after the season ended.
In 2004, Arizona hired Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops, brother of famed Oklahoma head football coach Bob Stoops, to become the Wildcats' next coach. Stoops was hired to rebuild the team and to clean up the program's mess caused by Mackovic's troubles.[62] Arizona began rebuilding and went 3–8 in Stoops' first two seasons, which included November upset victories over Arizona State in 2004 and UCLA in 2005.[63] However, due to his record at the time, Stoops' job was in critical danger and his margin for error was very thin. In 2006, Stoops led the Wildcats to an improved 6–6 record,[63] the first non-losing season for the school since 1999 when the Wildcats also went 6–6.[64] The Wildcats upset California and became bowl-eligible. However, a rivalry loss to Arizona State and a losing conference record prevented them from earning a bowl bid.
Arizona entered the 2007 season with high expectations, but a sputtering offense early in the season and close losses put them at 2–6 and were in danger of missing yet another bowl and Stoops being placed on the hot seat. However, the Wildcats would rebound and go on a winning streak, which included an upset win over then-#2 Oregon. It was the fourth consecutive season that Arizona upset a ranked team at home in the month of November. Unfortunately, the Wildcats would lose to ASU in the season finale yet again with a 5–7 record and missing out on a bowl once more.
By 2008, the Wildcats told Stoops that he needed to make a bowl game or he would lose his job. However, Arizona improved and became bowl-eligible by defeating ASU for the first time since 2004, which saved Stoops' job. With a 7–5 record, Arizona was invited to a bowl game for the first time since 1998 when Tomey was still the coach, and erased most of the memories of the Mackovic era. The Wildcats ultimately defeated BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl by a score of 31–21.[65]
In 2009, Arizona finished 8–5 for the second straight season.[63] However, the Wildcats would be embarrassed by Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl, which was a rematch of the 1998 meeting.[63][66] After the season ended, offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes left the Wildcats to become the head coach at Louisiana Tech (Dykes is currently the coach at TCU).[67] and defensive coordinator Mark Stoops, brother of both Mike and Bob, became the defensive coordinator at Florida State (he is now the head coach at Kentucky).[68] To replace them, Stoops promoted Bill Bedenbaugh and Seth Littrell to co-offensive coordinators, while promoting Tim Kish to be co-defensive coordinators with Greg Brown, who was hired from Colorado.
2010s (The Pac-12 era)
Arizona began the 2010 season with a possible shot at a Rose Bowl berth. However, they collapsed late in the season and lost to Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl by a score of 37–10.
Before the 2011 season began, the Pac-10 was renamed the Pac-12 after Utah and Colorado joined membership. The Wildcats began the year hoping to rebound and Stoops coaching for his job. After starting off with a win against in-state foe Northern Arizona in the opener, Arizona would lose to a series of ranked teams and fans became incensed by the team's poor performance and began calling for Stoops to be fired. After the Wildcats continued to lose, Stoops was fired for good in early October, finishing with a 41–50 record in his seven and a half seasons as Arizona coach.[69] Arizona said that Stoops' firing was a result of "the inability to win more games, below-average recruiting, and being unable to achieve the team's goal to make a Rose Bowl appearance", as well as Stoops' frequently misbehavior towards officials on the sidelines (which was often seen during TV broadcasts of Arizona games). Kish, the team's defensive coordinator, was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season.[70] (Stoops returned to the Sooner program soon thereafter as defensive coordinator; Kish, who had known the Stoops brothers for many years, followed Stoops and joined the Sooner staff as the linebackers coach.)[71] Under Kish, the Wildcats partially rebounded and won three of the final six games to finish with a 4–8 record. The later years of the Stoops era featured quarterback Nick Foles breaking Arizona records, including the single-season and career records for most passing yards and touchdowns. Foles would later win a Super Bowl in 2017 for the Eagles.
Coach Rich Rodriguez
After the conclusion of the 2011 season, Arizona hired Rich Rodriguez, former coach at Michigan and West Virginia, to become the Wildcats' new coach for the 2012 season.[72] Rodriguez is considered a pioneer of a no huddle, run-oriented version of the spread offense, although a pass-first version was already being implemented by others.[73][74][75] Rodriguez hired Jeff Casteel, who served under him during his tenure at West Virginia, as the new defensive coordinator for Arizona.[76] Casteel is considered one of the top defensive coaches in the nation, and considered master of the 3–3–5 "odd stack" defense.[77]
In his first two seasons, Rodriguez took the Wildcats to 8–5 records, both of which ended in bowl victories, defeating Nevada in the New Mexico Bowl in 2012 after a wild comeback,[78] and winning the Independence Bowl over Boston College in 2013.[79] Major highlights of the 2012–13 seasons were big upset victories over ranked opponents, with Arizona defeating USC in the former year and Oregon in the latter. Also, in both seasons, the performance of running back Ka'Deem Carey led the Wildcat offense, and set Arizona records for rushing yards and touchdowns scored.
In 2014, the Wildcats completed a 10–2 regular season, only the third time in Arizona history that they won ten games in a season and the first since 1998. The solid performance, led by quarterback Anu Solomon, linebacker Scooby Wright III (who earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year among other honors), and running backs Terris Jones-Grigsby and Nick Wilson, led the Wildcats to the Pac-12 South Division title, which was the first divisional championship in program history, and advanced to the conference title game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, where they were dominated by Oregon, 51–13, and led to Oregon clinching a spot in both the Rose Bowl and the inaugural College Football Playoff (Arizona had upset the Ducks earlier in the season for the second year in a row).[80] The Wildcats earned a berth in the Fiesta Bowl, the school's third major-bowl appearance, where they fell to Boise State. It was Arizona's first appearance in a Fiesta Bowl since the 1993 season. They finished the season ranked 17th in the USA Today Coaches Poll and 19th in the AP poll. In addition to the upset of Oregon, highlights of the regular season included a comeback win over California on a Hail Mary touchdown pass on the final play, a win over Washington on a last-second field goal, and outlasting Arizona State for the division championship. In addition, Rodriguez was named the Pac-12 coach of the year, becoming the second Arizona coach to win the award (Dick Tomey won it in 1992).
In 2015, with most of their roster returning, Arizona started off as Pac-12 title contenders. However, they faltered during the second half of the season but still managed to earn a bowl bid. They finished with a record of 7–6 and defeated New Mexico in the New Mexico Bowl, which was played on New Mexico's campus in Albuquerque, similar to the Wildcats playing the Lobos in the Insight Bowl in 1997 that was played in Tucson.[81] Arizona did manage to pull off an overtime win against then-#10 Utah in the regular season in yet another November upset victory, mirroring the accomplishments that occurred during the early Stoops era.
After an injury-plagued 2016 season that kept them out of a bowl, the Wildcats recovered in 2017, becoming bowl-eligible with seven wins before falling short against Purdue in the Foster Farms Bowl.[82] The Wildcats finished with a record of 7–6. After a 2–2 start to the season, Arizona turned things around under the performance of dual-threat option quarterback Khalil Tate, which became especially impressive. In an early October game against Colorado, Tate proceeded to run for 327 yards, an NCAA single-game record for quarterbacks, breaking the previous record of 316 set by Northern Illinois' Jordan Lynch in 2013. Arizona went on to win the game, 45–42.[83] Tate was awarded the Pac-12 offensive player of the week and would lead the Wildcats on a winning streak. In addition, Tate was named Pac-12 offensive player of the week for four consecutive weeks – setting a conference record, and leading to him briefly being spoken of as a candidate for the Heisman Trophy.[84] However, Arizona's defense would let the team down in November, and led to them losing their bowl game. Also, the Wildcats' late-season collapse may have likely cost Tate the Pac-12 offensive player of the year award.
Rodriguez was dismissed as head coach on January 2, 2018, in the wake of an internal university investigation of sexual harassment claims made by Rodriguez' former administrative assistant.[85] Other factors in Rodriguez being fired was the lack of winning enough games that mattered as well as not bringing in elite recruiting classes to the program. Arizona was forced to find a new coach to rebuild the program.
To replace Rodriguez, Arizona hired Kevin Sumlin to take over the team. Sumlin was previously head coach at Texas A&M University and Houston.[86][87] Sumlin also became the first black football coach to lead the Wildcats.[88]
In his first season in 2018, Sumlin instituted a new offensive scheme and the Wildcats struggled to a 5–7 record. As the offense went in a new direction, Tate was unable to repeat his 2017 performance. After a poor start, the Wildcats would find their rhythm and started to win again. A low point of the season occurred in the finale in the rivalry game against Arizona State. With a potential chance at bowl-eligibility at stake, the Wildcats entered the final quarter thinking the game was over with a large lead, which led to a collapse and ultimately losing. In 2019, with Tate returning, Arizona started 4–1 early in the season but played poorly on both offense and defense and finished the year on a seven-game losing streak that included another rivalry loss to ASU for a 4–8 record.
2020s–present (Future and Big 12 move)
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic put an effect on the Wildcats as well as the entire college football season. Prior to the start of the year, Arizona announced that Sumlin would return as coach after fans called for him to be fired late in the previous season. It followed an offseason of poor recruiting and players taking COVID-19 opt-outs. The year began with Sumlin being placed on the hot seat, meaning that he needed to take the team to the postseason in order for him to keep his job.[89] The COVID-19 outbreak would cause several cancellations of games and leading schedules to be shortened and truncated, and playing only conference games for each team, including the Pac-12.
Arizona, unfortunately, continued to lose and was destroyed by Arizona State by a 70–7 score in the finale. Sumlin was fired after the conclusion of the season, with Arizona citing wins and losses and Sumlin finishing with a 0–3 record against ASU.[90] Fans expressed disapproval with Sumlin's leadership, including lack of winning, poor coaching decisions, weak recruiting, and an overall decline in the reputation of the program, all of which were major factors for Sumlin's firing, though Arizona said that Sumlin not meeting expectations was the main reason for his dismissal.[91][92]
Soon after Sumlin was fired, Arizona conducted a national coaching search. Former college and NFL coach Jedd Fisch was chosen as the Wildcats' next head football coach, as announced on December 23, 2020.[93] Fisch and San Jose State coach Brent Brennan (a former assistant under Wildcat coach Dick Tomey in his final year in Tucson, as well for a few seasons at San Jose State) were the two finalists for the opening. Fisch has previous ties to Arizona president Dr. Robert Robbins,[94] and has extensive NFL assistant coaching experience (for five different franchises) and was previously a collegiate assistant at UCLA, Minnesota,[95] and Miami.[96]
In Fisch's first season in 2021, the Wildcats played an average defense that kept them in most of their games. However, injuries and inexperience on the offense led to scoring fewer points and would cost them a chance at wins. After an 0–8 start which included an upset loss to Northern Arizona earlier in the season (Arizona had not lost to NAU since 1932 before then), Fisch would finally earn his first victory as Arizona coach when the Wildcats defeated California in early November, with several players and coaches for the Golden Bears were out because of COVID-19.[97] It turned out to Arizona's only win of the season, as they finished with a 1–11 record, including a loss to Arizona State for the fifth straight year. The eleven losses are the most in a single season for Arizona, surpassing the record of ten set by the 2003 team.
In 2022, Fisch would capitalize on recruiting and player transfers to turn around the program. The Wildcats rebuilt their offense and took down Division I (FCS) powerhouse North Dakota State and upset UCLA despite a poor defense. Arizona would conclude the season on a high note by defeating ASU to end their futility against their rival.[98] They would finish the year with a 5–7 record, which was a four-game improvement from the previous season.
The Wildcats began the 2023 season hoping to get to a bowl game as they would continue to rebuild and improve. With a fixed defense and a dynamic offense led by a change at quarterback (with Noah Fifita taking over for an injured Jayden de Laura), Fisch began to take the team on a winning run. Fifita threw often to his former high school teammate Tetairoa McMillan as well as wide receiver Jacob Cowing and tight end Tanner McLachlan as top targets. Running backs Michael Wiley and Jonah Coleman were also standout offensive performers.
From mid-October to early November of the season, Arizona would compete a rare accomplishment by defeating three straight ranked teams, all Pac-12 opponents (Washington State, Oregon State, and UCLA), and winning six straight games overall to end the regular season, their longest winning streak since 1998, all which led to them becoming bowl-eligible for the first time since 2017. The Wildcats, who finished the regular season with a 9–3 record and 14th in the AP top 25 poll (their highest since 2014, which was also the last time that they at least nine games)[99] After winning big against Utah and rival Arizona State (which was their first rivalry win on the road since 2011), they were invited to play in the Alamo Bowl against Oklahoma, who along with Texas, will leave the Big 12 for the SEC in 2024.[100] (ironically, Arizona's last appearance in the Alamo Bowl was an embarrassing loss to Oklahoma's rival Oklahoma State in 2010). In January 2024, Fisch announced he would be leaving Arizona to become the next head coach of the Washington Huskies, filling the vacancy created by previous coach Kalen DeBoer joining the Alabama Crimson Tide.[101]
On January 16, 2024, Brent Brennan was announced as the 31st head coach in school history. He was previously the head coach at San Jose State.[102]
After the 2023 season, Arizona, along with Arizona State, Utah, and Colorado, is set to join the Big 12 Conference for 2024 and beyond, ending a 45-year run in the Pac-12.
Arizona has appeared in 22 bowl games, posting an overall record of 10-11–1. The team's most recent appearance in a bowl game was against Oklahoma at the 2023 Alamo Bowl.
Arizona has been invited six times to one of the "New Year's Six" major bowl games (the Rose, Sugar, Fiesta, Orange, Cotton, and Peach Bowls), including two appearances in CFP in 2014 and Bowl Coalition game in 1993, both of which were Fiesta Bowls.
Arizona's season records are from the record books of the university's athletic association. Through November 27, 2023, Arizona has compiled an overall record of 632 wins, 499 losses, and 33 ties (including post-season bowl games).
All-time record against Pac-12 opponents
Opponent
W-L-T (Percentage)
Streak (W/L)
First Year
Last Year
Next Year
Arizona State
51–45–1 (.531)
W2
1899
2023
2024
California
19–15–2 (.571)
L1
1978
2022
TBD
Colorado
10–16–0 (.385)
W2
1931
2023
2024
Oregon
17–29–0 (.370)
L3
1937
2022
TBD
Oregon State
25–16–1 (.607)
W1
1966
2024
TBD
Stanford
15–17–0 (.452)
W1
1978
2023
TBD
UCLA
19–27–2 (.417)
W2
1927
2023
TBD
USC
8–38–0 (.174)
L10
1916
2023
TBD
Utah
20–25–2 (.447)
W1
1924
2023
2024
Washington
11–25–1 (.311)
L6
1978
2021
TBD
Washington State
28–18–2 (.600)
W1
1963
2023
TBD
Totals
221-271-9(.450)
At the end of the 2023 season, the Pac-12 will likely dissolve as ten of the conference's twelve members (including Arizona) will leave for new conferences.
Arizona's athletic program operated with a limited budget for the first several years after its establishment in 1899. To reduce travel costs, early Arizona football teams played limited slates of games, mostly against squads from nearby schools. Local scheduling resulted in the development of gridiron rivalries with several in-state private colleges, most notably Arizona State and Northern Arizona.
Opponent
W-L-T (Percentage)
Streak (W/L)
First Year
Last Year
Next Year
Arizona State
51–45–1 (.526)
W2
1899
2023
2024
Northern Arizona
16–2–0 .889
W1
1932
2023
2024
Totals
67-47-1(.587)
All records accurate as of the conclusion of the 2023 season
The primary rival of the Wildcats is Arizona State. Both teams are members of the South Division of the Pac-12. The annual matchup the two schools is known as the "Duel in the Desert." The winner receives the Territorial Cup trophy. Originating in 1899, the Wildcats lost the first game by a score of 11–2. Arizona leads the series at 51–45–1 through the end of the 2023 season.[105]
A major rival of the Wildcats in the 1900s was the New Mexico Lobos. The series was intense until the annual matchup was canceled after the 1990 season. The teams have met twice in bowl games, with Arizona winning both, as they won the 1997 Insight.com Bowl and the 2015 New Mexico Bowl. Arizona leads the head-to-head series at 44–20–3 with the most recent game played in 2015.[106] They have a non-conference game scheduled in Tucson for 2024.[107]
Arizona plays its home games at Arizona Stadium, which located on the campus in Tucson. The stadium capacity is 50,800 as of 2022.[108]
Lowell-Stevens Football Facility
Located on the north end of Arizona Stadium, the 187,000 square foot facility houses the football programs weight room, locker room, medical treatment room, players lounge, cafeteria, coaches' offices, auditorium for team meetings, as well as a media room.[109]
The facility also offers 4,200 chair seating, as well as 500 premium seating.[110]
Starting in the 2010 season, Arizona wore new uniforms. They are simplified versions of the uniforms worn from 2005 to 2009, with the addition of a white helmet with a red-white-blue stripe. The team may use any combination of its two helmets, three jerseys and three pants. On September 29, 2012, the Wildcats unveiled a new copper helmet and for the Territorial Cup game later that season, they unveiled an all-red helmet.
On September 20, 2015, the Wildcats unveiled a new "chrome red" helmet which they wore on September 26, 2015, against the UCLA Bruins.
On August 4, 2021, Arizona announced it would be going back to an updated version of their "Desert Swarm" uniforms worn during the Dick Tomey era.[111]
On November 1, 2023, Arizona's Big-12 opponents from 2024 through 2027 were revealed, with their rivalry game against Arizona State being a protected annual game.[124]
Arizona and Kansas State will play each other as non-conference opponents in both 2024 and 2025 due to the two teams announcing a home-and-home series prior to Arizona joining the Big 12. They will play as conference teams starting in 2026.
Non-conference opponents
Announced non-conference schedules as of January 30, 2024.[125]
Spanish-language radio flagship:KTKT – 990 AM in Tucson, AZ
Broadcasters: Brian Jeffries (play-by-play) and Lamont Lovett (color analyst)
Spanish-language broadcasters: Francisco Romero (play-by-play) and Luis Hernandez (analyst)
The current flagship radio station for Wildcat football, men's basketball, and baseball is Tucson sports radio station KCUB, branded as "Wildcats Radio 1290" and simulcast on the FM side on Tucson classic hits station KHYT, branded as "K-Hit 107.5" (football and men's basketball only). From 1983 until 2004, the flagship station was news/talk radio station KNST. The primary play-by-play voice of Wildcat football, baseball and men's basketball, since 1987, is Brian Jeffries (after starting out as the color commentator for former CBS Sports announcer Ray Scott, who called Wildcats games from 1984 through the spring of 1987). The Phoenix radio affiliate for Arizona Wildcats football and men's basketball is KGME, branded as "Fox Sports 910."
