Arizona: 2026 Week 3 recap

Arizona sits at No. 31 with a 1–0 record after a dominant 35–7 home win over Northern Arizona in Week 1. The rating held steady at 9.5 despite the convincing victory, suggesting GIE viewed the opponent matchup as expected rather than revelatory. The Wildcats face a sharper test this week: a road trip to BYU on Saturday. Arizona's red-zone efficiency is a concern—converting just 12% of trips into touchdowns—and that weakness will be exposed against better defenses. The model projects 7.4 wins for the season, with playoff odds currently at 3.6%. How they handle the Big 12 slate beginning with Provo will determine whether this opening blowout represents genuine upside or a misleading baseline.