Arizona head coach Brent Brennan ranked 66th among power conference head coaches and 16th and last among Big XII head coaches in the 2026 rankings published by CBS Sports. Brennan fell in the Big XII coaching rankings after being 13th in the conference entering the 2024 season.
CBS Sports cited Arizona falling from a 10-win 2023 season to 4-8 in their first season under Brennan. Arizona began the 2024 season ranked 21st in the Associated Press Top 25 and the USA Today Coaches Poll and finished with losses in seven of its last eight games.
The 2025 season is pivotal for Arizona. Arizona hosts Hawaii, Football Bowl Subdivision Weber State and Kansas State in the first three games. After a bye, Arizona does not play its first road game until September 27 at Iowa State. BYU and Houston are at Arizona after the Iowa State game.
Arizona is set up for a good start to the 2025 season. Kansas State and Iowa State will be significant favorites over Arizona. The Wildcats should have an opportunity to begin the 2025 season with four wins in their first six games. Arizona would need only two more wins in its final six games to become bowl eligible.
"16. Brent Brennan, ArizonaShehan Jeyarajah, CBS Sports
National rank: No. 66
Brennan's first season at the power conference level was a disaster as a 10-win Arizona squad fell all the way down to 4-8 in his first season. The Wildcats lost seven of their last eight games, with five of them coming by at least three touchdowns. There's nowhere to go but up. Last year: No. 13 in the Big 12"
Weighted against initial expectations, calling a four-win season disastrous is accurate. Arizona was outscored 41.5 to 17.8 against Big XII opponents. Arizona and Kansas State played a non-conference game in 2024 and will do so again in 2025. The game against Kansas State was scheduled before Arizona joined the Big XII.
Another season like 2024 would put Brennan on a scorching hot seat entering 2026, if not place his job in jeopardy with a poor 2025. Brennan received a favorable grade with the commitments Arizona has received in the 2026 class. Brennan needs to have the recruiting momentum carry over into a successful 2025 season.