“Lev it on the Field” is back for the season finale against SMU in the Holiday Bowl. It’s the Star’s unique look at Arizona’s upcoming football matchup and other happenings around the Big 12 through the eyes of UA beat reporter-turned-columnist Michael Lev. Away we go ...
One could argue that it doesn’t really matter whether Arizona defeats SMU in the Trust & Will Holiday Bowl.
Michael Lev is a senior writer/columnist for the Arizona Daily Star, Tucson.com and The Wildcaster.
The Wildcats easily exceeded expectations this season. Brent Brennan saved his job and set the program on a positive path forward. Winning the Holiday Bowl would be the cherry on top of a sundae that’s already been devoured.
It doesn’t seem like the UA players and coaches who are participating in Friday’s game in San Diego are viewing it that way. They want to win — which is how you should approach any and every contest in which you don the navy and cardinal.
“Obviously, there's a lot of really neat stuff that goes along with the Holiday Bowl, and we're excited about that,” Brennan said this week. “But for us, the biggest thing is the game, and that's where our hearts and our heads are at.”
Arizona defensive linemen Mays Pese (99) and Julian Savaiinaea (41) and linebacker Max Harris celebrate after defeating Arizona State, Nov. 28, 2025, in Tempe.
Besides, this Arizona team has a chance to make history. Only four UA squads have won 10 or more games. It’s never happened twice in a three-year span.
Kind of a big deal, right?
The gaps between double-digit-win seasons in UA annals have been more like grand canyons.
The Wildcats won 10 games for the first time in 1993. It didn’t happen again until ’98.
Teams played only 11 regular-season games back then, so there was one fewer crack at it. Still, Arizona didn’t come close in the interim; its best record between 1994 and ’97 was 8-4.
Then came the post-Dick Tomey dark days, the rise and fall under Mike Stoops and the mostly prosperous Rich Rodriguez era — highlighted by a 10-4 mark in 2014.
That’s 16 years between 10-plus-win seasons, if you’re scoring at home — with nary a nine-win campaign in between.
After RichRod? The depths of despair. Bottoming out under Kevin Sumlin. Losing a school-record 20 games in a row. Rebuilding from the studs under Jedd Fisch. Hitting that 10-win mark again in 2023 — only to have Fisch flee for Washington.
Considering how grim the ’24 season felt — “absolute misery” is how Brennan aptly described it — a nine-win rebound would be just fine. A historic 10-win campaign would be even better.
Take that for data!
No Wildcat has had a more overlooked, underappreciated season than wide receiver Kris Hutson.
The two-time transfer started slowly because of an injury suffered during training camp. Then he became, as offensive coordinator Seth Doege put it, the “go-daddy.”
Hutson led all pass catchers in the Big 12 with 55 receptions during regular-season conference play. He had more than Baylor’s Josh Cameron (54), TCU’s Eric McAlister (51) and Houston’s Amare Thomas (48) — the three receivers who, along with ASU’s Jordyn Tyson, made first-team All-Big 12. (Hutson was a third-team selection.)
Hutson played at peak efficiency over the final three games. He hauled in 24 passes for 351 yards and one touchdown. His worst output during that stretch was a 7-95 line against ASU.
Arizona wide receiver Kris Hutson (4) finds a seam after his catch to tack on a few more yards during the second quarter against Arizona State in their Territorial Cup game, Nov. 28, 2025, in Tempe.
Hutson snagged 68.6% of his targets, and 20 of those 24 catches went for first downs. Entering Wednesday’s bowl games, Hutson was tied for seventh nationally with a 71.4% contested-catch rate, per Pro Football Focus (minimum 78 targets). Not bad for a player who’s listed at 5-11, 173 pounds.
(Rincon) Market report
Going up: Cougars
BYU and Houston both won their bowl games. They finished 2025 with a combined record of 21-5. BYU secured its long-term future by fending off Penn State and keeping Kalani Sitake. Just about every Houston player who was healthy enough to play in the Texas Bowl did — a sign that the culture is strong under Willie Fritz. Both programs bring back their starting quarterbacks — Bear Bachmeier for BYU, Conner Weigman for Houston. Both programs will be among the favorites to win the Big 12 next year. They’re also killing it in men’s basketball. Brett Yormark nailed it by co-opting the Cougars (times two).
Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham walks onto the field at Rice-Eccles Stadium, Sept. 20, 2025, in Salt Lake City.
Going down: Coach-in-waiting
Has this concept ever truly worked in the history of sports? Utah is the latest example of its flaws. In November 2023, Utes AD Mark Harlan named defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley as the coach-in-waiting to succeed Kyle Whittingham. Whittingham had just turned 64. There were always rumblings that he was considering retirement. I’d also challenge you to find a man in his mid-60s who’s in better shape than Whittingham. After he didn’t quite retire at the end of this season, Scalley took his spot — and Whittingham landed at Michigan. Coaches and players undoubtedly will follow him to Ann Arbor, making Scalley’s job harder than it would have been if Utah had done away with the pretense and let Whittingham depart on his own terms.
A question from my X
“Portal predictions? Quality over quantity this year with likely fewer open starting opportunities, or will Arizona again be near the top of the league in portal adds?” — @mlucey13 via X/Twitter
Sprinkles were added to BYU's helmets for the Dec. 27 Pop-Tarts Bowl against Georgia Tech.
I don’t expect Arizona to be near the top of the Big 12 in portal additions — which is probably a good thing.
The Wildcats had 29 adds last year. Although it was technically Brennan’s second offseason, it was the first full offseason for him and his staff. And changes needed to be made.
I’d expect that number to be more in the 15-20 range in this cycle. That said, Arizona has several needs, especially on defense.
The Wildcats need at least one starting-caliber player at edge rusher, linebacker, cornerback and safety. On the other side of the ball, center and tight end are the highest priorities.
Programs that change coaches usually have the most turnover. So look for Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Kansas State and even Utah to be at or near the top. West Virginia, Colorado and Cincinnati likely will have more outgoing/incoming transfers than Arizona as well.
Threads
If you weren’t watching closely, you might not have noticed the subtle addition to BYU and Georgia Tech’s helmets for the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Both were dotted with sprinkles. Just the right amount — a sprinkling of sprinkles, if you will. Both helmets featured them on their white center stripes. Sprinkles also could be found in the Yellow Jackets’ interlocking “GT” logo. It was yet another example of the sweet synergy that permeates the Pop-Tarts Bowl, which has distinguished itself among non-CFP bowls with viral gimmicks that have become must-see TV during college football’s postseason.
What he said ...
“I’m not going anywhere. I’ve had plenty of opportunities. I’m going to be the defensive coordinator at the University of Arizona next year.” — Arizona DC Danny Gonzales
What he meant ...
“I could have left. I could have made a lot more money. But I talked a lot about the importance of continuity and commitment earlier this season, and I’d be a complete hypocrite if I bailed on this program. If a head-coaching opportunity should arise, that’s a different story. For now, for 2026, I’m all in.”
The other side
“Not how it was supposed to end, but I thank Jesus for a successful surgery and my time at SMU. I’m so blessed and grateful for it. I’ll never forget playing for my city, some of the best times of my life. Left it all on the field.” — SMU senior safety Isaiah Nwokobia, who will miss the Holiday Bowl after having season-ending surgery
Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby, right, falls in front of Oklahoma State safety Parker Robertson in the first half of their game, Oct. 18, 2025, in Stillwater, Okla.
Pick to click (aka #fadelev)
If Big 12 newcomers BYU and Houston are smash hits, what do we make of Cincinnati? Despite incremental improvement since joining the conference — records of 3-9, 5-7 and 7-5 — it doesn’t feel like the Bearcats have any positive momentum heading into Friday’s Liberty Bowl vs. Navy. They’ve lost four games in a row and will be without a ton of players who are planning to enter the portal and/or have opted out, including second-team All-Big 12 quarterback Brendan Sorsby. Service academies are a pain in the butt to play against; Air Force, Army and Navy have a combined 11-game win streak in bowl games. I’ll take the Midshipmen and lay the 7.5 points. (season record: 7-5)
One last thing
Arizona will have a handful of opt-outs for the Holiday Bowl. Brennan has elected to keep that information confidential for competitive reasons. Expect the specifics to be revealed sometime before kickoff.
Many teams played their bowl games with smaller rosters than the Wildcats will have. Even with the transfer-portal window having been moved from early December to early January, it’s still an issue for non-CFP bowls.
I have an idea to solve, or at least mitigate, the problem: Straight-up pay the players to play in bowl games — and give the players on the winning side more than the losing side.
I don’t know what amount would incentivize players to opt-in. Would $10,000 be enough? $25,000? $50,000?
You might be wondering where the money would come from. Well, the bowls provide extensive, well-rated December programming for ESPN. So ESPN should foot the bill. The companies that sponsor the bowls are also an option (although they already provide swag and, in some cases, NIL opportunities).
Bowl games still mean a lot to many. But they also aren’t what they used to be as the CFP has grown in size and importance.
Playing in a bowl game shouldn’t require an extra incentive, but pay-to-play might be the only way to preserve one of college football’s longest-standing traditions.
