Arizona Wildcats ranked No. 21 in Associated Press Top 25

The Arizona Wildcats enter the 2024 season ranked No. 21 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, which was released Monday morning.

It’s the first time Arizona is ranked in the preseason since 2015. It’s the highest preseason AP ranking for the Wildcats since 1999, when they were ranked fourth. Arizona is also ranked No. 21 in the preseason Coaches Poll.

Georgia (46 first-place votes), Ohio State (15 first-place votes), Oregon (one first-place vote), Texas and Alabama are the poll’s Top 5 in order.

The Wildcats are the fourth-highest-ranked team in the Big 12 behind Utah (12), Oklahoma State (17) and Kansas State (18). Kansas (22) is the fifth Big 12 team in the season’s inaugural poll.

Kansas State and Utah are the only ranked opponents on Arizona’s schedule.

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Arizona ended its 2023 season on a seven-game winning streak, which included a victory over former Big 12 team Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl, and finished with a 10-3 record, becoming the fourth team in program history to win at least 10 games. Arizona finished No. 11 in the AP Top 25, the highest ranking to end a season since 1998.

Arizona Daily Star sports reporter/columnist Michael Lev’s allocation of Big 12 representatives in the first AP ballot wasn’t all that far off from overall poll. Lev penciled Arizona at No. 21, with four other Big 12 teams included in Utah (13), Kansas State (19), Oklahoma State (20) and Kansas (22). Lev ranked Ohio State first, then Georgia, Oregon, Texas and Ole Miss.

With several starters back, including quarterback Noah Fifita, wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, linebacker Jacob Manu and cornerback Tacario Davis, among others, the Wildcats are expected to be among the top teams in the Big 12 under first-year head coach Brent Brennan.

No. 21 Arizona kicks off the 2024 season against New Mexico at Arizona Stadium on Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.