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· collected 2026-08-21 · by John Marshall The Associated Press
The University of Arizona football team is entering its third season under coach Brent Brennan with high expectations, having finished 9-4 in their second season. Quarterback Noah Fifita returns to lead the offense after throwing for a school-record 29 touchdowns and 3,228 yards last season. The Wildcats have talent on both sides of the ball, but may struggle in the secondary where they lost four players to the NFL. Arizona's key games this season include matchups against top-ranked teams BYU, Texas Tech, Utah, and in-state rival Arizona State.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The University of Arizona Wildcats football team is looking to build on its success in the upcoming season under coach Brent Brennan, who is now in his third year at the helm. Quarterback Noah Fifita returns after throwing for 3,228 yards and a school-record 29 touchdowns last season. With offensive coordinator Seth Doege back as well, Fifita is expected to feel more comfortable leading the offense. The team has a strong receiving corps despite losing its top two producers from last year, with several players returning including Tre Spivey. The Wildcats also return leading rusher Ismail Mahdi, thanks to a court order granting him an extra year of eligibility. However, the defense may be weaker after losing four defensive backs to the NFL, specifically Dalton Johnson, Genesis Smith, Michael Dansby, and Treydan Stukes.
Written for “Arizona Football Team” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 1853 · logged 2026-08-28
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — 2025 record: 9-4
Expectations
Arizona took a big step in its second season under coach Brent Brennan, finishing 9-4.
asserted
Arizona → take → Brennan
The Wildcats have even higher expectations with the return of quarterback Noah Fifita and offensive coordinator Seth Doege.
asserted
Wildcats → have → Fifita
Fifita threw for 3,228 yards and a school-record 29 TDs in his first season with Doege calling the shots and will feel even more comfortable in Arizona’s offense.
asserted
Doege → throw → offense
Arizona has talent at receiver despite losing its top two producers and returns leading rusher Ismail Mahdi thanks to a court order granting him another year of eligibility.
asserted
Arizona → have → eligibility
The Wildcats took a big step on defense a year ago and will hope to keep the upward trend despite losing four defensive backs to the NFL.
asserted
Wildcats → take → NFL
Strengths all over the offense
Fifita is the rare quarterback to play all four seasons for the same team.
asserted
Fifita → play → team
Though undersized at 5-foot-10, Fifita has gotten better each season.
asserted
Fifita → get → foot-10
He threw for a career-high in yards last season and cut his interceptions in half from the previous season, from 12 to six.
asserted
He → throw → six
Though Kris Hutson and Javin Whatley are gone, receiver should be a strength with several players back, including Tre Spivey.
asserted
receiver → go → Spivey
Mahdi was granted an extra year of eligibility — with linebacker Max Harris — after leading the Wildcats with 853 yards last season Kedrick Reescano also returns.
asserted
Reescano → grant → yards
The defense will be anchored by edge rusher Tre Smith and Taye Brown, one of the Big 12’s best linebackers.
asserted
defense → anchor → linebackers
Key losses in secondary among weaknesses
Arizona’s secondary was one of the keys to its defensive resurgence, but the Wildcats lost Dalton Johnson, Genesis Smith, Michael Dansby and Treydan Stukes to the NFL.
asserted
Wildcats → lose → NFL
Arizona restocked the secondary through the transfer portal, but it still will be a question mark heading into the season.
asserted
it → restock → season
Arizona struggled with pass protection at times last season and will need to be better this season to give Fifita time to throw.
asserted
Arizona → struggle → time
