For the second time in three weeks, Arizona will take part in a top-25 showdown with a Big 12 foe.
Arizona (7-2) is ranked No. 22 in this week’s Associated Press poll, two spots above last week. The Wildcats did just enough to beat TCU on Friday and win the confidence of AP voters, who awarded Arizona 324 points, up from 154 a week ago.
Now comes the biggest matchup of the season: a 5:30 p.m. MT kickoff against No. 2 Utah, which received 12 first-place votes this week. The Utes (9-0) are coming off a win
over rival BYU.
Arizona is looking to fare better in this top-25 game after falling to then-No. 13 Texas Tech two weeks ago in Lubbock. A win over Utah would give Arizona its first victory over a top-two team since 2014, when the Wildcats beat No. 2 Oregon on the road.
Oregon was also ranked No. 2 when the Ducks lost in Tucson in 2007.
Arizona’s AP position is not the only ranking that matters this time of year. Arizona is currently No. 24 in the College Football Playoff rankings, with the next rankings set to come out on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
Five Big 12 teams are ranked in this week’s poll: Texas Tech is No. 10, BYU is No. 12 and Houston is No. 14.
