Fri Jan 02 05:50:00 UTC 2026: Summary:

The Arizona Wildcats are set to face SMU in the Holiday Bowl, aiming for their 10th win of the season and a significant year-over-year improvement. The Wildcats are riding a 5-game winning streak after experiencing back-to-back one-score losses to ranked opponents. Coach Brent Brennan highlights the “extra life” a bowl game provides to the team’s season. Arizona has a mixed history in the Holiday Bowl (1-1). Key to the game will be Arizona’s ability to contain SMU’s potent passing attack, while Arizona hopes to exploit SMU’s weak pass defense. There are no announced opt-outs for Arizona. Quarterback Noah Fifita has the opportunity to break single-season passing records.

News Article:

Wildcats Eye Historic Improvement in Holiday Bowl Showdown with SMU

SAN DIEGO, CA – The Arizona Wildcats (9-3) are poised to cap off a remarkable turnaround season as they prepare to face the SMU Mustangs (8-4) in the Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium on Friday night. Riding a wave of momentum from a 5-game winning streak, Arizona aims to secure its tenth win of the season and achieve the program’s largest year-over-year improvement in history.

The Wildcats’ resurgence echoes their 2023 season trajectory, with a November surge propelling them into bowl contention. “Since we got bowl eligible, we’ve been talking about this extra life that this team gets by getting to go to a bowl game,” said UA coach Brent Brennan. Arizona is 1-1 all-time in the Holiday Bowl, beating Nebraska in 1998 to complete a school-best 12-1 season and then getting shut out by the Cornhuskers in the 2009 game.

The game promises a clash of styles. Arizona’s defense, which has held eight consecutive opponents under 200 passing yards, faces a stiff test against SMU’s high-flying offense, ranked 12th nationally in passing. “I would say probably they’re the best offense we’ve played all season,” stated UA defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales. SMU is averaging 283.5 yards per game. Junior Kevin Jennings has thrown for 3,363 yards and 26 touchdowns

Conversely, Arizona’s passing game, led by quarterback Noah Fifita, will look to exploit SMU’s vulnerability in pass defense, which ranks near the bottom nationally. Fifita is on the verge of breaking single-season passing touchdown records and reaching career milestones.

While the possibility of players opting out for the NFL draft looms, Arizona has not announced any opt-outs for the Holiday Bowl. All eyes will be on Snapdragon Stadium as the Wildcats aim to etch their names in program history.

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