Less than 48 hours after cruising to a season-opener victory, Arizona (1-0) is already shifting its attention to arguably its biggest test of the season – a Week 2 Big 12 matchup against the BYU Cougars (1-0). By the time the AP Poll is released on Tuesday, September 8, Kalani Sitake’s crew will be ranked no less than 14th in the nation after rolling Utah Tech 63-7 last week, proving the Wildcats with an early opportunity to earn a resume-boosting road upset. As Arizona gears up for the early season challenge, Brent Brennan met with the media on Monday to preview what the Wildcats need to do to take down BYU on national television in Provo on Saturday.
The Cougars, alongside the ASU Sun Devils and Kansas State Wildcats, are one of just three Big 12 teams Arizona will face in each of its first three seasons in the league – though the Kansas State matchups did not count as conference games. But despite the familiarity with Sitake and BYU, which defeated the Wildcats 33-27 in double overtime in Tucson last season, Brennan says trying to use last season’s game as motivation isn’t a sustainable strategy. Instead, Brennan is challenging his Wildcats to focus on their process this week instead of dwelling in the past.
“Last year’s game is last year’s game. We have 50 new players, and I’m sure they have a bunch new also. So we’re really not focused on that one as much as you might think, that one’s in the past, and I don’t have a time machine, so we’re focusing on right now.”
“I think this is all about tomorrow’s practice and what are we going to do with that? Really for our team, how serious are they going to be about their recovery today? What can they find in the extra, in between, [and] unrequired today that gives us a chance to play good football, or the kind of football we want to play on Saturday?”
The Wildcats aren’t going to focus on last season’s heartbreaking loss, but there are plenty of things they can garner from the previous two matchups, especially the last time they went to Provo in 2024. Brennan understands the environment will be hostile, but says that it can’t be excuse for miscues by Arizona.
“I didn’t feel like the crowd was a problem in ’24. I felt like we didn’t play very well. Do you know what I mean? I think that we turned the ball over too many times. I think that’s a very separate issue.”
“They have a great crowd there, and that part of it I respect, and we know that going in there. And I think that’s one of those things that, if you let that be an excuse, it will be. So we’re there to go and play good football. We’re there to go and attack this opportunity that’s in front of us, playing a top 15 team on the road, and we can’t wait to do it.”
Oct. 11, 2025.
Photo by Mike Christy / Arizona Athletics
Physicality and energetic crowds are almost a guarantee when playing BYU, but the other constant of the Wildcats’ previous two matchups with the Cougars has been the play of running back LJ Martin. The El Paso, TX native and reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year has bullied Arizona in the previous two matchups, and while Arizona knows it won’t be able to neutralize him on Saturday, it does hope to contain him.”
“When you play these guys, you know it’s going to be a physical game. And then their running back is a total stud, right? He’s powerful. He can finish runs. He’s hard to break down. We got to get population to the football. One guy’s not going to get him down, and so you’ve got to get him on the ground. And he’s a really, really impressive player.”
The best way to limit Martin’s production on Saturday? With a finely tuned defensive game plan, something defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales has been joking – or maybe not – that has been in the works since the day the 2025 season ended.
“That’s Danny speaking for Danny. Our team last week was worried about NAU. BYU was not part of the conversation a week ago because we weren’t playing them. Now we’re playing them. The game last year, to lose in double overtime here, the way we did, it was heartbreaking. But that was last year. In terms of us getting ready for this one now, that that’s where our hearts and minds are at.”
Regardless of if game-planning for BYU began back in January, started over the summer, or begins this week, expect Arizona to come out on Saturday with a level of focus and execution above the last two matchups with BYU.