Arizona Football Colleges: A Comprehensive Overview
Arizona boasts a vibrant college football scene, primarily represented by two major universities: the University of Arizona (UA) and Arizona State University (ASU). Both institutions have a rich history of competitive football, strong athletic programs, and passionate fan bases. This article delves into the details of Arizona's football colleges, exploring their history, achievements, rivalries, and overall sports culture.
University of Arizona Wildcats
The Arizona Wildcats represent the University of Arizona, located in Tucson. They compete in the NCAA's Division I (FBS). Beginning August 2, 2024, the University of Arizona will participate in the Big 12 Conference alongside former Pac-12 members Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah.
History and Conference Affiliations
Arizona joined the Pac-8 in 1978 along with Arizona State University, bringing the conference to 10 teams and the new name of the Pac-10 (the conference became the Pac-12 with the additions of Colorado and Utah in 2011). The school colors are cardinal red and navy blue since 1900, though originally sage green and silver.
Traditions and Mascots
The official fight song is "Fight! Wildcats! Fight!", though "Bear Down, Arizona!" is more commonly used and "Bear Down" is the university's slogan. The first sport to bring national recognition to UA was polo. The UA polo team faced Princeton University for the intercollegiate title and lost 6-2 and 8-0. The university mascots are anthropomorphized wildcats named Wilbur and Wilma. The identities of Wilbur and Wilma are kept secret through the year as the mascots appear only in costume, except typically until the last home basketball game of the year. Then, at halftime, Wilbur and Wilma are exposed. In 1986, Wilbur and Wilma, a longtime couple, were married. Arizona's first mascot was a real desert bobcat named "Rufus Arizona", introduced in 1915 and named after the university's president at the time, Rufus B.
The "Duel in the Desert" and Other Rivalries
A strong athletic rivalry exists between the University of Arizona Wildcats and Arizona State University Sun Devils, the state's only two Division I-FBS teams. The rivalry has been recognized as one of the most bitter rivalries in college sports. Both schools compete in the State Farm Territorial Cup Series, a head-to-head competition in 18 different sports. The football rivalry, nicknamed "The Duel in the Desert," is the oldest rivalry game in college football that features a trophy. The trophy awarded after each football game is the Territorial Cup. The teams first played in 1899, while the Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States.
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The University of Arizona holds the all-time record (versus Arizona State) in all 3 major men's sports. Rivalries have also been created with other Pac-12 teams, especially University of California, Los Angeles which has been a consistent softball rival and was Arizona's main men's basketball rival from the late 1980s to the present. Arizona has two dormant rivalries with two other former Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association members, the New Mexico Lobos and Texas Tech Red Raiders, with the latter being a Big 12 opponent starting in 2024. Although Arizona remained in the Border Conference until it folded in 1961, New Mexico and Texas Tech withdrew from the Border Conference in 1952 and 1956 respectively. Both football programs remained on Arizona's schedule annually until the late 1970s, even though Texas Tech was a member of the Southwest Conference and New Mexico was a member of the Skyline Eight. In 1962, Arizona and New Mexico once again became conference rivals as charter members of the Western Athletic Conference. The Kit Carson Rifle was a traveling trophy exchanged between the Wildcats and Lobos from 1938 though 1990.
Football Program History
The football team began at the University of Arizona in 1899 under the nickname "Varsity" (a name kept until the 1914 season when the team earned the name "Wildcats"). During the 1980s under coach Larry Smith, Arizona began a resurgence of winning and was notably successful in the 1990s under Dick Tomey and his dominant "Desert Swarm" defense that was characterized by tough, hard-nosed tactics. During the 1992 season, the team used the “Swarm” to upset Washington. In 1993, the Wildcats had their first 10-win season and captured a share of the Pac-10 title, and drubbed the powerhouse Miami Hurricanes in the 1994 Fiesta Bowl by a score of 29-0. In 1998, Arizona posted a school-record 12-1 season and made the 1998 Holiday Bowl in which it defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers Despite a stellar season, the Wildcats lost to UCLA during the regular season that prevented an outright Pac-10 title and Rose Bowl appearance. After mediocre seasons in 1999 and 2000, Tomey stepped down as coach after the latter season. The Wildcats would decline in wins during most of the 2000s after Tomey resigned. His successor, John Mackovic took over in 2001 and would become a disaster for the program, as he mistreated and abused players while continuously losing games, all of which led to his firing in 2003. In 2004, Arizona hired Mike Stoops, brother of then-Oklahoma coach Bob, to take over the program. Stoops would rebuild the team from 2004 to 2007 and earn signature wins during each of these seasons. In 2008, Stoops led the Wildcats to a win over BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl, which was both their first bowl game and winning season in a decade. Arizona would become both Pac-10 and Rose Bowl contenders in 2010 before playing poorly late in that season. After Arizona continued to struggle in 2011, Stoops was fired as coach due to the inability to win. Former West Virginia and Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez was hired to lead the Wildcats in 2012. Using Rodriguez’s spread offense attack, the Wildcats would earn bowl victories in his first two seasons. In 2014, the Wildcats continued to excel on offense and won the Pac-12 South Division. However, they would lose big to Oregon in the conference championship game that prevented Arizona from earning a possible trip to the inaugural College Football Playoff. They instead ended up appearing in the Fiesta Bowl, losing to Boise State. The Wildcats finished the 2014 season with a record of 10-4 (7-2 Pac-12), achieving only the third 10-win season in program history. Arizona was unable to duplicate the success from 2014 in the 2015-17 seasons, and Rodriguez was dismissed for issues occurring off the field at the conclusion of the 2017 season. Kevin Sumlin, the ex-Houston and Texas A&M coach, replaced Rodriguez in 2018. However, he was unable to meet expectations and was fired after the 2020 season. Jedd Fisch was hired as the next coach for 2021. He would go into rebuilding mode and in 2023, he led Arizona to their fourth ten-win season and defeated Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl. After the season concluded, Fisch was hired by Washington to take over as head coach, which forced Arizona to find his successor. San Jose State coach Brent Brennan was hired as the new Wildcat head coach in 2024.
Other Notable Sports Programs
The baseball team is consistently one of the top teams in the country and has captured four national championship titles in 1976, 1980, 1986, and 2012. Arizona's baseball teams have appeared in the NCAA College World Series more than fifteen times. The men's basketball team has been one of the nation's most successful programs since Lute Olson was hired as head coach in 1983 and was known as a national powerhouse in Division I men's basketball. From 1988 to 2007, the team amassed 20 consecutive 20-win seasons. Arizona reached the NCAA tournament in 25 consecutive years from 1985 to 2009. In 1997, Arizona defeated the University of Kentucky, the defending national champions, to win the NCAA National Championship. Their championship team was led by future NBA players Mike Bibby and Michael Dickerson, as well as Final Four MVP Miles Simon. Bennett Davison and A. J. Bramlett rounded out the starting five. Other team members include Jason Terry, Eugene Edgerson and Josh Pastner. They defeated three number-one seeds in the same tournament: Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky in the Championship Game. After 25 years of coaching Arizona, Lute Olson retired shortly before the 2008-2009 season, largely due to on-going health issues. After several years of coaching by interim head coaches, Arizona named Sean Miller, formerly the head coach of Xavier, as the Wildcats head coach. The women's basketball program began intercollegiate play in 1972. Before that, it was an intramural sport. It has spent most of its history under the shadow of its men’s counterpart, though it has become more successful in recent years. The team has twice been runner-up in the Pac-10 (forerunner of the Pac-12) Conference Tournament and has made seven appearances in NCAA tournaments, and gone abroad to play in four foreign countries. The program has had nine coaches in its fifty-plus years, with Becky Burke as head coach since 2025. In 2021, under Adia Barnes, Arizona advanced to their first-ever Final Four. The university's golf teams have also been notably successful. The men's team won a national championship in 1992. Open champion attended the University of Arizona prior to turning professional in 1992. The men's team has won three Pac-12 Conference championships (1987, 1991, 2004). The women's team is one of the most successful in all of collegiate golf. They have won three national championships in 1996, 2000, and 2018. Annika Sörenstam won an individual national title in 1991, and Lorena Ochoa was NCAA Women's Player of the Year in 2001 and 2002 before leaving UA early to turn pro. The Arizona softball program has arguably been the best college softball program over the last 20 years. The softball team has won eight NCAA Women's College World Series titles, in 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2006 and 2007 under head coach Mike Candrea (NCAA Softball Championship). The team has appeared in the NCAA National Championship in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007 and 2010, a feat second only to UCLA. Olympic softball team to a gold medal in Athens, Greece & 2008 led the team to a silver medal in Beijing, China. Following the 2021 season, Candrea announced his retirement after the 35th season as head coach. The women's triathlon team debuted in 2023 and captured a national championship in 2024, and 2025, in USA Triathlon. Coach Golembiewski retired after 32 seasons as coach and general manager of the team at the conclusion of the 2010-2011 season. The program was reorganized in 2011 under new head coach Sean Hogan. The team changed its name to the university's official 'Wildcats' name and changed the managerial structure in the whole organization. For the majority of the program's existence, the ice hockey team has competed independent of a conference. The IceCats were originally part of the Intercollegiate Pacific Conference, and later Pacific Hockey Conference, from 1980 until the formation of the ACHA in 1991. Beginning in the 2013-14 season, the team will join the newly formed Western Collegiate Hockey League (WCHL). Founded in 1969, the University of Arizona rugby program plays in the PAC Rugby Conference against its conference rivals such as Arizona State and Utah. The Wildcats have become one of the most successful college rugby programs in the country. The Wildcats reached the quarterfinals of the 2010 national collegiate rugby championships. The Wildcats reached the playoffs in 2013, but lost in an upset to Long Beach. The Wildcats have a successful rugby sevens program. Developed in 2014 and founded in 2015, the CO-ED competition cheerleading team was created to give individuals who participated in 4 person stunt groups and competitions a chance to represent the school. The team competes at national levels at the NCA national college competition in Daytona Florida, the USA national college competition in Anaheim California, and more. In 2020, the team placed 2nd in the Virtual Daytona competition and won 1st in the virtual national college classic competition. They have also won the club sport of the year award for the UofA two years in a row, as well as their coach Nicole Dudas receiving the club sports coach of the year award in 2021. The team is separate from the sideline team seen at football games, as they focus more on competing at a national level.
Facilities
Casino Del Sol Stadium, built in 1928, seats over 56,000 patrons. It's the home for the University of Arizona Wildcats football team, and has also been used for university graduations. The bermuda grass turf taken from the local Tucson National Golf Club was removed following the 2012 season and replaced with artificial turf. Arizona football's home record is 258-139-12. One of the two bells rescued from the USS Arizona after the attack on Pearl Harbor has a permanent home in the clock tower of the Student Union Memorial Center on campus. The bell first arrived on campus in July 1946. The University of Arizona marching band, named The Pride of Arizona, played at the halftime of the first Super Bowl. J.C. McKale Center, opened in 1973, is currently used by men's and women's basketball, women's gymnastics, and women's volleyball. The official capacity has changed often. The largest crowd to see a game in McKale was 15,176 in 1976 for a game against the University of New Mexico, a main rival during that period. In 2000, the floor in McKale was dubbed Lute Olson Court, for the basketball program's winningest coach. During a memorial service in 2001 for Lute's wife, Bobbi, who died earlier that year after a battle with ovarian cancer, the floor was renamed Lute and Bobbi Olson Court. In addition to the playing surface, McKale Center is host to the offices of the UA athletic department. McKale Center is named after J.F.
"Bear Down, Arizona!"
In 1952, Jack K. Lee, an applicant for the UA's band directorship, departed Tucson by air following an interview with UA administration. From his airplane window, Lee observed the huge letters on the roof of the UA gymnasium reading "BEAR DOWN". Inspired, Lee scribbled down what was at first a poem, but later turned into a song. By the time his plane landed, he had virtually finished it. A few weeks later Lee was named the UA band director, and in September 1952, the UA band performed "Bear Down, Arizona!" in public for the first time. The day before the first game of the 1926 football season, Salmon and three friends were involved in an automobile accident and their vehicle flipped over a ravine. In the aftermath of the accident, football coach Pop McKale visited him in the hospital every day. The following year, the University of Arizona student body approved that "Bear Down" would be the new slogan for all Wildcat athletic teams.
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