Plan your fall with our game-by-game look at the Arizona Wildcats' 2017 football schedule
- Updated
Here's a look at who the Wildcats will face this upcoming football season.
Date: Saturday, Sept. 2 vs. NAU
Time: 8 p.m.
TV: Pac-12 Networks
Notable: The last time the two teams met was 2015, and Arizona set a handful of offensive records.
Star player to watch: Linebacker Jake Casteel. The son of former UA defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel was a standout at Salpointe Catholic High School.
Breakdown: Unlike the ’16 opener against BYU, this should be a walkover. FCS Northern Arizona went 5-6 last season. When Arizona and NAU last met, on Sept. 19, 2015, the Wildcats won 77-13, setting school records for points and yards (792).
Date: Saturday, Sept. 9 vs. Houston
Time: 7:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU (TBA)
Notable: Houston is the second Texas-based team to play the UA at Arizona Stadium. The Wildcats previously hosted UT San Antonio, and will play UTEP in 2023.
Star player to watch: Defensive tackle Ed Oliver. As a freshman last season, Oliver was the backbone of the Cougars' defense, posting 19 tackles-for-loss and five sacks. He also forced three fumbles.
Breakdown: This won’t be a walkover. Yes, Tom Herman is gone. And yes, the Cougars stumbled down the stretch, losing their final two games. But Houston returns a ton of starters under new coach Major Applewhite.
Date: Friday, Sept. 15 at UTEP
Time: 7:15 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Notable: The game is Arizona's final nonconference tilt of the season.
Star player to watch: Quarterback Ryan Metz. Metz completed 130 of 201 passes last season for 1,375 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Breakdown: If Arizona loses to Houston, this becomes a must-win game. Even if they’re 2-0, the Wildcats might need to be 3-0 in the non-con to attain bowl eligibility (which might be necessary to save Rich Rodriguez’s job). The Miners have had only one winning season in the past 11.
Date: Friday, Sept. 22 vs. Utah
Time: 7:30 p.m.
TV: Fox Sports 1
Notable: The Friday-night game is Arizona's Pac-12 opener.
Star player to watch: Defensive tackle Lowell Lotulelei. Lotulelei posted 28 tackles and 3.5 sacks last season.
Breakdown: Last year’s Pac-12 opener — a 35-28 OT loss to College Football Playoff participant Washington — represented the pre-Territorial Cup peak of Arizona’s season. The Utes will be wary of the Wildcats, having lost four in a row in the series before 2016. Two additional items of note: This is a Friday-night game, and it marks the return of LB Cody Ippolito, who transferred from the UA to Utah.
Date: Saturday, Oct. 7 at Colorado
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Notable: It's the Wildcats' first Pac-12 away game.
Star player to watch: Running back Phillip Lindsay. Lindsay rushed for 1,579 yards last season, the second-best mark in the Pac-12.
Breakdown: Arizona will be coming off a bye. Colorado will be coming off a trip to UCLA. So there’s that. The Buffaloes will be one of the most intriguing Pac-12 teams of 2017 after their breakthrough in ’16 – although losing their final two games by a combined 79-18 sorta feels like ’14 Arizona, no?
Date: Saturday, Oct. 14 vs. UCLA
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Notable: Family weekend
Star player to watch: Quarterback Josh Rosen. Rosen completed 137 of 231 passes last season for 1,915 yards and 10 touchdowns. He didn't play in the second half of the season because of a shoulder injury.
Breakdown: Arizona saw first-hand what a healthy Josh Rosen could do in last year’s 45-21 Bruins triumph. He’ll be operating a new offense under Jedd Fisch, who comes to Westwood via Ann Arbor, Michigan. Depending on how things have transpired, there could be a lot of coach-on-the-hot-seat talk on both sides in this matchup.
Date: Saturday, Oct. 21 at Cal
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Notable: The game is Arizona's first against the Golden Bears since 2014, when Austin Hill caught a Hail Mary pass at the final gun to lift the Wildcats to an improbable win.
Star player to watch: Coach Justin Wilcox. He's not a player, but so what? The former Wisconsin defensive coordinator guided the Badgers' defense to giving up just 16.2 points per game against five ranked opponents last season. He'll look to carry that defensive intensity into Berkeley.
Breakdown: This will be a decidedly different-looking Cal team than the one Arizona defeated 49-45 in 2014. Sonny Dykes and his “Bear Raid” offense are out; former Wisconsin and USC defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox is in (to the disbelief of Trojans fans). Cal also will have its third starting QB in as many years.
Date: Saturday, Oct. 28 vs. Washington State
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Notable: Homecoming
Star player to watch: Quarterback Luke Falk. Falk completed 443 of 633 passes last season for 4,468 yards and 38 touchdowns.
Breakdown: The good news — this can’t possibly go worse than last year’s 69-7 humiliation in Pullman. The bad news — QB Luke Falk is back. His numbers in two games against the UA are comical: 79 of 97 (81.4 percent) for 825 yards with nine touchdowns and zero interceptions. The Wildcats might try hitting him a time or two in Round 3.
Date: Saturday, Nov. 4 at USC
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Notable: The first of three road games in November.
Star player to watch: Quarterback Sam Darnold. Darnold completed 246 of 366 passes last season for 3,086 yards and 31 touchdowns.
Breakdown: This is where the roughest part of Arizona’s schedule begins — the first of three November road games to close the season. The Trojans lose a ton of talent but return Sam Darnold, who might be the best quarterback in the country. Last year’s 48-14 USC victory snapped a string of nine consecutive one-score games in the series.
Date: Saturday, Nov. 11 vs. Oregon State
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Notable: Arizona's last home game of the season.
Star player to watch: Running back Ryan Nall. Nall rushed for 951 yards and 13 touchdowns as a sophomore last season.
Breakdown: This looks like the most winnable game of the month — and it might be a game the Wildcats have to win to ensure bowl eligibility. It’s possible Oregon State — which won its final two games, beating Arizona and Oregon — will be this year’s Colorado. But that seems premature.
Date: Saturday, Nov. 18 at Oregon
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Notable: Arizona's first meeting against Oregon since the 2014 Pac-12 championship game in which the Ducks beat UA 51-13.
Star player to watch: Running back Royce Freeman. Freeman was slowed by injuries last season but still rushed for 945 yards and nine touchdowns. The previous year, Freeman rushed for 1,836 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Breakdown: This isn’t a traditional rivalry by any means, but there’s unquestionably some rancor between the schools after Oregon poached two of Arizona’s 2017 commits, including QB Braxton Burmeister. Remember the last time the Wildcats visited Eugene? Things have changed dramatically since, on both sides.
Date: Saturday, Nov. 25
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Notable: Territorial Cup rivalry game
Star player to watch: Defensive lineman Koron Crump. Crump anchored the Sun Devils' defensive line last year, recording 37 tackles and 9.0 sacks.
Breakdown: Will RichRod and Todd Graham both be coaching for their jobs? Will both schools need to win to reach bowl games? Will ASU’s defense show up? Who will Arizona’s quarterback be by season’s end? So many questions. Far too much time to ponder them.
Date: Saturday, Sept. 2 vs. NAU
Time: 8 p.m.
TV: Pac-12 Networks
Notable: The last time the two teams met was 2015, and Arizona set a handful of offensive records.
Star player to watch: Linebacker Jake Casteel. The son of former UA defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel was a standout at Salpointe Catholic High School.
Breakdown: Unlike the ’16 opener against BYU, this should be a walkover. FCS Northern Arizona went 5-6 last season. When Arizona and NAU last met, on Sept. 19, 2015, the Wildcats won 77-13, setting school records for points and yards (792).
Date: Saturday, Sept. 9 vs. Houston
Time: 7:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU (TBA)
Notable: Houston is the second Texas-based team to play the UA at Arizona Stadium. The Wildcats previously hosted UT San Antonio, and will play UTEP in 2023.
Star player to watch: Defensive tackle Ed Oliver. As a freshman last season, Oliver was the backbone of the Cougars' defense, posting 19 tackles-for-loss and five sacks. He also forced three fumbles.
Breakdown: This won’t be a walkover. Yes, Tom Herman is gone. And yes, the Cougars stumbled down the stretch, losing their final two games. But Houston returns a ton of starters under new coach Major Applewhite.
Date: Friday, Sept. 15 at UTEP
Time: 7:15 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Notable: The game is Arizona's final nonconference tilt of the season.
Star player to watch: Quarterback Ryan Metz. Metz completed 130 of 201 passes last season for 1,375 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Breakdown: If Arizona loses to Houston, this becomes a must-win game. Even if they’re 2-0, the Wildcats might need to be 3-0 in the non-con to attain bowl eligibility (which might be necessary to save Rich Rodriguez’s job). The Miners have had only one winning season in the past 11.
Date: Friday, Sept. 22 vs. Utah
Time: 7:30 p.m.
TV: Fox Sports 1
Notable: The Friday-night game is Arizona's Pac-12 opener.
Star player to watch: Defensive tackle Lowell Lotulelei. Lotulelei posted 28 tackles and 3.5 sacks last season.
Breakdown: Last year’s Pac-12 opener — a 35-28 OT loss to College Football Playoff participant Washington — represented the pre-Territorial Cup peak of Arizona’s season. The Utes will be wary of the Wildcats, having lost four in a row in the series before 2016. Two additional items of note: This is a Friday-night game, and it marks the return of LB Cody Ippolito, who transferred from the UA to Utah.
Date: Saturday, Oct. 7 at Colorado
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Notable: It's the Wildcats' first Pac-12 away game.
Star player to watch: Running back Phillip Lindsay. Lindsay rushed for 1,579 yards last season, the second-best mark in the Pac-12.
Breakdown: Arizona will be coming off a bye. Colorado will be coming off a trip to UCLA. So there’s that. The Buffaloes will be one of the most intriguing Pac-12 teams of 2017 after their breakthrough in ’16 – although losing their final two games by a combined 79-18 sorta feels like ’14 Arizona, no?
Date: Saturday, Oct. 14 vs. UCLA
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Notable: Family weekend
Star player to watch: Quarterback Josh Rosen. Rosen completed 137 of 231 passes last season for 1,915 yards and 10 touchdowns. He didn't play in the second half of the season because of a shoulder injury.
Breakdown: Arizona saw first-hand what a healthy Josh Rosen could do in last year’s 45-21 Bruins triumph. He’ll be operating a new offense under Jedd Fisch, who comes to Westwood via Ann Arbor, Michigan. Depending on how things have transpired, there could be a lot of coach-on-the-hot-seat talk on both sides in this matchup.
Date: Saturday, Oct. 21 at Cal
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Notable: The game is Arizona's first against the Golden Bears since 2014, when Austin Hill caught a Hail Mary pass at the final gun to lift the Wildcats to an improbable win.
Star player to watch: Coach Justin Wilcox. He's not a player, but so what? The former Wisconsin defensive coordinator guided the Badgers' defense to giving up just 16.2 points per game against five ranked opponents last season. He'll look to carry that defensive intensity into Berkeley.
Breakdown: This will be a decidedly different-looking Cal team than the one Arizona defeated 49-45 in 2014. Sonny Dykes and his “Bear Raid” offense are out; former Wisconsin and USC defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox is in (to the disbelief of Trojans fans). Cal also will have its third starting QB in as many years.
Date: Saturday, Oct. 28 vs. Washington State
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Notable: Homecoming
Star player to watch: Quarterback Luke Falk. Falk completed 443 of 633 passes last season for 4,468 yards and 38 touchdowns.
Breakdown: The good news — this can’t possibly go worse than last year’s 69-7 humiliation in Pullman. The bad news — QB Luke Falk is back. His numbers in two games against the UA are comical: 79 of 97 (81.4 percent) for 825 yards with nine touchdowns and zero interceptions. The Wildcats might try hitting him a time or two in Round 3.
Date: Saturday, Nov. 4 at USC
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Notable: The first of three road games in November.
Star player to watch: Quarterback Sam Darnold. Darnold completed 246 of 366 passes last season for 3,086 yards and 31 touchdowns.
Breakdown: This is where the roughest part of Arizona’s schedule begins — the first of three November road games to close the season. The Trojans lose a ton of talent but return Sam Darnold, who might be the best quarterback in the country. Last year’s 48-14 USC victory snapped a string of nine consecutive one-score games in the series.
Date: Saturday, Nov. 11 vs. Oregon State
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Notable: Arizona's last home game of the season.
Star player to watch: Running back Ryan Nall. Nall rushed for 951 yards and 13 touchdowns as a sophomore last season.
Breakdown: This looks like the most winnable game of the month — and it might be a game the Wildcats have to win to ensure bowl eligibility. It’s possible Oregon State — which won its final two games, beating Arizona and Oregon — will be this year’s Colorado. But that seems premature.
Date: Saturday, Nov. 18 at Oregon
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Notable: Arizona's first meeting against Oregon since the 2014 Pac-12 championship game in which the Ducks beat UA 51-13.
Star player to watch: Running back Royce Freeman. Freeman was slowed by injuries last season but still rushed for 945 yards and nine touchdowns. The previous year, Freeman rushed for 1,836 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Breakdown: This isn’t a traditional rivalry by any means, but there’s unquestionably some rancor between the schools after Oregon poached two of Arizona’s 2017 commits, including QB Braxton Burmeister. Remember the last time the Wildcats visited Eugene? Things have changed dramatically since, on both sides.
Date: Saturday, Nov. 25
Time: TBA
TV: TBA
Notable: Territorial Cup rivalry game
Star player to watch: Defensive lineman Koron Crump. Crump anchored the Sun Devils' defensive line last year, recording 37 tackles and 9.0 sacks.
Breakdown: Will RichRod and Todd Graham both be coaching for their jobs? Will both schools need to win to reach bowl games? Will ASU’s defense show up? Who will Arizona’s quarterback be by season’s end? So many questions. Far too much time to ponder them.
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