Arizona remains just outside AP Top 25 with big opportunity against No. 15 BYU

A 28-point win over NAU in Week 1 did not move the needle for Arizona in the AP Poll

Sep 5, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats linebacker Chase Kennedy (7) celebrates with linebacker Taye Brown (6) during the second quarter of the game against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at Casino Del Sol Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Brent Brennan and the Arizona Wildcats are 1-0 to begin the 2026 college football season, securing a 35-7 win over Northern Arizona at Casino Del Sol Stadium on Saturday evening.

The Wildcats returned 18 starters from last year's 9-4 team, so a comfortable win over an FCS opponent in Week 1 was entirely expected.

With a relatively predictable result, and the preseason AP Top 25 teams going a combined 24-1 in Week 1, it's no surprise Arizona remains unmoved in their spot just outside the top 25 - which was released on Tuesday morning.

Arizona ended up securing 33 votes, which ranked No. 29 overall behind Boise State, Florida, and Michigan outside the top 25.

The Wildcats received 32 votes in the preseason poll, also landing at No. 29 overall, so there was truly as little movement as possible between votes.

Big opportunity vs. BYU

Sep 5, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; BYU Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) drops back to pass against the Utah Tech Trailblazers during the second quarter at LaVell Edwards Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While NAU clearly didn't move the needle for Arizona, the team's Week 2 opponent will have far bigger ramifications for the Wildcats. BYU, which Arizona faces in Provo on Saturday, actually dropped one spot from No. 14 to No. 15 in the AP Poll despite a 66-7 thrashing of Utah Tech in Week 1.

Arizona has an opportunity to travel on the road and pick up a huge win over a top-15 team this weekend, which would almost certainly push them into the top 25 and maybe even the top 20, depending on how the rest of the teams do in that range.

Arizona is also looking for a little revenge after falling to BYU in Tucson last season, 33-27, in an intense 2OT battle that left a bitter taste for many of UA's returners.

"It was a sour feeling," Arizona running back Kedrick Reescano said of BYU after the team's win over NAU. "I think it still gets to a lot of us. Losing that game last year was one of the hardest things that we went through as a team, and being able to go forward and get another opportunity at them, a lot of us have been preparing for this moment."

Big 12 keeps four in top 25

Sep 5, 2026; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire sings the school song after the game against the Abilene Christian Wildcats at Galaxy Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

BYU is joined by Texas Tech (No. 13) in the top 15 of the AP Poll, while Utah (No. 20) and Houston (No. 22) each move up one spot after wins over Idaho and Oregon State, respectively.

Arizona is the next highest vote getter in the Big 12, followed by Colorado (3) and Arizona State (2).

TCU received 11 votes in the preseason, but a 15-10 loss in Ireland to lowly North Carolina knocked them out entirely this week. Similarly, Oklahoma State's eight votes from the preseason are gone after the Cowboys lost on the road at Tulsa, 24-10.

Cincinnati remains without any votes despite a nice win over Boston College, while blowout wins for Kansas State (over Nicholls), Kansas (over Long Island) and UCF (over Bethune-Cookman) did not result in any love from AP voters.

Arizona will kick off against BYU at 12:30 PM PT on Saturday, with the game set to be broadcast on FOX.