In their place are true freshman QB Jackson Arnold, a top-10 recruit in the 2023 class, and co-offensive coordinators that include Seth Littrell, a one-time UA assistant under Mike Stoops who was North Texas’ head coach from 2017-22. Gabriel has since transferred to Oregon for his final season of eligibility, while Lebby is the head coach at Mississippi State. But that was with five-year vet Dillon Gabriel at quarterback and Jeff Lebby calling the plays. Oklahoma is fifth in FBS in total offense, averaging 502.4 yards per game, and third in scoring at 43.2 points per contest. Here’s what to look for when Arizona and Oklahoma battle in San Antonio: Oklahoma’s altered attack I think all they want to do now is play another team and not look at one another.” Those guys have been practicing 14, 15 times.

It has been awhile since we played a game. “I mean, the program is just getting built,” UA coach Jedd Fisch said Wednesday. A win, however, might just be the springboard the Wildcats need to take the next step into becoming a regular contender for the playoffs going into the 12-team era next year. And the UA’s opponent, Oklahoma, has the sixth-most wins (944) in college football history, with the Sooners trying to reach 11 in a season for the 28 th time in school history.Īrizona, for comparison, is seeking just the fourth 10-win season since 1930.Ī loss won’t mean Arizona’s 2023 season was any less impressive, especially considering its just over two years removed from breaking a 20-game skid. It’s a much different story this time around, as two of the three highest-ranked teams not to make a New Year’s Six bowl are clashing the night before the NY6 games begin. The game was played before Christmas and the opponent was from the Mountain West Conference. The last time the UA ended a long bowl drought, a 10-year absence in 2008, it was in the Las Vegas Bowl against BYU. That hiatus comes to an end Thursday night when No.

Not just the six years since Arizona last played in a bowl game, but also the month plus since the Wildcats’ last actual competition.

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