Arizona’s 3-1 start has the Wildcats in the bowl picture, and one of the latest projections sends them somewhere very familiar: San Diego.
In Sports Illustrated’s updated forecast, Bryan Fischer has Arizona landing in the revived Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 23 against Oregon State. The setup would pair the Wildcats with a former Pac-12 rival in a game that’s returning after a long layoff, and it would come one day after Arizona plays another former Pac-12 foe, Washington State, in Pullman.
The Poinsettia Bowl first launched in 2005 and ran for 11 years at San Diego Stadium before going on hiatus in 2016. A decade later, it’s back at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. Fischer’s projection would match the current Pac-12 champion against a legacy member of the old Pac-12, which is how Arizona and Oregon State ended up linked in the bowl forecast.
Arizona has never played in the Poinsettia Bowl, and neither has Oregon State. Utah appeared in the game twice, and Cal also played there in the past, but this would be a first for both programs.
It’s not the kind of destination Arizona was hoping for earlier in the offseason, when the Wildcats were projected for the Sun Bowl and the First Responder Bowl. Still, a meeting with Oregon State wouldn’t be a bad outcome. The Beavers are 2-2 after close losses at Houston, 33-20, and at home against Texas Tech, 35-24.
For Brent Brennan’s team, the next few weeks will shape everything. Arizona has three games coming up that look very manageable: Cincinnati at home, then a trip to West Virginia in Morgantown, then Iowa State in Tucson. If the Wildcats can run that stretch 3-0, they should put themselves in a much better bowl position.
For now, the Big 12 has just one team projected into the 12-team CFP, with No. 7 BYU drawing No.
10 Alabama in Fischer’s latest bracket. Other Big 12 teams in his bowl picture include Kansas State in the Independence Bowl against Washington, UCF in the Cactus Bowl against Nebraska, Utah in the Holiday Bowl against Pitt, Oklahoma State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl against Virginia Tech, Texas Tech in the Alamo Bowl against Oregon, Houston in the Texas Bowl against Oklahoma, Arizona State in the First Responder Bowl against Minnesota, and West Virginia in the Liberty Bowl against Tennessee.
Arizona’s immediate focus, though, is Cincinnati. The Wildcats host the undefeated Bearcats on Saturday, Oct. 3, with kickoff set for 8:00 PM PT on FOX.
In Other News...
Arizona Defense Faces A Brutal Big 12 Test In Tucson
Arizonas first Big 12 home game of the season brings a real early benchmark, with the Wildcats set to host Cincinnati at Casino Del Sol Stadium. A 3-1 start has given Arizona some momentum, but the Bearcats arrive unbeaten at 4-0 and with the kind of balance that can stress a defense in a hurry, especially in a conference opener where every possession tends to matter a little more.
The challenge for Arizona is obvious: Cincinnati has paired a productive ground game with sharp play at quarterback, making this less about one matchup and more about surviving a full four-quarter test. The Wildcats will get the Bearcats in Tucson with kickoff set for Saturday and national broadcast coverage, and the next step in Arizonas season may depend on how well it can handle an offense that has looked efficient and physical from the start. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Keeps Showing Grit But One Early Problem Still Lingers
Arizonas trip to Washington State turned into a test of nerve, and the Wildcats passed it by digging out of a 14-0 hole and leaving with a 34-24 win. It was the kind of response Brent Brennan has been looking for after a recent loss, with the coach pointing to the groups resilience and a better ability to finish games when the pressure starts to mount.
The comeback also fits a broader pattern for Arizona, which has shown it can absorb an early punch and keep playing, something Cincinnati has had to manage in its own recent spots as the next opponent. Still, the opening stretch remains the area to watch, because the Wildcats have had a habit of making things harder on themselves before settling in, and that early problem could matter again if they fall behind against a team that knows how to make a game uncomfortable. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Win Exposed One Lingering Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Arizona closed out nonconference play with a 34-24 win over Washington State, a result that offered a little more evidence that the offense has found enough rhythm to keep games moving in the right direction. Pro Football Focus latest grades backed up that view, with the Wildcats landing at 75.2 overall and getting solid marks on offense, while the defense was judged more modestly after another game that made the margin for error feel pretty thin.
Noah Fifita and Tre Spivey stood out in the individual grades, which is the kind of encouraging sign Arizona would like to keep building around as the schedule gets tougher. But the deeper takeaway from the PFF numbers is harder to miss, because the Wildcats most obvious strength in the passing game came alongside one lingering issue up front that still needs sorting before the real tests arrive. [Read more 🡒]