Thirty-nine Football Bowl Subdivision teams are undefeated through week three. Arizona has started a season with three consecutive games for the first time since 2015. ESPN metric guru Bill Connelly used his SP+ algorithm to measure all 39 undefeated teams in FBS.
Arizona won its first game against a power conference opponent in 2025 with a 23-17 win over Kansas State on Friday night. Seven penalties for 56 yards and turnovers kept the score close in the second half despite Arizona having a 412-193 advantage in total yards.
Eight of the remaining nine games on the Arizona schedule are projected as toss-ups per SP+. After a bye week, Arizona has what projects as its toughest remaining game in 2025 at Iowa State on September 27. Iowa State is also one of the 39 undefeated FBS teams at 4-0.
Kansas State has started with one win and three losses in 2025. Iowa State beat Kansas State 24-21 in the week zero season opener in Dublin, Ireland. Army also beat Kansas State 24-21 in week two. Iowa State will be the first official Big XII game for Arizona in 2025.
"28. Arizona (3-0)Bill Connelly, ESPN
SP+ and FPI rankings: 39th and 38th
Odds of reaching 12-0, per SP+: 0.3%
What the Wildcats did in Week 3: def. Kansas State, 23-17
Good news for Arizona fans: Your team is pretty good again! Bad news: Of the Wildcats' nine remaining games, eight are projected as one-score affairs, per SP+. Anxiety potential is off the charts. They have a puncher's chance at 11-1 or 12-0, but 4-8 or 5-7 are still on the table too."
Arizona is 28th in SP+ among the 39 undefeated programs and 39th overall in FBS. Arizona has a 9.6 overall rating, 31.1 to rank 42nd nationally in offense, 21.7 to rank 37th in defense, 0.2 which is 28th on special teams and moved up two spots nationally in SP+ after the win over Kansas State.
Texas Tech, Iowa State, TCU, BYU, Baylor and Kansas are the only Big XII teams ranked ahead of Arizona in SP+. Arizona does not play Texas Tech or TCU in 2025. Connelly states, "SP+ is intended to be predictive and forward-facing."
Iowa State, Houston and BYU are the only remaining undefeated teams on the 2025 Arizona schedule. Arizona is an underdog in the ESPN Football Power Index against Iowa State, BYU and Houston. Among other teams ahead of Arizona in SP+, the Wildcats are favored in the ESPN FPI against Baylor and Kansas.