PROVO, Utah — For the first time since 1977, the Arizona Wildcats and BYU Cougars will square off as conference members.
Arizona and BYU were both in the Western Athletic Conference until the Wildcats joined the Pac-8 with in-state rival Arizona State in 1978 to create the Pac-10. The Cougars left the WAC to join Mountain West in 1999, before playing as an independent program from 2011-22.
The Wildcats' last victory in Provo at LaVell Edwards Stadium (then called Cougar Stadium) was in 1975.
Earlier this week, BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said he's "really excited that (the Wildcats) are in the conference," and that the Cougars will host the Wildcats in Provo.
“I have a lot of respect for them and their fanbase," Sitake said of Arizona. "I know their families and their fans will be treated really nicely by our fans here. Hopefully it's a great overall experience, except that it works in our favor on the scoreboard.”
Arizona head coach Brent Brennan said the Cougars "present a lot of challenges." For one, he cited the Cougars' overall maturity — a testament to the school's Latter-day Saints connection, which leads a not insignificant number of players toward spending two years serving a religion mission in a designated part of the world; after that, the players often return to BYU to continue their football careers.
"Having coached against a lot of BYU teams over my career, I think one of the things you notice is it's an incredibly mature group," Brennan said. "It's not just the age, it's the life experience that goes with that age. They've been halfway across the world, preaching the good word in some other place and they had to live on their own, grow up and mature, and I think it gives them a new-found love of football and inspires them in that way.
"We're always talking about the race to maturity for our own team. By the nature of how that thing is structured there, it gives them some advantages."
When Arizona (3-2) matches up with 14th-ranked BYU (5-0) on Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium, there’s plenty at stake for both teams.
Arizona and BYU (pictured in 2021) meet up Saturday as conference opponents for the second time since 1977.
A win for BYU would place the Cougars in first place of the Big 12 standings and make them bowl-eligible. A win for Arizona would help the Wildcats avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since early last season — and snap a three-game losing streak to the Cougars.
A win for either team would mean a one-game lead in the all-time series, which is locked going in at 12-12-1.
Now conference foes in the Big 12, the Wildcats and Cougars will reunite yearly. Here are five memorable games between Arizona and BYU in recent memory:
BYU placekicker Jake Oldroyd chips in the winning field goal over the Arizona line in the Cougars’ 18-16 win over Arizona in the Cactus Kickoff Classic in Glendale on Sept. 3, 2016.
2016
Score: BYU 18, Arizona 16
Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale
The rundown: In the season opener at the Arizona Cardinals’ home stadium, the Cougars were led by two future NFL players on offense in running back Jamaal Williams and quarterback Taysom Hill. Hill threw for 202 yards and a touchdown; Williams ended the night with 162 rushing yards on 29 carries. After Arizona running back Nick Wilson’s 49-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats failed on a 2-point conversion attempt but had a one-point lead until BYU kicker Jake Oldroyd kicked a game-winning 33-yard field goal with four seconds left on the clock to give Cougars head coach Kilani Sitake his first win at the helm.
Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate (14) turns the corner in front of BYU linebacker Sione Takitaki (16) for a short gain in the second quarter of their matchup at Arizona Stadium on Sept. 1, 2018.
2018
Score: BYU 28, Arizona 23
Where: Arizona Stadium
The rundown: The Cougars ended Arizona’s honeymoon phase with first-year head coach Kevin Sumlin. Sumlin’s history of coaching elite college quarterbacks from Case Keenum (Houston) to Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M), coupled with the buzz Arizona star quarterback Khalil Tate generated after a breakout 2017 season — he landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a Heisman Trophy hopeful — had the Wildcats hopeful of making a splash after a loss in the Foster Farms Bowl the year prior. BYU running back Squally Canada’s three touchdowns, along with Tucson native Matt Bushman’s 24-yard touchdown catch, gave the Cougars an 18-point lead. Despite a 13-point fourth quarter by Arizona, the Wildcats fell short in Sumlin's debut.
Arizona wide receiver BJ Casteel (5) can't outrun the flying tackle from Brigham Young linebacker Payton Wilgar (49) in the second quarter of the Vegas Kickoff Classic at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sept. 4, 2021.
2021
Score: BYU 24, Arizona 16
Where: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
The rundown: Once again, Arizona started a new coaching era with a season-opening game against BYU. This time, the Wildcats and Cougars played each other at the new stadium for the Las Vegas Raiders, the first game post-pandemic. Since the Arizona-BYU game was before the Raiders kicked off their season, it set a record for most-attended sporting event in Nevada sports history. Arizona quarterback Gunner Cruz completed 34 of 45 passes for 336 yards, a touchdown and an interception in his first start, but the Wildcats lost in a hard-fought battle to begin Jedd Fisch's tenure with a loss. It was the 13th loss in Arizona's 20-game losing streak.
Arizona's Spencer Larsen drags down BYU's Nathan Meikle in the fourth quarter of the teams' Sept. 2, 2006, matchup at Arizona Stadium in Tucson. The host Wildcats won 16-13 on a game-winning field goal in the waning moments by kicker Nick Folk.
2006
Score: Arizona 16, BYU 13
Where: Arizona Stadium
The rundown: After BYU tied the game 13-13 with a field goal, Mike Stoops' Arizona team put together a 13-play, 44-yard drive and burned 5:18 off the clock for kicker Nick Folk to make a 48-yard field goal with one second left. That was the first of two losses for BYU that season, before the Cougars won 10 straight games to claim the Mountain West championship and the Las Vegas Bowl.
Arizona head coach Mike Stoops hoists the Las Vegas Bowl trophy as linebacker Ronnie Palmer (33) looks on following the Wildcats’ 31-21 win over BYU at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas on Dec. 20, 2008.
2008
Score: Arizona 31, BYU 21
Where: Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas (Las Vegas Bowl)
The rundown: Arizona ended its 10-year bowl drought with a win over BYU in the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl in head coach Mike Stoops' fifth season. Senior quarterback Willie Tuitama ended his UA career with a 325-yard, two-touchdown performance. Tuitama connected with seven different pass-catchers, including wide receivers Mike Thomas, Juron Criner, Terrell Turner and Delashaun Dean, tight end Rob Gronkowski, fullback Chris Gronkowski and running back Keola Antolin. Thomas set the Pac-10 all-time receptions record with 259. BYU's offense, led by quarterback Max Hall and wide receiver Austin Collie, had 444 yards of total offense, but committed five turnovers.
