- Head Coach: Brent Brennan (second season)
- 2024 Record: 4-8
- Strength of Schedule: 54th
- PFF Projected Win Total: 6.5
- FanDuel Win Total: 5.5
2024 Recap
Arizona surprised the college football world in 2023, finishing 10–3 and ranking No. 11 in the final AP poll — its best season of the 21st century. Even after head coach Jedd Fisch departed for Washington, expectations remained high with stars returning like quarterback Noah Fifita, wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and cornerback Tacario Davis. But under new coach Brent Brennan, the Wildcats fell back to Earth, finishing 4–8 in 2024, their sixth losing season in seven years. McMillan emerged as one of the few bright spots and was selected No. 8 overall by the Carolina Panthers in the 2025 NFL Draft. Still, there’s reason for cautious optimism: if Fifita can rebound and the defense strengthens, Arizona could be back in the bowl picture.
Biggest Strength: A potential bounce-back candidate at quarterback
Fifita entered the 2024 season as a top-10 college quarterback. While his performance didn’t quite live up to that billing, he could be in for a bounce-back year as a redshirt junior if he plays with more control. Fifita will be without his childhood best friend and top target, Tetairoa McMillan, but Arizona’s ground game should be more reliable this year thanks to Texas State transfer Ismail Mahdi. That could help take some pressure off Fifita’s shoulders.
Biggest Weakness: Secondary
Arizona ranked just 112th in the nation in coverage grade last season (62.8). Making matters worse, two of the Wildcats’ top defensive backs — cornerback Tacario Davis and safety Gunner Maldonado — transferred this offseason.
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