​Arizona’s football program has long been known as one of the sport’s more entertaining outfits, but sustaining that party has proven tricky. After several rebuilding cycles, the Wildcats finally surged to double-digit wins under Jedd Fisch in 2023, logging a 10-4 mark. The momentum stalled in 2024, and in the Wildcats’ first Big 12 campaign under head coach Brent Brennan, the results regressed to four wins. Arizona has historically notched nine-win seasons often, but true consistency has eluded them: the 1975 squad went 9-2 and represented the high-water mark, only for everything to collapse a year later in 1976. It’s understandable if fans are skeptical about a potential ascent beyond a 9-4 campaign, given the program’s uneven legacy and the pressures of a new conference era.
The landscape ahead for 2025 is complicated. Arizona dropped home games to BYU and Houston, two of the toughest opponents on the slate, while avoiding meetings with Texas Tech and Utah. Even with a strong finish from in-state rival Arizona State, there are still questions to answer. Brennan has rebuilt a roster with a mix of experienced contributors, talented underclassmen, and a healthy influx from the transfer portal, and the program has sustained relatively few departures. Still, proving that last year’s success wasn’t a mirage will be Brennan’s central task.
In 2026, Brennan is entering his third year at the helm with a 13-12 record in his Arizona tenure and a broader, ten-year coaching footprint at 47-60 overall. The best-case scenario envisions a Big 12 title run, while the worst-case forecast nods to a seventh-place finish in a nine-year span. The top puzzle piece for 2026 is quarterback Noah Fifita, a senior who has been with the program for five years and has started for four, compiling more than 9,000 passing yards and 72 touchdowns over the past three seasons while also showing the ability to add some rushing spark.
The Wildcats return a robust core on the offensive side, aided by thoughtful transfer portal additions and the absence of significant losses. The offensive line, however, is a critical area where Brennan’s group must take a step forward, both in pass protection and run blocking, to maximize the skill-position talent around Fifita.
On the outside, the supporting cast is rich with options. In the backfield, Kedrick Reescano provides a hard-nosed running style, topping the team with nine rushing touchdowns and totaling 396 rushing yards. Quincy Craig, a quicker back, returns after posting 364 yards on the ground, while Antwan Roberts from Marshall adds to the depth with versatility at multiple backfield spots. The offense benefited from a steady control of the game through solid ball protection, finishing with a remarkably favorable turnover margin in large part due to a swarming defense that forced a high number of takeaways. Arizona finished with only 13 turnovers, underscoring a disciplined, mistake-averse approach, even though nine of those turnovers occurred across four games, a quirk that can be mitigated with improved game-to-game consistency.
The vitality of the 2025 and 2026 seasons rests on the continued cohesion between Brennan’s scheming and Doege’s play-calling. Offensive coordinator Seth Doege, who previously directed Texas Tech’s prolific offense, has already shown an ability to move the ball with authority, amassing substantial yardage and touchdown production in his first year in Tucson. The Wildcats averaged about 407 yards and 32 points per game, a pace that was powerful enough to sustain competitive pressure in most ACC and Big 12-style matchups. If the unit can execute cleaner and more efficiently, the floor for Arizona remains solid, with the ceiling for more explosive productions still within reach.
In sum, Brennan inherits a program with enough talent and momentum to be a genuine threat in the Big 12 once again, provided the offensive line can anchor consistently, the run game continues to evolve, and Fifita remains a calming, productive presence at quarterback. Arizona’s path to sustained success runs through steady improvement along the line, continued smart use of the transfer portal to fill gaps, and a coaching staff that translates last year’s gains into a repeatable, high-percentage offensive approach while keeping the defense aggressive and opportunistic. If these elements align, the Wildcats could push for more than just a solid season, reminding fans that the party in Tucson can keep rolling at a higher level.