University of Arizona Athletics

SALT LAKE CITY--Arizona's 2005 football season opener at Utah will move to Friday, Sept. 2, for a national cablecast on ESPN.

The game will kick off at 5 p.m. Tucson time, 6 p.m.local time in Salt Lake City.

The opener pits the Wildcats against a Ute team that finished the year with a school-record 12-0 mark, ranked No. 4 in the Final Associated Press poll and No. 5 in the coaches poll after beating Pittsburgh, 35-7, in the Fiesta Bowl. Utah was the first non-BCS team to play in a BCS bowl game.

Utah will be without two keys behind its 2004 success -- coach Urban Meyer, who took the Florida job earlier this year, and senior-to-be quarterback Alex Smith, the No. 1 pick in last week's NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers.

Several other Arizona games could be picked for network television when Pacific-10 Conference broadcast partners ABC Sports, Fox Sports Net and TBS make early selections in May and June. Other games are reserved for selection by networks during the season. UA also partners with Fox Sports Net Arizona for local cablecasts of some games.

UA's game against Arizona State in Tempe is tentatively set for Friday, Nov. 25. The matchup has been shown nationally on FSN the Friday after Thanksgiving for the past five seasons, but could move to another date depending on eventual television arrangements.

2005 Arizona Football Schedule

Times and dates subject to change.

(Some network television to be announced after May 1 and June 1.)