A new era begins for the Arizona Wildcats with the 2024 college football season. For the first time since 1978, they will play in a conference that is not Pac-10 or Pac-12.
As part of a major overhaul of college sports, the Wildcats will join the Big 12 mega-conference and are expected to be one of the league’s better teams, starting the year ranked 21st nationally.
Despite some challenges that may come from playing against new opponents in their new conference, Brad Shepard of Bleacher Report expects great things from the Wildcats.
In a recent article, he ranked the newcomers in Stage 1 as one of the strongest challengers for the conference title.
“Arizona has many more question marks, but after taking down Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl, the Wildcats are coming off a season of double-digit wins. Jedd Fisch has gone to Washington and former San Jose State coach Brent Brennan is now at the helm. If he can find the right defensive mix to go with the offensive playmakers, it’s a good idea,” Shepard wrote.
Arizona’s biggest weakness right now is their pass rush.
They have an excellent secondary led by Tacario Davis and Treydan Stukes, but attacking the quarterback could be a problem.
If Brennan and his team can tap into the potential of this defensive line, their performance will be taken to a new level. Reducing the number of big plays allowed would also improve the unit’s survivability.
If they find a way to generate a pass rush, the secondary will take care of the rest.
While they figure things out on that side of the ball, they can at least rest easy knowing there is an explosive offense capable of scoring points against anyone.
The combination of quarterback Noah Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan is one of the strongest in the country. They were outstanding when Fifita took over the starting position last season, and the team will look to build on that momentum.
Arizona can prove its mettle when it faces another Tier 1 team, Kansas State, in the third week of the season.
It is not considered a conference game because it was scheduled before the realignment, but it is still an important duel.
These two are joined in Stage 1 by Oklahoma State and Utah.
