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The 2022 Arizona Football season started with a dominating victory at San Diego State on Saturday in a nationally-televised game on CBS. The win over the Aztecs was exciting as the Wildcat Family was loud and proud at Snapdragon Stadium. The Pride of Arizona also brought our dynamic Wildcat energy to Saturday's game.

The 18-point victory over SDSU was a testament to the hard work our student-athletes, coaches and staff have been putting in as Arizona Football became the talk of the college football world for the weekend. The victory also earned Jayden de Laura and Jalen Harris weekly awards from the Pac-12 Conference. Congratulations to our entire football program on the statement win to open the season!

Our focus now shifts to this week's home opener versus Mississippi State, which is scheduled for Saturday at 8 p.m. (MST) at Arizona Stadium. We want to fill the stadium and create a spectacular atmosphere. If you haven't purchased your tickets yet, you can do so by clicking here. You can also dial 621-2287 (CATS) or visit the McKale Center Ticket Office to buy your tickets ahead of time and avoid walk-up lines on the day of the game.

We are excited to welcome all our fans, donors, alumni and supporters back to historic Arizona Stadium for another season of football. We continue our diligent work to enhance our fan experience at games as well as our pregame festivities. Saturday's pregame activities include the return of country music star Phil Vassar for a concert on the eastside of the UA Mall with Phil taking the stage at 5:30 p.m. (MST). With tailgating on the UA Mall and inside the Cole and Jeannie Davis Sports Center, there's plenty of entertainment for fans to enjoy on campus before kickoff.

Please enjoy Saturdays on campus with Arizona Football and Bear Down with pride! Visit our GameDay information page and remember that gates to the stadium open 90 minutes prior to kickoff. I also encourage fans to have their mobile tickets and parking downloaded to your phone before you leave home on Saturday. I can't wait to see you on Saturday night as Arizona Stadium will be full of Wildcats. Bear Down and Go Cats! 
 

Game Day Updates
We're excited to roll out some new gameday enhancements at Arizona Stadium. Here are some things that have changed since we saw you in Arizona Stadium last year:

• The third/fourth quarter break. New this year: after the third quarter, open up the Arizona Wildcats app, open the menu in the top left of your screen and scroll down to Arizona Lights. Open it up and follow the prompts to sync your phone's flashlight to Don't Stop Believing by Journey.
• Bear Down Games is a free prediction-based competition on the Arizona Wildcats app that lets you compete against other fans to win prizes. We already had five winners from the San Diego State game who won free tickets to Saturday's game and the prizes will be getting bigger and better as we move through the season. For both Arizona Lights and Bear Down Games, please have the app downloaded prior to entering the stadium and to participate in Bear Down Games, get your picks in before kick!
• Use the hashtag #RiseWithUs on Twitter and Instagram for your chance to see your post on the video board during the game!
• Fan Fiesta is moving! The Arizona Athletics tailgate is moving from its previous home in the Davis Sports Center to the heart of the tailgating action on the UA mall just west of Cherry Ave. Join us for the fun pregame family friendly activities starting 3 hours from kickoff.
• Concessions at Arizona Stadium will look – and taste – a little bit different this season. In addition to adding new points of sale, we will also have new food items such as Crunch Nachos, Mustache Pretzels, Paletas, Sno Cones, Sonoran Dogs and more. Premium draft beer will now be served in recyclable aluminum souvenir cups. New this year, there will no longer be ID checkpoints to pick up a wristband for fans over the age of 21. If you would like to purchase an alcoholic beverage, please have your ID ready while you are standing in line so you can be carded quickly at the register when you order. Just a friendly reminder, Arizona Stadium is cashless.
• Gameday reminders: We are encouraging all fans to arrive on campus at least an hour before kickoff, and to make their way into the stadium at least 30 minutes prior. With both increased attendance expected and enhanced security measures, this will be especially important this season. Please have your tickets and parking downloaded before you leave your home, and make sure you're adhering to our clear bag policy. Let's work together to create the best home field environment possible!

 

JOIN US ON SUNDAY FOR ARIZONA SOCCER
Arizona Soccer is back home this week for a Sunday match vs. Pepperdine. The Cats and the Waves square off at 1 p.m. on Sunday, but we invite all fans to join us for a pregame tailgate that will feature face painters, balloon artists, cornhole and sign making stations.

Sunday is First Responder's Day, so all military, police, firefighters and EMTs will receive discounted tickets at the gate with your ID. 

Click here to get your tickets to Sunday's match!

KIDCATS IS BACK AND BREAKING RECORDS!

Our official kids club returned this season and we have already surpassed our record number of KidCats! Members receive a t-shirt, a credential, free tickets to select events, discounted Arizona Football tickets and more. Click here to sign your child K-8 up for Arizona KidCats sponsored by Hughes Federal Credit Union.

SAN DIEGO IS WILDCAT CLUB COUNTRY

 If you watched Arizona football defeat SDSU on TV then you surely heard the cheers and U-of-A chants from the strong showing of Wildcat fans who attended the game. More than 200 of those fans in attendance traveled as part of the Wildcat Club's annual football donor trip. This enhanced premium experience is offered exclusively to Diamond, Platinum and Golden Wildcat Club members in appreciation of their leadership support of Arizona Athletics.

 Thank you to these members, as well as each of our over 10,000 Wildcat Club members for their critical annual support of our department and 21 sports programs. To learn more about the Wildcat Club visit http://www.WildcatClub.org

ATTENTION PHOENIX WILDCATS!

The Cat Cruiser is back this year! For just $25 per person per game – or $105 for a season pass – get a ride from Phoenix to Arizona Stadium and back for all seven of our home games.

Click here to reserve your spot on the Cat Cruiser this week.

ARIZONA ATHLETICS EXPANDS PARTNERSHIP WITH BANNER UNIVERSITY MEDICINE

This week, we announced an expanded partnership with Banner University Medicine that will create an enhanced model of care for our student-athletes.

Alongside Banner, this will develop a comprehensive care program focused on healthy living, injury prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and expanding this model will help meet the needs of the University of Arizona, Arizona student-athletes and athletes of all ages in Southern Arizona.  This new sports medicine care model reinforces Arizona Athletics longstanding Commitment to an Athletes' Total Success (C.A.T.S) and is foundational to the "Wildcat Way" strategic plan which provides opportunities for student-athletes to become academic, athletic and life champions. Arizona Athletics will continue to expand and invest in this new model to ensure it remains as a nationally recognized leader in student-athlete healthcare.

WEAR THE COLORS – SHARE THE PHOTOS

Manila Francisco, just 5 minutes after his birth, is seen here bearing down! His parents are both Air Force personnel stationed at Barksdale Airforce base, and his great grandparents are both Wildcat Alums! Glad to see it run in the family!

Send us your photos of you wearing the colors!

Thank you for wearing the colors and sharing your Arizona pride! Make sure to take a picture the next time you are wearing the colors and send it to us, we just might include it in next week's Wildcat Wednesday! And even if your photo submission doesn't make  next week's edition, please check our "Wear the Colors" album at facebook.com/ArizonaAthletics on Fridays.
 
NOTE: Please submit photos for Wildcat Wednesday with an original email to uofaad@arizona.edu using the subject line 'Wildcat Wednesday photo.' Also, please ensure all submissions are clear and properly lit. We also ask that you identify everyone in the photo so we can highlight them accordingly.

Bear Down and Go Cats!
 
Dave Heeke
Vice President and Director of Athletics
University of Arizona
uofaad@arizona.edu