The Arizona Wildcats are jumping into the deep end in their first season under Jedd Fisch.
Not only does Arizona open the season in Las Vegas against BYU β which went 11-1 last year and finished 11th in the Associated Press Top 25 β but the Wildcats open Pac-12 play in arguably the toughest venue in the league.
Arizona is slated to visit Oregon on Sept. 25. It will be the conference opener for both schools.
The Wildcats get their bye the following Saturday, Oct. 2. UCLA comes to Arizona Stadium for the UAβs Pac-12 home opener on Oct. 9. It is unknown at this time whether fans will be allowed to attend games and, if so, how many.
Arizona has two Friday games β at home against Washington on Oct. 22 and at Washington State on Nov. 19.
The Wildcats conclude the 2021 regular season against rival Arizona State in Tempe on Saturday, Nov. 27.
Arizona went 0-5 during the pandemic-shortened β20 season and is seeking to end a school-record 12-game losing streak.
Here's a game-by-game look at the schedule:
Sept. 4: vs. BYU (at Las Vegas)
Last meeting: L, 28-23, on Sept. 1, 2018, in Tucson
Matchup in a sentence: Just as it was for Kevin Sumlin, the Cougars are the first test for Fisch, although theyβll be hard-pressed to match last seasonβs 11-1 mark without NFL-bound quarterback Zach Wilson.
Sept. 11: vs. San Diego State
Last meeting: W, 23-10, on Aug. 30, 2001, in San Diego
Matchup in a sentence: Regardless of whether fans are able to attend, the home opener feels like a must-win game for the UA after a taxing Week 1 and with only four contests at Arizona Stadium during Pac-12 play.
Sept. 18: vs. NAU
Last meeting: W, 65-41, on Sept. 7, 2018, in Tucson
Matchup in a sentence: This in-state matchup typically represents an opportunity to get in a groove; if things go poorly in the first two games, it could be the week that Arizonaβs losing streak finally ends.
Sept. 25: at Oregon
Last meeting: L, 34-6, on Nov. 16, 2019, in Eugene, Oregon
Matchup in a sentence: This is about as difficult a Pac-12 opener as one can imagine, although the Ducks β at worst co-favorites in the North β will be breaking in a new quarterback after the transfer of Tyler Shough.
Oct. 9: vs. UCLA
Last meeting: L, 27-10, on Nov. 28, 2020, in Pasadena, California
Matchup in a sentence: Arizona could be in an advantageous position in its Pac-12 home opener with UCLA β Fischβs former employer β coming off back-to-back games against Stanford and Arizona State.
Oct. 16: at Colorado
Last meeting: L, 24-13, on Dec. 5, 2020, in Tucson
Matchup in a sentence: Arizona has won four in a row in Boulder; the Wildcatsβ 35-30 victory there on Oct. 5, 2019, in which Khalil Tate passed for 404 yards, was the last time they won a football game.
Oct. 22 (Friday): vs. Washington
Last meeting: L, 44-27, on Nov. 21, 2020, in Seattle
Matchup in a sentence: The losing streak began against the Huskies, who could be the favorites in the North, with a 51-27 defeat on Oct. 12, 2019; the Wildcats led that game 17-13 at halftime.
Oct. 30: at USC
Last meeting: L, 34-30, on Nov. 14, 2020, in Tucson
Matchup in a sentence: The Wildcatsβ closest call last season came against the Trojans, who will lose several standouts to the NFL draft but bring back veteran QB Kedon Slovis.
Nov. 6: vs. Cal
Last meeting: W, 24-17, on Oct. 6, 2018, in Tucson
Matchup in a sentence: Last year was a lost season for Cal, which was hit hard by opt-outs and COVID-19 restrictions, but top defenders Kuony Deng and Cameron Goode are coming back in 2021.
Nov. 13: vs. Utah
Last meeting: L, 35-7, on Nov. 23, 2019, in Tucson
Matchup in a sentence: Last yearβs scheduled opener in Salt Lake City was canceled after the Utes had a COVID-19 outbreak; since then theyβve endured tragedy as star tailback Ty Jordan was killed in an accidental shooting.
Nov. 19 (Friday): at Washington State
Last meeting: L, 69-28, on Nov. 17, 2018, in Pullman, Washington
Matchup in a sentence: This will be an important test for Fisch and his program; in recent late-season visits to the Pacific Northwest, with the Territorial Cup looming, the Wildcats have performed as if their attention was elsewhere.
Nov. 27: at Arizona State
Last meeting: L, 70-7, on. Dec. 11, 2020, in Tucson
Matchup in a sentence: No matter what happens in the preceding 11 weeks, Fisch & Co. can change the course of UA football by ending a four-game skid against the Sun Devils and putting last yearβs fiasco in the rearview mirror.
And here's an easy-to-screen-grab version:
ARIZONA WILDCATS 2021 SCHEDULE
(home games are in bold)
- Sept. 4: vs. BYU (at Las Vegas)
- Sept. 11: vs. San Diego State
- Sept. 18: vs. NAU
- Sept. 25: at Oregon
- Oct. 2: Bye
- Oct. 9: vs. UCLA
- Oct. 16: at Colorado
- Oct. 22 (Friday): vs. Washington
- Oct. 30: at USC
- Nov. 6: vs. Cal
- Nov. 13: vs. Utah
- Nov. 19 (Friday): at Washington State
- Nov. 27: at Arizona State
