As the college football season begins, the Arizona Wildcats will be a team to keep an eye on this season as they make the move from the Pac-12 to the Big 12.
Although the Wildcats have been known more as a basketball team over the past decade, they enter the season with one of the better college football teams. Arizona enters the season ranked 21st in the country thanks to the return of many of last season’s core players.
Due to conference realignments this season, it’s hard to predict if that will impact the program this season, but the Wildcats have the talent to compete this season. The Big-12 experienced a major turnover early in the season as it added some teams from the Pac-12 to offset the departures of primarily Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC.
Recently, Pro Football Focus talked about its predictions for the upcoming season. The four analysts agreed that Arizona will win the Big 12.
A Wildcats win in the conference would be a huge accomplishment for them in their first season. After a 10-win season in the Pac-12, the Wildcats are hoping for a similar season in 2024.
Given the strength of the conference, it is entirely realistic that Arizona can win the Big 12 and automatically qualify for the College Football Playoffs. Entering the season, five teams, including the Wildcats, are ranked in the top 25, with the Utah Utes holding the highest ranking at No. 12.
Like the Wildcats, the Utes came from the Pac-12 this season and the two teams faced each other last year. In that matchup, Arizona easily defeated Utah by a score of 42-18.
What could really help the Wildcats this season is the schedule they will have compared to last year. In 2023, Arizona played six games against teams ranked in the top 25. As expected with their overall good season, they posted a respectable 4-2 record in those games.
This year, the Wildcats are expected to play only two games against top-25 teams, as they face Kansas State and Utah in back-to-back road games. This will certainly be the toughest stretch of the season for the Wildcats, and if they can win both games, their path to winning the conference will be clear.
It is a bit surprising that Arizona is unanimously considered the winner of the conference, but given the good squad and the relaxed schedule, this is realistic.
