Arizona’s first AP Poll of the season came with a sharp reminder of how quickly a stumble can change the conversation.
The Wildcats, who opened the year ranked No. 5, dropped seven places to No. 12 after their season-opening loss to UCLA in Las Vegas last Monday. It was Arizona’s first loss in a season opener in 20 years, and it sent UCLA soaring from No. 22 to No. 9 in the first AP Top 25 of the 2026-27 college basketball season.
That slide leaves Arizona sitting lower in the poll than it did at any point last season, outside of the preseason ranking, when it checked in at No. 13 before beating Florida in the opener.
The good news for Lloyd’s team is that the calendar gives it a chance to respond quickly. Arizona’s game against Northern Arizona on Tuesday probably won’t move the needle much in next week’s poll unless things go sideways in a big way. But the Wildcats still have a stacked non-conference slate ahead to start repairing both their national standing and their NCAA Tournament resume.
First up after Northern Arizona is Auburn on Friday, a road test that doesn’t come with a ranking this week - the Tigers didn’t receive any votes in the AP Poll - but still offers Arizona a chance to take on a quality opponent early.
Then comes one of the biggest chances on the schedule: No. 4 UConn visits Tucson on Wednesday, Nov.
- Arizona beat the Huskies 71-67 in Storrs last year, and Dan Hurley will be looking for payback.
The Wildcats also have marquee matchups later in the non-conference slate against No. 13 St.
John’s on Dec. 5 at Madison Square Garden and No. 19 Arkansas on Dec. 19 in Phoenix before Big 12 play begins.
The Big 12 showed its depth in the Week 1 poll, with five ranked teams overall and one of them, No. 8 Houston, sitting ahead of Arizona.
Kansas came in at No. 15, Texas Tech at No. 16 and BYU at No. 23, while Iowa State (57 votes), Baylor (14) and TCU (13) also received votes.
Beyond the rankings, Arizona is still waiting on a potentially important off-court development. For the Wildcats to hit their ceiling this season - not just another Final Four, but a national championship - RJ Godfrey needs to have his eligibility granted, and soon.
Godfrey, a 6-foot-8 forward who averaged 12.0 points and 5.3 rebounds last year for the Tigers, is suing the Arizona Board of Regents rather than the NCAA in an attempt to force certification of his eligibility. The case has a hearing scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 6, in Pima County, and Godfrey could secure a TRO in time for Arizona’s matchup with Northern Arizona, which tips at 7:00 PM MST on ESPN+.
In Other News...
Arizonas Utah Test Could Reshape The Wildcats Entire Bowl Outlook
Arizonas win over TCU on Friday night gave the Wildcats another boost in a season that has already started to tilt in a promising direction. The late pooch kick that set up the game-winning field goal was the kind of finish that can change the feel of a November stretch run, and it comes with Arizona now sitting in a more favorable bowl position after Week 10 projections.
CBS currently has the Wildcats headed to the Las Vegas Bowl, and the next two weeks will go a long way toward determining whether that picture holds. The biggest swing game is still ahead on November 14, when Arizona hosts No. 2 Utah on FOX, a matchup that could reshape not just the rest of the regular season but the way the postseason path looks when the dust settles. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Kept Its Big 12 Dream Alive In Wild Fashion
Arizonas Big 12 hopes are still breathing after a wild 29-28 win over TCU at Casino Del Sol Stadium, a game that had the feel of a season-turning moment long after the final whistle. Isaiah Mizell helped get the offense moving with a touchdown catch, Noah Fifita settled in after halftime, and Michael Salgado-Medina kept Arizona close with three field goals in a game where every possession seemed to matter.
The finish only added to the drama, with the defense needing one more stand to make the comeback count. Tyrese Boss came up with the late interception that put the finishing touch on a night Arizona badly needed, and the result keeps the Wildcats in the hunt as the conference race tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Arizonas Last Tune-Up Carries One Big RJ Godfrey Question
Arizonas final tune-up before the schedule tightens up comes Tuesday night at McKale Center, where Northern Arizona is on the docket and the Wildcats are looking to sharpen a lineup that will soon be tested by Auburn and UConn. It is the kind of early-season game that usually serves as a clean checkpoint, a chance to sort rotations, tighten execution and get a better read on where the roster stands heading into a much more demanding stretch.
The bigger subplot, though, is whether transfer RJ Godfrey will be available for what would be his season debut. His status hinges on a legal hearing set for Tuesday in Pima County, leaving Arizona in a holding pattern as it prepares for its in-state matchup. If the timing breaks the right way, the Wildcats could have another piece in place just as the competition starts to ramp up. [Read more 🡒]