Arizona Football 2026 Preview: Is Noah Fifita Ready to Crash the Big 12 Title Race?

Arizona bounced back in a big way with nine wins last season, and there’s real reason for optimism around Brent Brennan’s team heading into 2026. Noah Fifita returns at quarterback with Seth Doege back as offensive coordinator, while Danny Gonzales enters another year running the shape-shifting 3-3-5 defense that helped transform the Wildcats a season ago. But after losing much of the secondary that powered that turnaround, can Arizona keep its defensive edge while rebuilding around a new group of playmakers?

We break down the questions around Arizona’s offensive line, running game and receiving corps, plus a schedule that starts with a massive early trip to BYU before getting considerably tougher down the stretch. With Fifita’s experience, coaching continuity and plenty of momentum coming out of last season, is Arizona merely a solid Big 12 team, or can the Wildcats push their way into the conference title race? .

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0:00 Brent Brennan's Rocky Start and Resurgence
0:46 Building Momentum for the 2026 Campaign
1:53 Assessing the Defensive Scheme and Personnel
5:45 Offensive Questions and Roster Turnover

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