Arizona-BYU showdown ‘is going to be a great football game’

Arizona football fans have an early reason to clear their Saturday calendars. The Wildcats travel to Provo on Sept. 12 for a Big 12 opener against No. 14 BYU, a matchup that will test whether Arizona can carry the momentum of its 35-7 victory over Northern Arizona into one of the league’s most difficult road environments. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Arizona time, with the game airing on Fox. For Tucson fans, the matchup offers a first look at how Brent Brennan’s team may measure up in its second season under the coach, and whether the Wildcats can contend for another postseason berth.

Arizona enters the game after producing more than 500 yards against NAU, including over 200 on the ground. Brennan said the Wildcats showed encouraging balance and physicality, although turnovers remained a concern. That rushing performance will be especially important in Provo, where Arizona faces a BYU team that prefers to control games with its running attack. The Cougars ran 46 times for 308 yards in their opener against Utah Tech, while quarterback Bear Bachmeier completed 16 of 20 passes for 198 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Bachmeier and running back L.J. Martin give BYU a challenging combination for the Arizona defense. Bachmeier, a sophomore who was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2025, is a powerful runner as well as a capable passer. Martin, the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, has already established himself as one of the conference’s most dangerous backs. He totaled 162 rushing yards and scored a touchdown against Arizona in last season’s meeting, and he has accumulated 257 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns against the Wildcats over the past two seasons.

Brennan said stopping Martin will require more than one defender. The coach described him as powerful, difficult to bring down and capable of finishing runs through contact. Arizona’s defensive plan will emphasize getting multiple players to the football instead of expecting one tackler to win the matchup alone. Defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales has spoken about preparing for BYU for months, but Brennan made clear that the team’s official focus shifted only after the Wildcats finished with NAU.

That distinction matters because the previous meeting remains fresh for many Arizona players and fans. Last season in Tucson, the Wildcats led 24-14 with just over four minutes remaining, but BYU rallied to force overtime and won 33-27 in the second extra period. Bachmeier scored on a short run with 19 seconds left in regulation to extend the game, then added another rushing touchdown in the second overtime. The defeat was Arizona’s only home loss of the season and remains one of the more painful moments from the Wildcats’ 9-4 campaign.

The two programs also have recent history in Provo. Arizona lost there, 41-19, in 2024, when BYU’s defense intercepted Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita three times. One of those interceptions stopped a potential touchdown, another helped set up a Cougar score and a third was returned for a touchdown. Brennan acknowledged that the environment at LaVell Edwards Stadium can make the assignment more difficult, but he rejected the idea that the crowd should become an excuse. His message was that Arizona must play well, protect the ball and attack the opportunity rather than dwell on its previous result.

The game also brings together two coaches with a personal connection. Brennan and BYU coach Kalani Sitake worked together at Oregon State in 2015, when Brennan was one of the staff members retained from the previous coaching regime. Sitake and his family moved into Brennan’s neighborhood, living about five houses away. The coaches’ children spent time together, creating a friendship that has continued as both men moved into head coaching positions. Brennan has called Sitake one of his favorite people in the profession and said he has great respect for him and his family.

There is plenty at stake beyond revenge. BYU went 12-2 last season, finished No. 11 in the final Associated Press poll and reached the Big 12 championship game before losing to Texas Tech. The Cougars have gone 24-4 over the past two-plus seasons and have won games in the Alamo Bowl and Pop-Tarts Bowl during that stretch. They opened this season with a dominant victory over Utah Tech and are expected to remain in the national conversation. An Arizona upset in Provo would immediately give the Wildcats credibility in their new conference and strengthen their bid to reach the postseason in consecutive years for the first time since 2014 and 2015.

Arizona will also rely on Fifita, who brings far more experience than most quarterbacks entering an early conference test. He has 8,918 career passing yards and 70 touchdowns, according to the Deseret News. The Wildcats will need that experience, along with improved ball security, to handle a BYU defense that disrupted Fifita during the 2024 meeting. Brennan also emphasized the importance of continuing to run effectively on the road. The Wildcats’ first game produced promising contributions from running backs Kedrick Reescano and Antwan Roberts, while new players such as linebacker Cooper Blomstrom and defensive lineman Prince Williams made strong early impressions. Brennan said the team still has substantial work ahead, but called the early performances encouraging.

The conditions will add another layer to the challenge. The afternoon kickoff is expected to bring temperatures near 80 degrees in Provo, along with altitude and a fully engaged student section because classes will be in session. BYU’s home crowd is a major part of the matchup, but Arizona has a clear opportunity to change the conference conversation. Brennan described BYU as one of the Big 12’s best teams over the past several years and called the contest a major football game. For Tucson supporters, the Wildcats’ performance will show whether last year’s breakthrough season was a step toward sustained success or simply a promising beginning.