Ranking Arizona's Football Opponents from Easiest to Hardest

The Arizona Wildcats are looking to build on a somewhat surprising nine-win season as they try to prove themselves as contenders in a Big 12 Conference that continues to grow in terms of depth. It won't be easy since Arizona has lost some key players, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, but Brent Brennan's squad still has promise going into the 2026 season.

Arizona also has a veteran quarterback returning in Noah Fifita, who has started 34 games over the last three seasons and has a chance to turn in a record-setting career with a good senior season. The upcoming schedule provides many tests of different types: from stingy defenses to offensive juggernauts and elite College Football Playoff contenders.

Clear your calendars. We'll see you in the fall 😼 pic.twitter.com/pblSg2pOnO
— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) January 21, 2026

Here's a breakdown of each opponent on the schedule, from easiest to hardest.

1 - Northern Arizona - Home

Being the only FCS team on the schedule kind of lands NAU here automatically. The Lumberjacks will be playing the Wildcats for the 10th time in program history, holding a 1-8 record in the previous matchups. Aside from a two-point upset in 2021, Arizona has dominated the series, putting up at least 35 points six times. Having this game at home also gives Arizona more of an advantage over its FCS foe.

2 - Northern Illinois - Home

You never really know what you're going to get from G5 teams like Northern Illinois. The Huskies went 3-9 last season, but just about any time they've had such a bad season, they've responded with at least seven wins the next year. Still, a home game against a MAC team seems like it would be easier than any Big 12 game but slightly more competitive than NAU.

3 - West Virginia - Road

arizona football opponent — Nov 8, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Rich Rodriguez reacts after a play during the third quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Usually, a trip to Morgantown would be one of the more menacing road trips and opposing environments on the schedule, but the Mountaineers haven't lived up to expectations on the field in several seasons. West Virginia brought Rich Rodriguez back as head coach last season, hoping to re-establish itself as a legitimate program as it did during his first stint with the team. However, a 4-8 record with one of the worst offenses in the Big 12 means there's still plenty of work to do.

4 - Cincinnati - Home

The Bearcats got off to a great 7-1 start in 2025 before ending the year on a five-game losing skid, including a 30-24 loss to Arizona. The Wildcats should benefit from being the home team this time around, and Cincinnati will be without several of its top players from last season, including quarterback Bredna Sorsby, who has transferred to Texas Tech.

5 - Washington State - Road

Washington State is probably the equivalent of a lower-level Big 12 team. Last season, they competed in games against teams like Ole Miss, Virginia, and James Madison, yet were blown off the field by North Texas and Washington. As another team on this schedule with a new head coach, it's difficult to see Arizona struggling in this one, but it's also more conceivable than the four previously mentioned games.

6 - Kansas State - Road

Normally, a road game in Manhattan would be later on the list because of the difficulty of the atmosphere, but having a new head coach knocks Kansas State down a peg. Collin Klein is as much of a program staple as Kansas State has (sans Bill Snyder), and he knows the culture as both a player and a coach. However, K-State needs some development after having bottom-tier offenses and defenses in 2025.

7 - Iowa State - Home

Like Kansas State, Iowa State is a bit of an unknown entering the season because of a coaching change. Not only did Matt Campbell leave for Penn State, but he brought star quarterback Rocco Becht with him, and some other key players have transferred elsewhere. It also helps that Arizona gets this one at home and avoids the dreaded trip to Ames.

However, Iowa State has developed a reputation as a competitive Big 12 program, and this could end up being a more challenging game than we're predicting if its new staff can keep the culture and motivation of its predecessors intact.

8 - TCU - Home

Arizona and TCU will be pretty unfamiliar with each other, having only played three times on the gridiron. Two of the three meetings were decided by less than a touchdown, and Arizona has won both meetings this century. Arizona will also be the more experienced team, including some players who should be motivated by their Texas roots, and TCU's lack of clarity at quarterback after Josh Hoover's transfer has to be a huge question mark at this point.

9 - Arizona State - Home

Arizona State might not be the same team after losing guys like Jordyn Tyson, Sam Leavitt, Myles Rowser, CJ Fite, and others, but the Sun Devils still have one of the top young coaches in the sport in Kenny Dillingham, and this is a rivalry with state bragging rights on the line. That alone amplifies the difficulty level, no matter how well each of these teams is doing when this game rolls around,

10 - Utah - Home

Utah has some of the same question marks and challenges as Kansas State and Iowa State as it turns to new head coach Morgan Scalley following Kyle Whittingham's resignation and subsequent departure to Michigan. The difference is that many have expected Scalley to take the reins of the Utes' program for a while, Utah has one of the top offenses and top defenses in the conference, and he'll be able to lean on reigning Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Devon Dampier.

11 - BYU - Road

The argument can be made that this is the most difficult because it comes earlier than any other Big 12 matchup and is against the 2025 Big 12 runner-up. However, with defending conference champion Texas Tech also on the schedule as a road game, it falls just shy of the top spot. Considering its offseason quarterback controversy, BYU's 2025 results become even more impressive. And with the continuity this season and the advantage of one of the country's most underrated home environments, the odds will be in the Cougars' favor.

12 - Texas Tech - Road

Arizona heads to Lubbock, Texas, to take on the defending Big 12 champs on Halloween. The Red Raiders are notoriously difficult to play against at home, and now that they've tasted the College Football Playoff and shown they're willing to invest the resources into the program to make it as successful as possible. That means that, even though Texas Tech sends many players to the NFL, it'll reload on the fly and could be a top team in the conference once again.

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