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Kirk Herbstreit named Arizona and Brent Brennan Week 5 top 7

ESPN lead college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit named Arizona one of his top seven teams and Brent Brennan in his top seven coaches for week five.

By Alan Rubenstein

Sep 1, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kirk Herbstreit attends the game between the LSU Tigers and the Southern California Trojans at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Sep 1, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kirk Herbstreit attends the game between the LSU Tigers and the Southern California Trojans at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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Arizona and head coach Brent Brennan were named in the top seven teams and head coaches for week five by top ESPN College Football Analyst Kirk Herbstreit on Monday. Arizona won 23-10 at number 10 Utah on Saturday. Arizona is 3-1 in their first season under Brennan.

The Wildcats had an exceptional defensive performance and made enough big plays on offense to earn the win over the Utes. Arizona held Utah to 6-15 on third down, 0-4 on fourth down and the Utes only scored 10 points in four red zone trips. Arizona led for the remainder of the game after taking the lead with 3:17 left in the first half.

Noah Fifita threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Jeremiah Patterson to put Arizona in front 10-3. Tyler Loop added two third-quarter field goals and a Fifita to Keyan Burnett 35-yard TD pass kept Arizona in front in the second half. Arizona led by two scores for most of the last quarter and a half.

Arizona and Brennan earned their first ever Big XII win. Colorado and Kansas State were the other Big XII teams named by Herbstreit for week five. Deion Sanders of Colorado and Joey McGuire of Texas Tech were the other Big XII coaches named by Herbstreit for week five. Arizona hosts Texas Tech on Saturday and Colorado on October 19.

Arizona's schedule is more difficult than it was to begin the season. Kansas State who Arizona lost to 31-7 on September 13, beat previously ranked Oklahoma State 42-20 on Saturday. Colorado and Sanders improved to 4-1 this season with a 48-21 win at Central Florida. McGuire led Texas Tech to a 44-41 win over Cincinnati.

Brennan joins Cignetti on the list as coaches new to power conferences. Cignetti has led Indiana to a 5-0 record in his first season at Indiana. Texas Tech is 4-1 with their sole 37-16 at Washington State. Nebraska beat Colorado 28-10 for the Buffaloes' only loss in 2024.

Brent Brennan Co-Big XII Coach of the Week. dark. Next. Brent Brennan Co-Big XII Coach of the Week

Hopefully, the Arizona win over Utah will propel them to bigger things in 2024. After hosting Texas Tech on Saturday, Arizona will play at BYU on October 12. The win over Utah improved the projection for Arizona winning the Big XII to fifth in the ESPN Football Power Index. That matches where the media picked Arizona in the preseason.

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