Brent Brennan’s third season at Arizona opens Saturday night with a game the Wildcats should control, but that doesn’t mean there’s no edge to the matchup.
Arizona hosts Northern Arizona at Casino Del Sol Stadium at 6:30 PM PT, with the game set for ESPN+. The Wildcats are 17-2 all-time against the Lumberjacks, and Northern Arizona arrives at 1-0 after rallying past Eastern Washington in Week 0.
On paper, this is a comfortable spot for Arizona. The Wildcats return most of their starters on both sides of the ball, and NAU is not built to match that level. But the opener still carries a few traps, especially with a revamped Arizona secondary and a Northern Arizona team that already showed it can flip a game with one explosive moment.
That’s where the first real concern comes in: focus. Arizona gets its Big 12 schedule started next week at BYU in Provo, and that looming trip makes this a classic look-ahead game if Brennan’s group isn’t locked in from the jump. Northern Arizona may not be Big 12 caliber, but the Lumberjacks are capable of making the Wildcats work if Arizona starts flat.
NAU’s Week 0 comeback was fueled by a huge swing play. Lindsay Graves took a kick return 100 yards for a touchdown with less than three minutes left in the first half, trimming Eastern Washington’s lead from 24-3 to 24-10.
The Eagles never recovered, and the Lumberjacks added another score before halftime. That kind of momentum can change a game fast, which is why Arizona has to be clean on special teams and sharp in the secondary.
The second key is simple: don’t hand Northern Arizona extra chances. A new-look secondary is one of the freshest parts of this roster, and it’s exactly the sort of unit that can get tested if the Wildcats get loose with mistakes. Arizona is far better than Eastern Washington, but one big return or busted coverage is all it takes to make things uncomfortable.
And then there’s Noah Fifita. He may not be sitting on anyone’s Heisman Trophy list yet, but a strong start in 2026 would change that conversation quickly. Against a roster like this, he should have every chance to run the offense cleanly and efficiently.
If Fifita is allowed to play his game, Arizona should be able to put this one away early. That would open the door for backup Sawyer Anderson to make his collegiate debut and let the Wildcats turn the page toward BYU.