Revenge game? Arizona seeks to derail BYU's football season early in 2026

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The last time the BYU Cougars and Arizona Wildcats met on the gridiron ended with a stunning result. Kalani Sitake's team saw double in the mid-season match-up. They came back from a double-digit deficit to beat Arizona in double overtime. BYU's 33-27 win kept their perfect season intact at 6-0 and started a two-game spin-out for the Wildcats, losing to Houston the following week.

After feeling the agony of defeat, Arizona wants to make BYU feel the pain this time around. There was one theme that was consistently discussed by the Wildcats players ahead of this week's game. It's clear Brent Brennan's team has this one circled on the calendar as a revenge contest.

“It was a sour feeling," Arizona running back Kedrick Reescano said about the loss. “I think it still gets to a lot of us. Losing that game last year was one of the hardest things that we went through as a team, and being able to go forward and get another opportunity at them, a lot of us have been preparing for this moment.”

This game means more for both sides early in the season. For BYU, the preseason projections have them firmly in the conversation for this year's College Football Playoff. A first-ever trip to the postseason bracket would mark a significant milestone in Sitake's career and put BYU Football back on the national map.

As for Arizona, being just outside the Big 12's top-tier isn't where they want to be this season. A win over BYU would prove they belong as one of the top four teams in the conference. It would also force teams to reconsider their approach towards the Wildcats later in the season.

Make no mistake about it, this is going to be a slug fest in Provo on Saturday. Arizona is upset about how last year's game ended and BYU is always going to come full throttle. Brennan already knows what to expect from this match-up. He's expecting a loud environment at LaVell Edwards Stadium.

“It’s been one of the best teams in the conference for the last few years,” Brennan said. “They have outstanding players in lots of different positions. They’re very well coached, and so this is a big-time football game.”

BYU's two-headed offensive monster of quarterback Bear Bachmeier and running back LJ Martin will lead the charge against Arizona. The duo combined for 423 yards of total offense and four touchdowns against Arizona last year. Bachmeier ran for a 7-yard touchdown in the second overtime, and BYU's defense stopped the Wildcats on the ensuing drive.

Expect Bachmeier and Martin to carry a majority of the load once again. Arizona will be rolling with Noah Fifita on the other side. The BYU defense had no sacks on the veteran QB last year, which is one aspect they hope to change this year.

No. 15 BYU welcomes Arizona into Provo on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is scheduled at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX.