Oct 11, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats running back Quincy Craig (24) runs a first down during the first quarter of the game against the Brigham Young Cougars at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Arizona's Loss Hurts Cats in Recent Poll

Originally posted on Arizona Wildcats on SI
By Troy Hutchison | Last updated Oct 14, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Arizona wanted to get back on the right track after an underwhelming first season under Brent Brennan where the team finished 4-8 and missed a bowl game despite preseason high expectations.

Arizona (4-2, 1-2 Big 12) was looking to stay on track after an impressive 28-point win over Oklahoma State as the Wildcats faced off against No. 18 BYU, with the game on ESPN2, showcasing two of the better defensive teams in the Big 12.

The forecast called for rain and after an hour weather delay, the game lived up to the billing of a defensive grudge match with both teams coming up with clutch stops and key takeaways to keep the offenses in check.

Arizona put itself in a perfect position in the fourth quarter, up 24-14 with just over 10 minutes left in the game. However, the Wildcats saw BYU tie the game up with 19 seconds left in the game due to two pass interference calls on defensive back Michael Dansby.

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In overtime, BYU went on to fight its way to an impressive 33-27 double overtime win over Arizona and keep its undefeated streak alive. The Wildcats had an opportunity to pull off the upset but fell flat in the last minutes of regulation, which led to the overtime loss.

If Arizona were able to pull off the upset victory, the Wildcats, at the very least, would be getting votes for the recent Coaches Poll.

However, that didn’t happen and in the latest poll, Arizona was once again on the outside looking in with Ohio State remaining No. 1 following an impressive 34-16 win over Illinois on the road.

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Overall, the Big 12 as a conference has four teams in No. 8 Texas Tech, No. 14 BYU, No. 22 Utah and No. 24 Cincinnati.

With the remaining schedule and Arizona looking to get back on track, Arizona has one remaining ranked opponent on the schedule, at this point.

Still, there is potential for a Territorial Cup, top 25 showdown to close out the regular season with both teams in position to make a bowl game.

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However, looking at Saturday’s loss for Arizona, the Wildcats were right there against an undefeated team but fell short when it mattered the most.

The Wildcats will now have to recollect and brush off the heartbreaking loss because the team now will hit the road and face off against a Houston team that has been able to shock the conference with its impressive start.