When Arizona started 3-0 for the first time in 10 years, and after five games sat at 4-1, reaching a bowl game looked fairly likely. But after back-to-back losses, albeit by one score apiece and to teams with a combined 13-1 record, the prospect of a 13th game for the 2025 season isn’t as rosy.
Don’t tell that to the folks making bowl projections.
Despite the 2-game skid, Arizona heads into its second bye week still expected to secure bowl eligibility. Every major outlet has the Wildcats projected to play in one of the eleventy billion (more like 45) bowl games on tap for this winter.
At 4-3, Arizona needs to win two of its final five games to get to six. The next opportunity comes Nov. 1 at Colorado, which is 3-5 and visits Utah on Saturday. The Wildcats’ next home game is Nov. 8 vs. Kansas (4-3), followed by a visit to No. 21 Cincinnati (6-1), the home finale against Baylor (4-3) and the Territorial Cup at No. 24 ASU (5-2).
In 2023, the last time Arizona played in a bowl, it didn’t get eligible until the ninth game of the season. In 2017 bowl eligibility came after eight games.
Arizona bowl projections (as of Oct. 20)
Athlon: Sun Bowl vs. Clemson (Dec. 31, El Paso)
CBS: Rate Bowl vs. Iowa (Dec. 26, Phoenix)
ESPN: New Mexico Bowl vs. UNLV (Dec. 27, Albuquerque)
On3: LA Bowl vs. Boise State (Dec. 13, Los Angeles)