Led by the return of quarterback Noah Fifita, Jake Trotter of ESPN selected Arizona when asked, "What teams are going to surprise us?" as part of the article "College football 2026: Games, players, teams we're excited to see."
Arizona had a redemptive 2025 season with nine wins and four losses after finishing with four victories and eight defeats in 2024. Head coach Brent Brennan took himself off the hot seat with the 2025 season by Arizona. Brennan stabilized Arizona with several successful hires to the coaching staff.
The promotion of Danny Gonzales to defensive coordinator and the hiring of offensive coordinator Seth Doege had huge impacts on the success of Arizona in 2025. Doege and Gonzales returning for Arizona in 2026 is critically important for the Wildcats.
Fifita will play for the same offensive coordinator in consecutive seasons in 2026 for the first time during his Arizona career. Doege and Fifita have frequently discussed their chemistry. Fifita is first nationally with 73 touchdown passes among returning QBs in 2026.
"Arizona quietly won five games in a row to close out the regular season before falling to SMU in its bowl game. Quarterback Noah Fifita, who had a resurgent 2025 campaign, has 73 career touchdown throws, more than any returning passer in the country. The Wildcats do have several starters to replace on both sides of the ball. But behind Fifita's experience, they could still emerge as a stealthy playoff contender."Jake Trotter, ESPN
2026 Arizona schedule
Arizona has a challenging 2026 schedule. After opening the season on September 5 against Northern Arizona, the Wildcats are at BYU in the second week of the season in their first 2026 Big XII game. Arizona is at West Virginia, Texas Tech and Kansas State in its other three Big XII road games.
Cincinnati, Iowa State, TCU, Utah and Arizona State will play at Arizona in the five Big XII home games for the Wildcats. Arizona hosts Northern Illinois and plays at Washington State in the other 2026 non-conference games for the Wildcats.
If Arizona is going to emerge as a "stealthy playoff contender" as Trotter stated, they will likely have to win at either BYU or Texas Tech and take care of their homefield at Casino Del Sol Stadium. Arizona was 6-1 at home in 2025, with the only loss to BYU in double-overtime.