Arizona gets intriguing bowl projection after latest win

Arizona is 2-1 on the year after a 25 point win over Northern Illinois on Saturday

Sep 19, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Caleb Smith (20) celebrates during the second quarter of the game against the Northern Illinois Huskies at Casino Del Sol Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Brent Brennan and the Arizona Wildcats took care of business at home against Northern Illinois on Saturday night, 42-17, to move to 2-1 on the year.

After an alarmingly slow start, which had the Wildcats down 10-0 six minutes into the game, Arizona tightened up on both sides of the ball, rattled off 42 unanswered points, and coasted to victory on a night when Noah Fifita broke the program's all-time record for career passing yards.

The win gets UA back on the right track after an agonizing Week 2 loss at BYU, and keeps the Wildcats firmly in position to play in a quality bowl game this winter.

'Bowl'-ing in Texas

Sep 19, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita (1) runs with the ball during the fourth quarter of the game against the Northern Illinois Huskies at Casino Del Sol Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

An updated prediction from CBS Sports has Arizona playing in the Sun Bowl - for the first time since 1992 - and squaring off against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets out of the ACC.

Arizona is 0-2-1 in three Sun Bowl appearances all time, losing to Auburn in 1968 and Baylor in 1992, with a tie against Georgia in 1985. The Sun Bowl is tied with the Sugar and Orange Bowls as the second-oldest continuous bowl game, of course behind the iconic Rose Bowl.

The Wildcats are 2-0 all-time against Georgia Tech, beating the Yellow Jackets 19-14 in Atlanta in 1994 and 20-19 at home in 1995.

The Big 12 has two teams, BYU and Texas Tech, projected in the CFP after Week 3. Texas Tech is No. 6, while BYU - who beat Arizona 28-17 in Week 2 - is No. 10.

Other Big 12 bowl teams in these projections include Kansas State (Liberty Bowl vs. Missouri), Utah (Holiday Bowl vs. Louisville), Arizona State (Armed Forces Bowl vs. Army), West Virginia (Cactus Bowl vs. Minnesota), Houston (Alamo Bowl vs. Oregon), TCU (Pop-Tarts Bowl vs. SMU), and Oklahoma State (Texas Bowl vs. Florida).

What's next for Wildcats

Sep 19, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tre Spivey (12) catches a one-handed touchdown pass during the second quarter of the game against the Northern Illinois Huskies at Casino Del Sol Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Arizona is in the midst of a must-win slate of games, with four straight contests against unranked opponents before taking on Texas Tech on Halloween in Lubbock. It's entirely feasible that the Wildcats head into that game with a 6-1 record and serious momentum as a real threat to take down the Red Raiders.

However, any losses in the next month - which includes games at Washington State and at West Virginia and home against Cincinnati and Iowa State - could put a lot more pressure on Arizona's final stretch of games.

The Wildcats finish with four tough matchups, hosting TCU Nov. 6 and Utah Nov. 14, then playing Kansas State on the road Nov. 21 and ending the regular season at home against rival Arizona State on Nov. 28.

For now, the team will turn its attention to the Cougars of Washington State, a former Pac-12 foe who dismantled FCS Duquesne on Saturday, 48-7.

The game is set for Saturday, Sep. 26 at 4:30 PM PT on CBS.