Arizona Athletics
10/26/2026
TUCSON, Ariz. — No. 22 Arizona (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) will clash with No. 13 Texas Tech (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) for a top 25 showdown in Lubbock, Texas. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. MST at Galaxy Stadium.
Saturday's game will be televised on ESPN with Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, and Taylor McGregor on the call. It will also be broadcast live on Wildcats Radio 1290 AM with play-by-play from Brian Jeffries.
This matchup will be the first time Arizona has played at Texas Tech since 1989 when the Wildcats were in the Border Conference with the Red Raiders.
For more news and notes on Saturday's game, continue below.
Arizona Notes & Numbers
- The No. 22 Arizona Wildcats bring their five-game win streak on the road for a matchup against the No. 13 Texas Tech Red Raiders this Saturday at Galaxy Stadium in Lubbock.
- Saturday’s game will be nationally televised on ESPN with Dave Pasch (PxP), Dusty Dvoracek (Analyst), and Taylor McGregor (Reporter) on the call.
- The game will also be broadcast live on Wildcats Radio 1290 AM and KHYT 107.5 FM with play-by-play from the Voice of the Wildcats, Brian Jeffries. He is joined on the call by analyst Lamont Lovett and reporter Mackenzie Hamilton.
- Arizona and Texas Tech have met 34 times previously, with games dating back to 1932 and the Red Raiders holding a 27-5-2 edge in the all-time series.
- This week’s game will be the first in the series in Lubbock since 1989, a game won by Texas Tech, 28-14. Arizona is 1-13 all-time against Texas Tech in Lubbock, with their lone road win coming in 1935 (W, 7-6).
- Saturday’s game will be Arizona’s first ranked matchup since the No. 20 Wildcats went on the road to face the No. 14 Kansas State Wildcats in a non-conference game in 2024.
- QB Noah Fifita has thrown for 91 touchdowns and 11,247 yards in his collegiate career, marks that rank first and second among active FBS quarterbacks, respectively.
- Arizona’s 6-1 start is their best seven-game opening to a season since the 2014 team also started 6-1. The Wildcats have not opened a season 7-1 since 2010.
QB Noah Fifita has thrown 91 career touchdown passes, the most in program history and tied for the 58th most among all players in FBS history.
Fifita has also thrown for 11,247 yards in his career at Arizona, the most in program history and the 82nd most among all players in FBS history.
Arizona’s passing offense is the 9th best in the FBS and the second best in the Big 12 Conference. The Wildcats are averaging 310.9 yards per game through the air.
Arizona’s defense has averaged 3.29 sacks per game this year, a mark that lands second in the Big 12 and ranks seventh nationally.
Arizona has now posted five-game win streaks in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1992–93.
The Wildcats defense has allowed touchdowns on just 9-of-18 (50%) of opponent's trips inside the red zone this year.
SOME GAME THEMES: The No. 22 Arizona Wildcats bring their five-game win streak on the road for a matchup against the No. 13 Texas Tech Red Raiders this Saturday at Galaxy Stadium in Lubbock...Saturday’s game will be nationally televised on ESPN with Dave Pasch (PxP), Dusty Dvoracek (Analyst), and Taylor McGregor (Reporter) on the call...The game will also be broadcast live on Wildcats Radio 1290 AM and KHYT 107.5 FM with play-by-play from the Voice of the Wildcats, Brian Jeffries; he is joined on the call by analyst Lamont Lovett and reporter Mackenzie Hamilton...Arizona and Texas Tech have met 34 times previously, with games dating back to 1932 and the Red Raiders holding a 27-5-2 edge in the all-time series...This week’s game will be the first in the series in Lubbock since 1989, a game won by Texas Tech, 28-14...Arizona is 1-13 all-time against Texas Tech in Lubbock, with their lone road win coming in 1935 (W, 7-6)...Following their fifth consecutive win last weekend, the Wildcats moved up three spots in the AP Top 25 poll to No. 22...Arizona and Texas Tech became conference rivals once again when the Wildcats joined the Big 12 in 2024; they were previously Border Conference foes from 1932–57...Arizona offensive coordinator Seth Doege played quarterback in 30 games over four seasons for Texas Tech from 2009–12, where he threw for 8,636 yards and 69 touchdowns.
LAST TIME OUT: Arizona hosted Iowa State for their annual Homecoming game and came away with a dominant victory; it was the Wildcats second straight Homecoming victory. The Fifita brothers put on a show, with Noah throwing for 308 yards and two touchdowns while Dash tallied six tackles, two sacks, and 2.5 tackles for loss. The Arizona defense held Iowa State to just 52 rushing yards, 221 yards of total offense, and just three points. More highlights from the Cats last game include...
Notable Postgame Notes vs. Iowa State
- Arizona improved to 6-1 to start the season for the first time since 2014 and became bowl-eligible in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2014-15.
- Arizona has won five consecutive games, and this is first time since 1992-93 that an Arizona team has had back-to-back seasons with a five game win streak.
- The Wildcats have limited three opponents to single digit points for the first time since the 2000 season.
- QB Noah Fifita has thrown at least one pass TD in 20 straight conference games dating back to 2024, the longest active streak by any FBS player. With his TD pass to Mizell on the opening drive, Fifita became the 30th player in Big 12 history to record 40+ career pass TDs in conference play.
- WR Isaiah Mizell logged 134 receiving yards to become Arizona’s first WR with back-to-back 100-yard games since Kris Hutson 2025 (106 vs BYU, 123 at Cincinnati).
POLL POSITION:
- Following their 39-3 victory over Iowa State, the Arizona Wildcats moved up three spots in the AP Top 25 poll to No. 22.
- Arizona has earned a spot in the AP Top 25 in each of the last four seasons. The last time the Wildcats were ranked in four consecutive seasons was 1992–95.
- Since 1968, the Wildcats have played 146 games while ranked in the AP Top 25 and have posted a 94-51-1 (.647) record in those games.
- When ranked and playing on the road, Arizona has posted an all-time record of 36-25-1 (.589).
- Arizona’s opponent, Texas Tech, is ranked No. 13. The Wildcats are 2-6 all-time against opponents ranked No. 13 in the AP Top 25.
- When Arizona and their opponent are both ranked, the Wildcats have gone 21-28 (.429).
- In ranked matchups in which their opponent is ranked higher, Arizona has an all-time record of 13-18 (.419).
- Arizona’s last road win in a ranked matchup was the No. 15 Wildcats 42-10 victory over No. 20 Utah on Nov. 22, 2014.
- The Wildcats last road win in a ranked matchup over a higher ranked opponent was No. 22 Arizona’s 23-21 victory over No. 15 Washington State on Oct. 21, 1989.
CODE RED: Arizona’s defense has been stifling when it matters the most this season: when opposing offenses reach the red zone. The Wildcats have allowed their opponents into the red zone just 18 times in seven games and have allowed scores on just 12-of-18 opportunities. Arizona’s 66.7% mark in red zone defense is the fifth best mark in the FBS and the fourth best in the Power Four. This marks a drastic improvement over the Wildcats defensive efforts in the red zone last season, when they allowed opponents to convert 30-of-36 (83.3%) red zone trips into scores.
NOAH'S ARC: Fifth year quarterback Noah Fifita, one of just five senior/redshirt senior quarterbacks in FBS who spent their entire career at the same school, returned under center to lead the Wildcats offense one final time in 2026. Since taking over the starting quarterback role in 2023, Fifita has cemented his legacy as one of the greatest passers in program history. The California native is the program’s all-time leader in career passing yards and passing touchdowns — with only six games in the books, he stands to potentially widen the gap in both categories significantly. Fifita broke the Wildcats career passing touchdowns record with a 15-yard strike to Gio Richardson at Cincinnati on Nov. 15, 2025 and broke the program’s career passing yards record on a seven-yard throw to Isaiah Mizell on Sept. 19, 2026 vs. Northern Illinois. He has posted a record of 26-15 as the Wildcats starting quarterback and has logged 41 consecutive starts under center dating back to 2023.
SACK ATTACK: Arizona’s defense has tallied multiple sacks in 5-of-7 games this season, including two six-sack performances against Northern Arizona and Washington State. In total, the Wildcats have dropped opposing quarterbacks for 23 sacks, an average of 3.29 sacks per game that is the seventh best mark in the FBS. The production has come from all over the field as well, with 17 different players getting in on the action.
THIRD AND WON: The Wildcats offense has excelled on third down this season, converting at a 54.7% clip that ranks third among all 138 FBS programs. Three of the top four teams in the FBS in third down conversion percentage are Big 12 Conference members: Houston (1st, 60.0%), Arizona (t-3rd, 54.7%), and BYU (t-3rd, 54.7%). Last season, the Wildcats converted just 41.0% of their third downs.
GOOSE EGGS: Since taking over as the Wildcats defensive coordinator in 2025, Danny Gonzales has authored an incredible defensive turnaround that includes eight halves and 32 quarters of shutout defense over 20 games. Across those 20 games, 32-of-80 quarters (including two OT periods) have featured a zero in the opponents side of the box score — that amounts to 40% of quarters being scoreless for the Wildcats opponents. To close out the 2025 season, the Arizona defense worked second half shutouts in three consecutive games against Baylor, Arizona State, and SMU in the Trust & Will Holiday Bowl.
THROWING DARTS: Quarterback Noah Fifita's pinpoint accuracy has continued to blossom throughout his career, to the point which he currently ranks second among all FBS quarterbacks with a 74.2% completion percentage. After his 31-for-34 (91.2%) performance in week three against Northern Illinois and his 24-for-26 (92.3%) effort at Houston last season, Fifita now owns the program’s single-game completion percentage records for games with a minimum of 20 and 30 pass completions.
TRIPLE HUNDO: Since 1996, eight different Arizona quarterbacks have posted multiple 300-plus yard passing performances. With his 308-yard effort in week seven against West Virginia, Noah Fifita now boasts 12 such performances, the second most in that span. Leading the way is Nick Foles, with a seemingly insurmountable tally of 18 games surpassing 300 yards.
HOUSE CALL: In week three against Northern Illinois, freshman wide receiver Caleb Smith returned a punt 69 yards for a touchdown, making him the first Wildcat to score a punt return touchdown in nine years. Since 2008, the Wildcats have combined for eight punt return touchdowns, only two of which have been longer than Smith’s.
GOING NOWHERE FAST: Since 1996, Arizona defenses have limited an opposing offense to negative rush yards just four times. Northern Arizona’s -7 rushing yards in week one were the least allowed by the Wildcats defense since holding No. 22 USC to –20 rush yards in 1999. Across 122 seasons of Arizona Football history, the least rushing yards ever allowed in a game were –33 at Stanford in 1992 (28 attempts).
CHART TOPPERS: Arizona has seven players that rank among the Top 10 graded returning players in the Big 12 Conference, per PFF. The group is led by safety Cam Chapa, who was rated as the No. 1 returning safety in the Big 12. Cornerback Jay’Vion Cole (2nd), tight end Cole Rusk (2nd), and quarterback Noah Fifita (3rd) also checked in among the top three at their positions.
Arizona Players in the PFF's Big 12 Top 10
- OL Tristan Bounds
- Big 12 Rank: 9th
- 2025 Grade: 72.3
- LB Taye Brown
- Big 12 Rank: 7th
- 2025 grade: 75.9
- S Cam Chapa
- Big 12 Rank: 1st
- 2025 grade: 91.4
- CB Jay'Vion Cole
- Big 12 Rank: 2nd
- 2025 grade: 86.3
- QB Noah Fifita
- Big 12 Rank: 3rd
- 2025 grade: 85.1
- RB Kedrick Reescano
- Big 12 Rank: 10th
- 2025 grade: 76.1
- TE Cole Rusk
- Big 12 Rank: 2nd
- 2025 grade: 79.2
BROTHERLY LOVE: Arizona's roster features three sets of brothers: Noah & Dash Fifita, Tré & Kingston Spivey, and Jake & Jaxon Griffin. The Wildcats are one of 15 FBS programs with multiple sets of brothers on their roster, and one of 10 with three or more sets of brothers. Oregon leads the nation with four sets of brothers.
CONSISTENCY IS KEY: The Wildcats are banking on consistency of leadership delivering results for the team in 2026. Following a nine-win campaign last year, Arizona retained their head coach, offensive and defensive coordinators, and starting quarterback — they are one of only 12 FBS programs in the nation that can claim that. With that level of consistency of leadership, the Wildcats are among the top 8% in the FBS.
CASINO DEL SOL STADIUM: Last November, the University of Arizona and Casino Del Sol, an enterprise of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, announced a landmark 20-year naming rights agreement for Arizona Stadium valued at more than $60 million, the largest such agreement in Big 12 Conference history. Under the partnership, the venue will be known as Casino Del Sol Stadium. The naming partnership includes new exterior and interior branding, field logos, and digital platforms, along with expanded integration into national television broadcasts. The collaboration prioritizes the roles the U of A – as Arizona's flagship, land-grant university – and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe have in benefiting students, families, and communities across Southern Arizona. Through new programs and co-created initiatives, the partnership will deepen academic, cultural, and economic links between the university and the tribe.
WILDCATS IN THE NFL: The Arizona Wildcats are once again well represented in the NFL, with 14 players currently sprinkled throughout league rosters. Among the many highlights achieved by Wildcats in the NFL are the tremendous exploits of Tetairoa McMillan, one of the most accomplished wide receivers in program history and a first round draft selection of the Carolina Panthers in 2025. McMillan burst onto the scene as a rookie last year, pulling in 70 receptions for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns en route to being named AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, PFWA Offensive Rookie of the Year, and PFWA Rookie of the Year. In the 2026 NFL Draft, the Wildcats had four defensive backs selected, tying the NFL record for number of DBs drafted from a single program in a draft.
Current Wildcats on NFL Rosters (as of 10/25/26)
- Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, LB, Buffalo Bills
- Jonah Savaiinaea, OL, Miami Dolphins
- Tyler Loop, K, Baltimore Ravens
- Genesis Smith, S, Los Angeles Chargers
- Dalton Johnson, S, Las Vegas Raiders
- Treydan Stukes, S, Las Vegas Raiders
- Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Washington Commanders
- Jordan Morgan, OL, Green Bay Packers
- Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers
- Ayden Garnes, CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Deshawn McKnight, DL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Nick Folk, K, Atlanta Falcons
- Jacob Cowing, WR, San Francisco 49ers
- Roy Lopez, DL, Detroit Lions
