Arizona Wildcats Football
2025: Big 12 Transition Year
2025 Record: 5-7 (3-6 Big 12) | AP Ranking: Unranked | Bowl: None
Arizona had a nice thing going in the Pac-12. The Big 12 has been… different. — Mike
The desert cats are struggling. Not ideal. — Jake
Quick Facts
| Location | Tucson, Arizona |
| Stadium | Arizona Stadium (50,782) |
| Head Coach | Brent Brennan (3rd season) |
| Colors | Cardinal Red & Navy Blue |
| Mascot | Wilbur & Wilma Wildcat |
| Conference Titles | 0 Big 12 |
Traditions: “Bear Down” motto (honoring a student who died in 1926), the Territorial Cup rivalry with ASU, desert setting, and being a basketball school that occasionally remembers they have football.
Mike & Jake’s Take
🛋️ Mike’s Take (Oklahoma State Fan)
Arizona’s Big 12 transition hasn’t gone well.
They were 10-3 in the final Pac-12 season. They had momentum, a good quarterback situation, and optimism. Then they moved to the Big 12, and everything changed.
The physicality is different. Big 12 teams are bigger, stronger, and more physical than what Arizona faced in the Pac-12. The offensive line got pushed around. The defensive front couldn’t hold up against power running games.
5-7 is disappointing given where they were. Brent Brennan is a good coach — he turned around San Jose State — but the adjustment to Power Four football in a physical conference is taking longer than expected.
The quarterback situation needs to settle. The offensive line needs to improve. The defense needs more bodies. It’s a longer rebuild than Arizona fans hoped for. Check our standings to see how they stacked up.
Confidence Level: Needs time
🍺 Jake’s Take (Texas Tech Fan)
I don’t watch a ton of Arizona football, but from what I saw… it wasn’t great.
They got pushed around. Big 12 teams just physically dominated them. Kansas State ran for 250 yards. Iowa State controlled the clock entirely. Colorado — COLORADO — beat them by 17.
The desert speed that worked in the Pac-12 doesn’t work the same way in the Big 12. You can’t finesse your way to wins. You have to be able to line up and compete physically.
5-7 isn’t a disaster, but it’s not progress either. They need to recruit bigger players and adjust to the Big 12 style. Until then, they’re going to struggle. Our New Fan’s Guide covers how the conference expansion changed things.
Confidence Level: Work in progress
2025 Betting Trends
| Stat | Record | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Against the Spread (ATS) | 5-7 | 41.7% |
| Over/Under | 6-6 | 50.0% |
| Home ATS | 3-3 | 50.0% |
| Road ATS | 2-4 | 33.3% |
| As Favorite ATS | 2-2 | 50.0% |
| As Underdog ATS | 3-5 | 37.5% |
Mike’s Betting Notes: Arizona was overvalued early based on their 2023 success. The market adjusted. They’re a fade on the road — 2-4 ATS away from Tucson. Full context in our Big 12 Betting Guide.
Jake’s Betting Notes: Totals were a coin flip. No strong lean either way.
Key Players (2025)
Noah Fifita — QB
241-of-387 (62.3%) | 2,876 yards | 19 TD | 12 INT | 136.4 rating
The talented sophomore struggled in Year 2. The interception total is concerning, and the protection wasn’t there.
Tetairoa McMillan — WR
72 rec | 1,012 yards | 14.1 YPR | 8 TD
The best player on the team. McMillan is an NFL-caliber receiver who was often the only threat on offense.
Jacob Manu — LB
87 tackles | 7 TFL | 3 sacks
The leading tackler and defensive leader. Manu played hard even when the team was struggling.
Rivals & Key Matchups
Arizona State — The Territorial Cup. The oldest rivalry trophy in college football. ASU won this year 31-21.
Colorado — Pac-12 carryover. Games are competitive.
Utah — Another Pac-12 carryover. Physical, tough games.
More
- Big 12 Betting Guide — Everything you need before placing a bet on any conference game
- The Recliner vs The Barstool — How we rate games (and why we never agree)
- New Fan’s Guide to Big 12 Football — Just getting into the conference? Start here
- Current Standings | This Week’s Schedule
- Our Predictions Archive — Full transparency on every pick we’ve made