The Arizona Wildcats fell out of the final Associated Press Top 25 Poll of the college football season.
Arizona entered the postseason No. 21 in the AP poll — No. 18 in the College Football Playoff rankings.
The Wildcats garnered the 30th-most votes and received 54 votes for the AP Top 25.
Five Big 12 teams finished in the AP Top 25: Texas Tech (7), BYU (11), Utah (14), Houston (22) and TCU (25). Indiana, which defeated Miami in the national championship on Monday, finished the season No. 1. The Hoosiers are the first undefeated team to win 16 games since Yale in 1894.
In Arizona's second season under head coach Brent Brennan, the Wildcats (9-4) became the eighth team in program history to win at least nine games. Arizona ended the regular season on a five-game winning streak before falling to SMU, 24-19, in the Trust & Will Holiday Bowl in San Diego.
The Wildcats had three players earn first-team All-Big 12 honors: quarterback Noah Fifita, defensive back Treydan Stukes and safety Dalton Johnson.
Fifita became the third all-time Arizona quarterback to receive first-team all-conference honors — the first in 50 years. Fifita joined Bruce Hill, who was an All-WAC first-team selection in 1975, and Ted Bland, a three-time All-Border Conference selection from 1933-35.
Fifita set the program career passing touchdowns record (73) and the single-season passing touchdowns record (29). In the first season under offensive coordinator Seth Doege, Fifita finished third in the Big 12 with 3,228 yards, 29 touchdowns and just six interceptions — two interceptions in the final seven games.
In his final year as a Wildcat, Stukes was named a third-team Associated Press All-American, becoming the second Wildcat in three seasons to earn AP All-American honors. Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan was an AP All-American in 2023. Stukes is the first Arizona defensive player to earn AP All-American honors since linebacker Scooby Wright III in 2014.
Stukes was also named an All-Big 12 first-team selection, an AP All-Big 12 second-teamer, and he locked in a Sporting News All-American honor.
The sixth-year Stukes, who has been a part of three coaching staffs at Arizona and suffered a knee injury in 2024, recorded 52 tackles and four interceptions this season; he was limited the first two games of the season due to his knee rehab.
Stukes' four interceptions are tied for the second-most in the Big 12 this season. Johnson and cornerback Jay'Vion Cole also had four interceptions.
Johnson had the sixth-most tackles (97) in the Big 12 this season — the most by a defensive back.
Johnson is the first Arizona defensive back since Darrell Brooks in 2004 and '05 to lead the Wildcats in tackles in back-to-back seasons. Johnson's 97 tackles are more than his total from last year.
Johnson ended the season earning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors twice. He had 18 tackles in Arizona's home finale against Baylor, the most tackles by a Wildcat since Wright in 2014. Johnson also had an interception and forced fumble the following week against ASU in the Territorial Cup.
Assistant coach Tariq Thompson comes out to congratulate Arizona defensive back Michael Dansby (25) on his pick-off of an Arizona State pass in their Territorial Cup game, Nov. 28, in Tempe.
Johnson ended his Arizona career with 285 tackles, seven forced fumbles and five interceptions. Johnson was a first-team All-Big 12 selection. This season marked the first time Arizona had multiple first-team all-conference since Jackie Wallace and Bob White in 1972.
Arizona had one of the top defensive units in college football this season.
UA finished seventh in college football in passing defense and second in turnover margin behind Indiana. The Wildcats had more takeaways (31) than touchdowns allowed (28) and led the Big 12 in interceptions. Arizona was tops in college football in passing defense efficiency.
Arizona has finished a college football season in the AP Top 25 eight times in program history — twice this century: 1975, 1986, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2014 and 2023.
The Wildcats open the 2026 season against Northern Arizona on Sept. 5 in Tucson.
Here's a look at the final AP Top 25 of the college football season:
1. Indiana (16-0)
2. Miami (13-3)
3. Ole Miss (13-2)
4. Oregon (13-2)
5. Ohio State (12-2)
6. Georgia (12-2)
7. Texas Tech (12-2)
8. Texas A&M (11-2)
9. Alabama (11-4)
10. Notre Dame (10-2)
11. BYU (12-2)
12. Texas (10-3)
13. Oklahoma (10-3)
14. Utah (11-2)
15. Vanderbilt (10-3)
16. Virginia (11-3)
17. Iowa (9-4)
18. Tulane (11-3)
19. James Madison (12-2)
20. USC (9-4)
21. Michigan (9-4)
22. Houston (10-3)
23. Navy (11-2)
24. North Texas (12-2)
25. TCU (9-4)
