Holiday Bowl: the good, the bad and the ugly from Arizona's loss to SMU

SAN DIEGO — The 2025 rendition of Arizona football — or "Team 122," according to the UA coaches — is now in the past. 

The season ended for the 17th-ranked Wildcats with a 24-19 loss to the SMU Mustangs in the Trust & Will Holiday Bowl Friday night at Snapdragon Stadium. 

Arizona is one of eight teams in program history to win at least nine games in a season. In the last quarter century, the only other Arizona teams to achieve nine wins are the 2014 and '23 squads. 

"I'm proud of this team," said second-year head coach Brent Brennan. "I'm disappointed and pissed off about tonight, but I'm not gonna let that wreck how I feel about Team 122.” 

Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita added: "Obviously, tonight didn’t go as expected, but I wouldn't trade it for anything else. I love this team. I love these coaches and best believe when we get back in two weeks, Team 123 is going to get to work.”

Let's have one last look at the good, the bad and the ugly from Arizona's latest visit to San Diego, shall we?  

The good

Even though Arizona fell down 24-0 in the first half, the Wildcats rallied back and outscored SMU 19-0 in the second half. 

SMU, which had the top passing offense in the ACC entering the Holiday Bowl, capitalized on an undermanned Arizona defense that was missing arguably its three best players in Treydan Stukes, Dalton Johnson and Genesis Smith, with the trio opting out to prepare for the NFL Draft. 

SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings completed passes to eight receivers, but his top target was Yamir Knight, who recorded seven catches for 104 yards on eight targets and was named Holiday Bowl Offensive MVP. 

Arizona's second-half adjustments included moving cornerback Jay'Vion Cole to safety and cornerback Ayden Garnes to nickel back, a position he played in the spring. 

The Wildcats kept SMU scoreless in the second half and outgained the Mustangs 309-64 in the final two quarters — and had three interceptions, two from linebacker Riley Wilson and one from cornerback Michael Dansby. Arizona had a 222-30 advantage in passing yards in the second half and had 19 first-down plays to SMU's two. Arizona was 9-for-15 on third- and fourth-down conversion in the second half; SMU was 0-for-4. 

Arizona outscored its last three opponents 66-0 in the second half. The Wildcats outscored their opponents 96-36 in the fourth quarter this season.

"We made it a game in that second half," Brennan said. "One of the things I told the team is that the truth is, we didn't play well enough in the first half to win it, and that starts with me. But I love the way this team responded. I love the heart and the fight in this team, and to get back in it the way they did."

Fifita was a key cog to Arizona's turnaround in the second half and the UA quarterback ended the night completing 28 of 43 passes for 265 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. 

Between the scrambles and designed runs, Fifita set a career-high in rushing yards (73) and led the Wildcats in rushing. 

Fifita capped his historic season by setting Arizona's single-season passing touchdowns record (29). He also owns Arizona's career passing touchdowns record (73), which he set against No. 25 Cincinnati in November.

Fifita confirmed his return for the 2026 season and said, "We got unfinished business." 

The soon-to-be redshirt senior needs 829 yards to pass Nick Foles for the most passing yards in school history, which he could conceivably set by Big 12 play next season.

“We didn't finish how we wanted to, but I love this team," Fifita said. "This is probably the most fun I’ve had playing football, just because of the coaches, Coach Brennan, (offensive coordinator Seth Doege) and the players."  

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The bad

Partially the reason Fifita had so many scrambles was Arizona's protection up front. 

Arizona's pass-blocking grade (51.2) on Pro Football Focus for the Holiday Bowl is the worst of the season. Arizona allowed 18 quarterback pressures, while SMU gave up two quarterback pressures, according to PFF. Fifita was also pressured on over 36% of his dropbacks. 

The Wildcats were already without starting right tackle Tristan Bounds, who suffered a leg injury against Cincinnati, with redshirt freshman Matthew Lado filling in. Left tackle Ty Buchanan, who started every game at left tackle this season, went down with a right leg injury in the first half Friday night. 

“You want to talk about an absolute warrior," Brennan said of Buchanan. "Ty Buchanan, we love that guy, and what a great story, because he played his best football here. ... So many times he told all of us that this is the most fun he's ever had playing football. He got to be an important part of a special journey. I just wish he could have finished it tonight.”

Former starting left tackle Rhino Tapa'atoutai replaced Buchanan and surrendered three quarterback pressures and a sack. Lado gave up a team-high five quarterback pressures in his first bowl start.   

The Wildcats will have to replace four starters on the offensive line next season: Buchanan, Bounds, left guard Chubba Maae and center Ka'ena Decambra. 

The ugly

The most talked about storyline from the Holiday Bowl was the opt-outs. 

Numerous Arizona fans who trekked to San Diego for the game expressed their displeasure. Many felt bamboozled. Some called the trio "selfish" and "quitters." 

Brennan empathized with Arizona's fanbase, but said, "Dalton, Stukes, Genesis, the plays they made for this football team during their careers here, specifically the plays they made for this football team this season, they were incredible."

It allowed Arizona to take a look at the future with redshirt sophomore Gavin Hunter and freshmen Coleman Patmon and Dajon Hinton, who exited the first half with an injury; Stukes escorted Hinton to the locker room at Snapdragon Stadium. 

Asking three players who played a combined 290 defensive snaps in their careers to succeed a trio that combined for 6,700 snaps is a tall task — and SMU put the young defensive backs to the test early. Hunter, Hinton and Patmon allowed 12 catches on 13 targets for 128 yards; the rest of Arizona's secondary allowed nine catches on 18 targets for 38 yards, according to PFF. 

Would Stukes, Johnson and Smith have made a five-point difference in the Holiday Bowl? Maybe. But the leaders of Arizona's defense — after playing 139 games over the years and staying in Tucson through multiple coaching changes — made the personal choice to prepare for their next chapter. 

"I understand people being frustrated and I can't expect people in the outside world to have a clear understanding about how all of these things move in the current era of college football," Brennan said. "But those guys are incredible Wildcats. Those guys were amazing leaders for this program. They chose to stay when the entire world tried to lure them away with money and all kinds of stuff, and they chose the U of A, they chose to finish their careers here.

"I understand people being disappointed, but I love those three guys." 

Extra points

– Brennan received $65,000 in bonuses for this season. Brennan earned $50,000 for leading Arizona to the postseason, along with $15,000 for winning nine games.

– Tucson native and former Canyon del Oro standout running back Kayden Luke entered the transfer portal Saturday evening. The Wildcats currently have 11 players in the transfer portal. 

– Arizona has made several offers since the opening of the transfer portal. The Wildcats offered former Georgia Tech center Santana Alo-Tupuola. The former IMG Academy star played the last two seasons for the Yellow Jackets. Arizona also offered Southern Miss tight end Suge King, Nevada offensive lineman Zach Cochnauer and Stephen F. Austin offensive lineman Chimdia Nwaiwu. 

– Big 12 teams finished bowl season with a 4-4 record.