Ten is the number often discussed in the confines of Arizona Stadium and Lowell-Stevens Football Facility these days.
When 17th-ranked Arizona (9-3) takes on the SMU Mustangs (8-4) in the Trust & Will Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego on Saturday, the Wildcats will vie for their 10th win of the season.
Eight UA football teams have reached nine wins, but only four have achieved 10 or more victories in a season. The 2025 Wildcats — or "Team 122," as defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales calls them — could be the fifth team in Arizona history to eclipse 10 wins. Arizona's teams in 1993, 1998, 2014 and 2023 won at least 10 games.
If the Wildcats beat the Mustangs at the Holiday Bowl, it'll be the second time in three years Arizona has won 10, which hasn't happened for the program.
"It's absolutely meaningful," said second-year Arizona head coach Brent Brennan. "I think it's meaningful to anybody in college football. Any time you get to double-digit wins, that's a great season. That part of it for our team is really important. ... This year, this team played good football and got a chance to play in a high-level bowl game."
Arizona head coach Brent Brennan gets a hug from his son, wide receiver Scotty Brennan (81), after the Wildcats beat Weber State 48-3, Sept. 6, 2025, in Tucson.
Added Gonzales: "I am so excited we have an opportunity to play a big-time opponent in a big-time bowl game in January. The only game after us is the (College Football Playoff). It's the only game on Fox for the bowl season. We have every opportunity to shine a bright star on the University of Arizona. It's going to be a 2½-hour infomercial for the two schools."
The last time Arizona won 10 games was just two years ago in 2023, when the Wildcats went 10-3 and won the Alamo Bowl in head coach Jedd Fisch's third season. Fisch resurrected a program that suffered a 20-game losing streak — which included a 63-point loss to Arizona State and an upset loss to Northern Arizona — and went 1-11 in 2021.
In between the 2023 and ’25 seasons, the Wildcats experienced plenty of ups and downs and coaching changes — and the downs briefly made Brennan's long-term future appear murky after Arizona went 4-8 in the coach's inaugural season last year.
Sunday marked the two-year anniversary of Arizona winning the Alamo Bowl. Here's a two-year timeline of how the Wildcats went from their 10-win season to potentially ending this season with a 10th win; both the '23 and ’25 seasons have similar paths — back-to-back one-possession losses before a winning streak to end the season.
Arizona safety Gunner Maldonado leaves Oklahoma offensive lineman Jacob Sexton behind in his game-changing fumble return for a touchdown in the 2023 Alamo Bowl.
Dec. 28, 2023: The 14th-ranked Wildcats defeated No. 12 Oklahoma, 38-24, in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio. Arizona safety Gunner Maldonado's 87-yard fumble return sparked the Wildcats' comeback. With a majority of Arizona's starters returning, the Wildcats are projected as a potential Top 10 and College Football Playoff team in their first season in the Big 12. Said Fisch: "I love our players, and I think the reason why we can do what we do is because our players stay and our players work hard and our players believe. Where else would you rather be than go try to be in the Top 10 or better next year?"
Jan. 10, 2024: Longtime Alabama coach Nick Saban retired after 17 seasons as head coach of the Crimson Tide. Saban had a 206-29 record and won six national championships and nine SEC championships at Alabama.
Jan. 12, 2024: Alabama hired Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer, who led the Huskies to a national championship appearance, as Saban’s successor.
Jan. 14, 2024: After leading the Wildcats to their first 10-win season in nearly a decade, Fisch accepted the Washington position after three seasons in Tucson. Fisch, who was “very, very close” to a contract extension at Arizona, signed a seven-year, $54.3 million contract at UW. Washington athletic director Troy Dannen, who is now at Nebraska, posted a video on social media of Fisch signing the UW contract in his Tucson home. Fisch held a team meeting before his departure was reported. He became the first head coach to leave Arizona since Larry Smith in 1986. Multiple Arizona players, including running back Jonah Coleman and cornerback Ephesians Prysock, transferred to UW.
New Arizona football head coach Brent Brennan, right, is introduced to the fans during a timeout of a UA basketball game against Southern California, Jan. 17, 2024, in Tucson.
Jan. 16, 2024: Brennan was officially hired as the 31st head coach of the Wildcats following seven seasons at San Jose State, where he posted back-to-back seven-win seasons in 2022 and ‘23. Brennan signed a five-year, $17.5 million deal at the UA.
Jan. 17, 2024: Brennan and athletic director Dave Heeke held an introductory press conference at Bear Down Lounge at Arizona Stadium. Said Brennan: “All I can say is that I am incredibly honored to be the head coach at the University of Arizona. This is an amazing moment for me. I’m trying to get to know the team. I absolutely believe we can build a consistent winner here. We have everything you need to do that.”
Jan. 20, 2024: Nearly a week after Fisch was named head coach at Washington, Arizona stars Noah Fifita, wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea, among several others, announced their decisions to stay at Arizona with a video during the first timeout break of the UA-UCLA men’s basketball game at McKale Center.
Jan. 21, 2024: San Jose State hired Ken Niumatalolo, who was a coaching target for Arizona in 2018, as Brennan’s successor. San Jose State went 7-6 and lost to South Florida in the Hawaii Bowl in Niumatalolo’s first season.
Arizona athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois is all smiles as she begins a press conference on the renaming of the University of Arizona football's venue to Casino Del Sol Stadium on Nov. 17, 2025.
Jan. 23, 2024: In the middle of the university’s financial crisis, Heeke was fired after nearly seven years at the UA. Heeke’s last day was on Feb. 2. UA softball coaching legend Mike Candrea served as interim athletic director. Since Heeke was fired without cause, he would be paid his base salary, which totaled about $1.05 million, through March 2025.
Feb. 19, 2024: Arizona hired Missouri athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois for the same position. Reed-Francois, a graduate of the James E. Rogers College of Law at the UA, was also an athletic director at UNLV. Her first day at Arizona was on March 3.
March 26, 2024: UA football kicked off the first spring practice schedule under Brennan.
April 16, 2024: The two-week spring transfer portal window officially opened. Several Arizona players, including starting nose tackle Bill Norton, entered the transfer portal during spring ball.
April 20, 2024: One week before Arizona’s spring game, McMillan suffered a leg injury that required “a little procedure.” McMillan was held out for the rest of spring practices and gradually worked his way back during preseason training camp in August.
Quarterback Noah Fifita throws as the offense runs some 7-on-7 drills during the University of Arizona’s spring game on April 27, 2024, at Arizona Stadium.
April 25, 2024: Former Arizona left tackle Jordan Morgan was drafted by the Green Bay Packers at No. 25 overall in the first round of the NFL Draft. Morgan became the highest-selected UA player in the draft since Chris McAlister in 1999.
April 27, 2024: Former UA wide receiver Jacob Cowing and tight end Tanner McLachlan were picked up on Day 3 of the NFL Draft. Arizona played its spring game, which was the school’s last live football event on Pac-12 Network before UA entered the Big 12.
April 30, 2024: Arizona star cornerback Tacario Davis, who entered the transfer portal before spring practices, withdrew his name to play another season with the Wildcats.
June 16, 2024: The Wildcats announced the 16 players they signed in the transfer portal since April.
July 2, 2024: Arizona was voted fifth in the 16-team Big 12 media poll. Five players received preseason All-Big 12 nods: McMillan, Savaiinaea, Davis, linebacker Jacob Manu and kicker Tyler Loop.
Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan answers questions near the tail end of Day 2 of Big 12 football Media Days on July 10, 2024, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
July 10, 2024: Brennan, Fifita, Manu, McMillan and Maldonado attended Big 12 Media Days at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Aug. 12, 2024: Arizona entered the season ranked No. 21 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll, the highest preseason ranking for the Wildcats since 1999. It was Arizona’s first time in the preseason AP Top 25 since 2015.
Aug. 31, 2024: UA opens the Brennan era with a 61-39 win over New Mexico. McMillan set a program record with 304 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Transfer running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who had 13 carries for 106 rushing yards and a touchdown against his former team, was held out for the remainder of the season due to eligibility concerns.
Sept. 7, 2024: Arizona beat in-state rival Northern Arizona, 22-10. The Wildcats had a nine-game winning streak dating back to the previous season, which was the longest active winning streak in college football.
Sept. 13, 2024: No. 20 Arizona suffered its first loss of the season, 31-7, to 14th-ranked Kansas State in Manhattan. UA fell out of the AP Top 25.
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita celebrates with fans after the Wildcats’ 23-10 victory over then-No. 10 Utah in Salt Lake City on Sept. 28, 2024.
Sept. 28, 2024: Arizona upset 10th-ranked Utah, 23-10, in its Big 12 opener. The win marked the Wildcats’ first win in Salt Lake City in a decade. Davis’ five pass breakups earned him Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week. Arizona tight ends coach and passing game coordinator Matt Adkins took over play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Dino Babers. Arizona defensive back Treydan Stukes suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Oct. 5, 2024: The Wildcats lost to Texas Tech, 28-22, for the first home loss of the season and the first setback in Big 12 play. Maldonado suffered a season-ending leg injury. Loop set a school record with five field goals and was named Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week.
Oct. 12, 2024: No. 14 BYU blasted Arizona, 41-19, in Provo. The Wildcats committed four turnovers against the Cougars.
Oct. 19, 2024: The Colorado Buffaloes, led by head coach Deion Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, routed the Wildcats, 34-7, for homecoming. Manu and left tackle Rhino Tapa’atoutai suffered season-ending knee injuries.
Central Florida wide receiver Kobe Hudson (2) misses pass as he is defended by Arizona defensive back Genesis Smith, left, defensive back Jack Luttrell, left middle, and defensive back Dalton Johnson, right, during the first half, Nov. 2, 2024, in Orlando, Fla.
Oct. 26, 2024: Arizona lost to West Virginia, 31-26, in Tucson.
Nov. 2, 2024: UCF clobbered Arizona, 56-12, for the “Space Game” in Orlando. It marked the largest margin of defeat for Arizona since the 70-7 loss to Arizona State in 2020.
Nov. 16, 2024: After a bye week, Arizona snapped its five-game losing streak with a 27-3 win over Houston in Tucson.
Nov. 23, 2024: The Wildcats fell out of bowl contention with a 49-28 loss to TCU. McMillan passed Bobby Wade for the most career receiving yards at Arizona.
Nov. 30, 2024: Arizona ends the season with a 42-point beatdown by ASU, which punched its ticket to the Big 12 championship game. McMillan and Savaiinaea, who missed his first game at Arizona with a leg injury, were honored before they declared for the NFL Draft in December. UA finished the season 14th in the Big 12 standings.
Dec. 4, 2024: Arizona signed 20 high school and junior college players for Early Signing Day.
Arizona defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales laughs during a press conference with head coach Brent Brennan and associate head coach/defensive line coach Joe Salave’a at Arizona Stadium on Jan. 10, 2025.
Dec. 5, 2024: Brennan announced Arizona was moving on from its coordinators. Babers wasn’t retained after a one-year deal. Defensive coordinator Duane Akina returned to coaching Arizona’s defensive secondary, and Gonzales replaced Akina a month later.
Dec. 9, 2024: The transfer portal officially opened. Manu, Davis and defensive lineman Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei transferred to Washington. Offensive lineman Wendell Moe Jr. transferred to Tennessee, and Maldonado left for Kansas State. Nearly 30 players transferred from Arizona after the season. Despite entering the portal, Stukes and fellow starting defensive backs Genesis Smith and Dalton Johnson returned to Arizona.
Dec. 13, 2024: Arizona hired “innovative offensive mind” and former Marshall play-caller Seth Doege as the new offensive coordinator.
Dec. 18, 2024: Fifita “wanted to make amends for what happened” in 2024 and announced his decision to return for his redshirt junior season. Fifita changed his jersey number from 11 to No. 1.
Arizona head coach Brent Brennan exhorts his defense to hold with Oklahoma State trying to convert from inside their own five during the third quarter, Oct. 4, 2025, in Tucson.
Dec. 28, 2024: The transfer portal closed for new entries. Arizona added more players in the following days. At this point, the Wildcats had 26 newcomers in the transfer portal.
Jan. 9, 2025: After announcing Gonzales as the new defensive coordinator, the Wildcats added “Desert Swarm” defensive tackle and UA great Joe Salave’a as associate head coach and defensive line coach.
March 11, 2025: Arizona officially added special teams coordinator Craig Naivar and linebacker coach Josh Bringuel. With the addition of Naivar, Arizona hired three new coordinators in the offseason.
April 19, 2025: Arizona hosted its spring showcase at the end of its four-week spring practice schedule. The Wildcats hosted an interactive practice, which also had a fan festival on the north side of Arizona Stadium.
April 24-26, 2025: McMillan, Savaiinaea, Loop and Croskey-Merritt are drafted to the NFL. Arizona's four-player draft class is the largest group since 2008. McMillan is the highest-drafted offensive player from Arizona in NFL Draft history.
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita, right, sits with teammate defensive back Treydan Stukes during Big 12 football media days in Frisco, Texas, July 9.
July 9, 2025: Brennan, Fifita, Stukes, Johnson, Tapa'atoutai, Genesis Smith, Tre Smith and running back Kedrick Reescano attended Big 12 Media Days at "The Star" in Frisco, Texas. The Big 12 moved away from its preseason conference media poll, however, the Wildcats were widely considered a top-quarter team in the conference.
July 30, 2025: Arizona begins training camp with a roster of 60-plus newcomers.
Aug. 30, 2025: Arizona kicked off the season with a 40-6 win over Hawaii. The Wildcats had five sacks and five takeaways in a game for the first time since 2016.
Sept. 6, 2025: After a two-hour weather delay, Arizona routed Weber State, 48-3, in the Wildcats-on-Wildcats matchup. Fifita passed for five touchdowns, and wide receiver Javin Whatley had five receptions for 168 yards and two touchdowns.
Sept. 12, 2025: Arizona's defense limited Kansas State to 193 yards of total offense and a combined 3-for-17 on third- and fourth-down conversions. UA running back Ismail Mahdi rushed for 189 yards, the most rushing yards by a Wildcat since Michael Wiley in the 2022 Territorial Cup. Mahdi was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week. Arizona is 3-0 for the first time since 2015.
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita (1) gestures skyward as he and the Wildcats celebrate his touchdown run in the first quarter vs. Kansas State, Sept. 12, 2025, in Tucson.
Sept. 27, 2025: Arizona struggled to overcome a sloppy start and lost to No. 14 Iowa State, 39-14, in the Big 12 opener and suffered the first setback of the season.
Oct. 4, 2025: Arizona won its first Big 12 game of the season, 41-13, over Oklahoma State. Fifita was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week after passing for five touchdowns.
Oct. 11, 2025: The Wildcats lost to No. 18 BYU, 33-27, in double overtime. Arizona gave up a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter and lost at home for the only time in 2025. The game was delayed 75 minutes for inclement weather.
Oct. 18, 2025: Despite Fifita setting Arizona's single-game completion percentage record (with a minimum of 10 attempts), completing 24 of 26 passes (92.3%), the Wildcats lost to Houston, 31-28. The Cougars kicked a walk-off field goal to hand Arizona its third loss of the season entering its second bye week.
Nov. 1, 2025: The UA dominated Colorado, 52-17, in Boulder. The Wildcats forced five takeaways, and Fifita passed for four first-half touchdowns.
Arizona running back Quincy Craig gallops into the end zone practically untouched to notch the winning score in the final minute of the game against Kansas, Nov. 8, 2025, at Arizona Stadium.
Nov. 8, 2025: Arizona running back Quincy Craig scored a 24-yard touchdown to lift the Wildcats over Kansas, 24-20. Craig also caught a touchdown in the first half, which put Fifita at 67 career touchdown passes, tying Nick Foles and Willie Tuitama for most career passing touchdowns at Arizona. Arizona won its sixth game and secured bowl eligibility.
Nov. 15, 2025: Fifita broke Arizona's career passing touchdowns record in the fourth quarter of the Wildcats' upset win over No. 25 Cincinnati. The Bearcats became the eighth opponent to throw fewer than 200 yards against Arizona, the most since 2009.
Nov. 17, 2025: The UA announced a 20-year naming rights agreement with Casino Del Sol for Arizona Stadium, which is now officially called Casino Del Sol Stadium. The 20-year, $60 million agreement is the largest total valuation in the Big 12.
Nov. 22, 2025: Arizona forced three fourth-quarter takeaways and scored 20 points in the fourth quarter to beat Baylor, 41-17. Johnson recorded 18 tackles, the most by a Wildcat since Scooby Wright III in 2014, and was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week. Johnson and Stukes, the last two UA players connected to the Kevin Sumlin era, played their final home game at Arizona. The Wildcats entered the College Football Playoff rankings at No. 25.
Arizona wide receiver Brandon Phelps (18) poses with the Territorial Cup after the Wildcats ground out a 23-7 win over Arizona State, Nov. 28, 2025, in Tempe.
Nov. 28, 2025: No. 25 Arizona concluded its regular season with a 23-7 win over rival ASU in Tempe — the third win over the Sun Devils in four years. Arizona won back-to-back Territorial Cups in Tempe for the first time since 2009 and ’11. Arizona's nine wins are the most for a second-year head coach at the UA since Jim Young in 1974. Arizona outscored its last two opponents 47-0 in the fourth quarter. Arizona's defense finished the regular season with more takeaways (28) than touchdowns allowed (23). The seven points allowed by Arizona are the fewest points allowed by the Wildcats in the Territorial Cup since 1992. Johnson was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week.
Dec. 3, 2025: Arizona signed the 35th-best recruiting class — fifth-best in the Big 12, according to 247Sports.com — for 2026 during the early signing period.
Dec. 7, 2025: The Holiday Bowl matchup between No. 17 Arizona and SMU was announced for Jan. 2 at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. It's the third time Arizona has competed in the Holiday Bowl. The Wildcats beat Nebraska in the 1998 Holiday Bowl and lost to the Cornhuskers in 2009. Said Brennan: "We're really excited about the Holiday Bowl. It's one of the best bowl games in America. We're going to have a big-time opponent in SMU. Our team has worked incredibly hard and they played some good football this season."
