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Kansas Jayhawks head coach Lance Leipold against the Missouri Tigers at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Preview: Kansas Football vs Arizona in Big 12 Matchup

Originally posted on Kansas Jayhawks on SI
By Jack Ankony | Last updated Nov 6, 2025 1:18 PM ET

Although it's a Big 12 Conference matchup, Saturday's game between Kansas and Arizona marks the first time the teams have met since 1966.

Arizona entered a new era in 2024, joining the Big 12 and hiring head coach Brent Brennan. They've had an up-and-down year, beginning Big 12 play with a 2-3 record but winning by 35 points last week at Colorado. Going into Saturday's home game, they have a chance to secure bowl for the first time since 2023 and just the second time in the last eight seasons.

The stakes are similar for Kansas, which bounced back from blowout losses against Texas Tech and Kansas State with a 17-point win last week against the only team without a Big 12 win, Oklahoma State. That gives the Jayhawks a shot to clinch bowl eligibility on Saturday for the third time in the last four years under head coach Lance Leipold.

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Here's more information on the matchup.

How to watch Kansas vs. Arizona

Who: Kansas Jayhawks (5-4, 3-3 in Big 12) vs. Arizona Wildcats (5-3, 2-3 in Big 12)
What: Big 12 conference game
When: 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Nov. 8
Where: Arizona Stadium (50,782) in Tucson, Ariz.
TV: ESPN2
TV announcers: Mike Monaco (play-by-play), Kirk Morrison (analyst), Dawn Davenport (sideline)
Radio: Jayhawk Sports Network or SiriusXM channel 385
Radio announcers: Brian Hanni (play-by-play), David Lawrence (analyst) and Brandon McAnderson (sideline)
Point spread: Arizona is a 5.5-point favorite over Kansas, and the over/under is 56.5 points. The Wildcats' moneyline odds are -205, and the Jayhawks are +170 underdogs on the moneyline, according to the DraftKings Sportsbook on Thursday.
Recent results: Kansas lost 42-17 at home against Kansas State on Oct. 25, then won 38-21 at home against Oklahoma State on Nov. 1. Arizona lost 31-28 at Houston on Oct. 18, then won 52-17 at Colorado following a bye week.
Series history: Kansas leads the all-time series 3-2-1. The last matchup was a 35-13 Kansas victory in Tucson, Ariz. on Sept. 24, 1966. The Jayhawks are 3-1 in Tucson, with additional wins in 1949 and 1947. The first ever matchup was a 0-0 tie in 1936.
Weather: According to weather.com, it’s going to be 84 degrees and sunny with an 0% chance of rain and west-northwest winds at 3 mph Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT in Tucson, Ariz.
Coaches: In his fifth season at Kansas, Lance Leipold, 61, has a 27-32 overall record, a 16-26 record in Big 12 play and a 1-1 record in bowl games. Leipold led the Jayhawks to a nine-win season in 2023, the program's most wins since 2007. He was previously the head coach at Buffalo and Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he won six Division III national championships. Brent Brennan, 52, is in his second season at Arizona with a 9-11 overall record and a 4-10 record in Big 12 play. Brennan previously coached at San Jose State from 2017-23, where he went 34-48 overall, 25-30 in Mountain West Conference play and 0-3 in bowl games. Brennan led San Jose State to a Mountain West Conference title in 2020 and was named conference coach of the year.