Football fans rejoice!
The 2026 season begins on Saturday night and the Arizona Wildcats are gearing up to take on their in-state rivals, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at Casino Del Sol Stadium at 6:30 p.m.
It should be a spectacle inside a revamped stadium that features new seats, sound system and new lights.
In its third year in the Big 12, Arizona will try to prove it is now one of the major contenders in a conference filled with hard-nosed teams with big dreams of competing in the college football playoffs.
Head coach Brent Brennan is out to prove that the Wildcats’ 9-4 season was not just a fluke but a message that Arizona is here to compete for a while in football. It will be no easy challenge however, as Arizona had lost some defensive players who were major catalysts for the success on defense.
Nonetheless, the Wildcats possess a large cast of returning players, led by Heisman candidate Noah Fifita at quarterback, and have bolstered their roster with talented newcomers who are ready to leave it all on the field. With a big game at BYU waiting in the wings next week, Arizona must still get past the Lumberjacks, who played well the last time the two teams met on the field.
Here is a preview of Arizona’s matchup with NAU, what to expect and what matchups to look out for.
A brief history
Arizona and NAU know each other well, having competed 19 times since 1931. The Wildcats hold a huge lead in that rivalry with a 17-2 record, all played in Tucson. The last time the two teams met on the field, in 2024, the Lumberjacks gave the Wildcats a scare, taking a 10-7 lead into halftime.
Arizona was able to pull off the 22-10 win behind Quali Conley’s 112-yard performance on the ground and a defensive effort that held NAU scoreless in the second half. The last time the Lumberjacks beat the Wildcats was a 21-19 upset in Casino Del Sol Stadium (formerly Arizona stadium) in 2021.
The Wildcats will have to stop a Lumberjacks team that is currently harboring plenty of confidence after defeating Eastern Washington in a 34-27 comeback win during Week 0. In that game, longtime quarterback Ty Pennington completed 17 passes for 164 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
Given that the last two of three competitions were close, Arizona should be coming out of the gates and swinging heavy at the Lumberjacks.
A rebuilt secondary
A key part of the reason why the Lumberjacks were able to leave the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome with a win was due to the passing abilities of Pennington and his receivers igniting a spark at just the right time. All that will be put to the test against a Wildcats’ secondary who, on paper, look to be vulnerable, given the many new faces on the squad.
The emergence of 12 newcomers in the secondary may sound concerning, but given the amount of experience and snap counts between them, there shouldn’t be any ounce of fear. Yes, the loss of five defensive backs to the NFL is a cause to hit the panic button before the season even begins, but Arizona still has Jay’Vion Cole, who has been touted as the best cornerback in the Big 12 after a season where he was tied for the second most interceptions in the conference with four.
Arizona will be starting two new players in the secondary. Charlotte transfer Dwight Bootle II will be starting at corner along with Cole and Malcolm Hartzog (Nebraska) at slot corner. Both Bootle and Hartzog have earned their way to a starting role after a tremendous fall camp where both players would give Fifita grief during live 11-pn-11 and 7-on-7 sessions.
Redshirt sophomore Gavin Hunter and Quinn Olson will be at the safety position after biding their time last season and learning under Dalton Johnon, Genesis Smith and Treydan Stukes while also getting valuable playing time under their belts when their numbers were called. Olson recently earned a scholarship as a walk on for his outstanding play on the field and off.
Aside from Hartzog and Bootle, Arizona brought in Tyrese Boss (Wyoming), Daylen Austin, Zuri Watson (Howard), Cam Chapa (Northern Colorado), Matai Togoa’i (USC) and Lee Molette (UConn), could see valuable playing time in a defensive rotation to stay fresh.
Arizona’s offense could put the game away early
All the Wildcats offense needs from the defense is a few stops for it to get on the field and begin running the score up on a NAU team that let Eastern Washington gain 301 yards off offense through the air and score 17 unanswered points in the first half.
The Wildcats have a rapid offense that can overwhelm opponents. Fifita has all the talent and a cast of explosive receivers to do just that. Veteran wide receivers Tre Spivey and Chris Hunter are both slated to have a breakout year, along with Isaiah Mizell and Giovanni Richardson, two sophomores who showed great improvement through fall camp.
Caleb “Jet” Smith and RJ Mosley, two freshmen receivers could very much make an impact on the field soon, have been brought in due to their speed and big play making ability. To make up for the loss of Luke Wysong, Kris Hutson and Javin Whatley, the Wildcats have also brought in a handful of transfers that could not only do damage to the secondary of NAU, but to any team on their schedule.
When the passing game is no longer efficient, Arizona also has a deep running back room of experienced vets and one newcomer. Kedrick Reescano and Quincy Craig were a part of last year’s 9-4 team and know what it takes to succeed at the college level. Sophomores Cornelius Warren and Wesley Yarbrough showed much growth through training camp and may see an uptick in snaps, especially if Saturday’s contest is not a close one.
Although the running back room suffered a blow in the offseason with the departure of Alonzo Carter, who is now the head coach of Sacramento State, the promotion of Lyle Moevao keeps a familiar face in the staff and keeps the group close. NAU relinquished 122 rushing yards to Eastern Washington, showing that Arizona could exploit the defense in that same category.
New players stepping up
Many of Arizona’s newest players have earned either a starting role or a spot in the rotation for their demonstration of hard work and aggression on the field. Washington transfer and starting center Zach Henning is one of those players who will be anchoring the offensive line.
For the most part, the Wildcats have kept the group the same, with both Alexander Doost and Tristan Bounds manning the right side. Rhino Tapa’atoutai switched over to left guard and Matthew Lado will be at the left tackle position. Look for that group to gel together and dominate the line of scrimmage.
Freshman linebacker Dash Fifita, the younger brother of Noah, has fought his way to a role in the rotation, despite being significantly undersized. At 5-foot-7, 190 pounds, Dash does not let his size dictate his style of play. All training camp, he has been ferocious and drawn comparisons to Jacob Manu.
Illinois transfer tight end Cole Rusk is a long and rangy tight end who can run block out slot out when needed, traits Seth Doege prefers in his fast-paced offense. Fans should watch for these players to break out this Saturday and throughout the season.
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