The 2026 college football season is around the corner and anticipation is at an all-time high. Despite all the changes to the sport in recent years, traditions have never changed. Whether it is starting off the day watching ESPN’s “College Gameday” or waking up to your team’s fight song, traditions come in all shapes and sizes.
Arizona is coming off a 9-4 season and it brings back Heisman hopeful redshirt senior quarterback Noah Fifita. Wildcat fans are seeing visions of a Big 12 Championship game
appearance, and will have seven chances to see “Team 123.”
To maximize your experience in Tucson, here is how to best experience a college football game at Arizona:
Gameday essentials
First things first, make sure to buy the tickets of your liking. If you want your ideal seating it is best to buy your tickets early. Especially with the high expectations for this season’s team, tickets should be flying off the shelf.
Once the tickets are secured, now it is time to prepare for the game theme. Every game this season has a theme and/or fan color coordination. To be fully prepared, here is the breakdown for every game theme/fan color coordination for the 2026 season.
Whether it is a “Redout,” “Whiteout,” or a throwback game, it is always highly encouraged to take part in the themes. If all else fails, make sure to wear either red, white, or blue.
A key to any game day experience is being safe, and that can come in different forms. For literal day game days, it is important to put sunscreen to combat the extreme Tucson heat. Water is also very crucial to staying properly hydrated, regardless of the game is during the day or night.
Casino Del Sol Stadium is also a clear-bag stadium, so if you are wanting to bring a bag to the game make sure it is clear and within the size dimensions (12” x 6” x 12”). Once you have all said items, you are ready to head over to campus and join the buzz.
Tailgating options
When you arrive on campus you might be feeling a bit hungry and the good news is that there are many options to choose from. Option one would be to walk down the mall and take part in tailgating.
Almost every tailgating spot will have your classic burgers and hot dogs, but if you want the true Tucson experience you will need to find a spot that is serving Sonoran style hot dogs. After enjoying some food, make sure to play some cornhole or simply just throw a football around.
A second option if you want to go somewhere to sit down and maybe watch some other games going on around the country is to head to University Boulevard. There you can find many options to eat such as Gentle Ben’s, No Anchovies, and Illegal Pete’s. After deciding on a place to eat before the game, it is time to start taking part in some of the traditions Arizona has.
The Wildcat Walk/Pregame
Roughly two hours and 15 minutes before kickoff, the football team arrives on the corner of Cherry Avenue and University Avenue for the Wildcat Walk. Fans get to welcome the team and have a chance to high-five the players as they walk to the locker room inside Casino Del Sol Stadium.
Not only do you get to see the team, the Pride of Arizona also welcomes the team to the stadium while performing Arizona’s fight song “Bear Down Arizona.” Fans will also get a chance to see and take pictures with the most beloved Wildcats on campus, Wilbur and Wilma.
Following the conclusion of the Wildcat Walk, there is still a good amount of time before kickoff so you can either get back to tailgating or head inside the stadium early. The ideal time to get inside would be about half an hour before kickoff.
30 minutes before kickoff gives fans enough time for many different options. Around the stadium you can get some pre-game snacks or head to food truck alley which features another Tucson specialty “Eegee’s.”
If no pre-game snacks are necessary, then attention should be turned to the field. At this point the team will be warming up and eventually the band will come out to perform.
All the pomp and circumstance leads up to the band forming the “Block A” and then forming a runway for the team to run out through. In recent seasons, there are usually parachuters that fly in and land on the field to deliver the game ball before the team runs out. As the team runs out, an enormous display of fireworks shoots out and now kickoff is all that is left.
In-game traditions
Before Arizona receives a kickoff, fans are prompted to get out their keys and jingle them as the Wildcats’ offense is set to go on a drive. Any time Arizona’s defense is primed to get a third down stop, Casino Del Sol Stadium gets as loud as it possibly can to help throw off the offense.
In between the first and second quarter, the cheer team comes out with U, OF, and A signs and a stadium wide “U of A” chant goes around the stadium. In between game and TV timeouts there are t-shirt tosses, prize competitions, and various “fan-cams.”
During halftime, there is always the band performance but on occasion there are other performers that join in. Other performers include local mariachi and folklórico, cheer teams, and youth football teams that put on halftime games.
Heading into the fourth quarter, fireworks shoot off from the Lowell-Stevens Football Facility and a light show gets the fans going for a fourth quarter rally. There is a new tradition that has surfaced not only in Tucson but around the country.
Around the start of the fourth quarter fans start to head to a corner of the stadium (usually the highest seats) where fans start waving around their t-shirts as a rally section. Last season, this tradition helped Arizona rally to beat both Kansas and Baylor.
Postgame celebrations
Following a Wildcats win, there are many ways to celebrate. Staying on campus, the band has one final performance in front of the administration building where there is the victory bell from the USS Arizona.
After the band performance, heading back to University Boulevard to celebrate with more of Wildcat Nation is always a fun option. If you want a bit more options, heading down to fourth avenue gives you a bit more of the full Tucson experience.
All in all, there is no bad way to experience an Arizona game day. It all comes down to preference, timing, and having as much fun as possible.
