Arizona football goes big for Noah Fifita’s Heisman campaign with billboards

Arizona bought three billboards in Arizona to promote Fifita — two in Phoenix and one in Tucson — with the first one going up near Grant Road and Oracle Road, which is about a 10-minute drive from Casino Del Sol Stadium. The “Noah Fifita for He1sman” ad is a 12-foot-by-24-foot billboard facing the Circle K on Oracle Road.

The two billboards in the Phoenix area will be near Interstate 10 and U.S. Route 60 near Tempe, just minutes away from the Arizona State University campus. UA also purchased three bus shelter ads to promote Fifita as a Heisman candidate.

The “Clear Channel” billboard space in Tucson costs around $2,500-$3,000 per month, a source told the Star. The length of the billboard contract was not disclosed.

Last month, at Big 12 Media Days in Frisco, Texas, Arizona launched Fifita’s Heisman campaign by passing out “Noah Fifita for Hesiman” flyers to college football media members, which includes Heisman voters.

The fifth-year Fifita, a preseason All-Big 12 quarterback, is entering his final season quarterbacking the Wildcats and is currently third in UA history in all-time passing yards (9,183).

Fifita needs just over 800 passing yards to pass Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles for the program's career passing yards record. Fifita passed Foles for career touchdowns (73) last season and also set the single-season passing touchdowns (29) record. 

In his first season under offensive coordinator Seth Doege in 2025, Fifita finished third in the Big 12 with 3,228 yards, 29 touchdowns and just six interceptions — two interceptions in the final seven games of the 2025 season. 

Fifita, a Polynesian College Football Player of the Year finalist and first-team All-Big 12 selection, became the third all-time Arizona quarterback to receive first-team all-conference honors — the first in 50 years. Fifita joined Bruce Hill, who was an All-WAC first-team selection in 1975, and Ted Bland, a three-time All-Border Conference selection from 1933-35.

Fifita led the Wildcats to their second bowl appearance in three seasons and became the first UA quarterback since Foles to win the Territorial Cup twice as a starter. Fifita owns the program’s single-game passing yards record with 527 yards against Arizona State in 2023.

Arizona head coach Brent Brennan said, "Fifita definitely has a Heisman résumé." 

"Noah Fifita is the best story in college football," Brennan said. "He's an incredibly good football player, but he's also this rare human being that chooses the right things every day. He's a man of great faith. He's a great teammate. He's a great leader. He's super engaged in our community. He's got a nonprofit.

"He always finds ways to do extra, to give, and I think that's rare in today's day and age. I think so many kids are just taking all the time, and I get it, that's the culture; that's life. But this young man, he doesn't only kick ass on Saturdays, he kicks ass every single day of the week. He is as special as it gets."

Fifita currently has the 37th-best odds on FanDuel to win the Heisman Trophy this season. Six quarterbacks from the Big 12 have higher odds to win the Heisman on FanDuel: Will Hammond (Texas Tech), Bear Bachmeier (BYU), Conner Weigman (Houston), Drew Mestemaker (Oklahoma State), Devon Dampier (Utah) and Avery Johnson (Kansas State).

"In my opinion, he doesn't get the national attention he deserves," Doege said of Fifita. "This guy is a Heisman Trophy candidate, there's no question about it. There's only one guy selected first-team All-Big 12, and that was Noah Fifita, and I feel like people forgot about that.

"I feel like I'm ranting, but I want to protect this guy because I feel like he's getting disrespected half the time. ... On the other end of that, that keeps our edge. He's been backed in the corner his whole life. That's when he plays his best, when he feels like no one believes in him, because no one has believed in him his entire life. Well, good.

"Keep not writing about him. Keep writing about these other dudes that haven't done anything just because they're big and pretty. We'll show you." 

Added Doege: "People look at him and they see a 5-8 quarterback. 'Well, he can't be that good.' Guess what? Turn the tape on. … I get a ton of text messages that say, 'Hey, man, your quarterback is a freaking dog.' He's a warrior. That's the best way to describe him, he's a warrior."

Fifita has been on multiple preseason award watch lists, including the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. Fifita is also an AllState Good Works Team nominee and was named to the Wuerffel Trophy watch list.

Fifita's foundation, "First Down Faith Foundation," honors faith, family and football — three important pillars of Fifita's life — and gives back to the Tucson community. First Down Faith Foundation has hosted two football camps at Casino Del Sol Stadium since it started last year. Their latest camp in April had about 100 middle school-aged participants, including 30 girls. 

Fifita said in April that the First Down Faith Football Camp and its purpose "is important because my purpose on this Earth isn't to play football."

"God gave me the talents; he gave me the ability and this platform to play football, which I love to do," Fifita said. "But at the end of the day, football comes and goes. We've had great seasons, and then we had a poor season. Fans come and go, stats come and go, but what got me through the good, what got me through the bad, is my faith. That's what my grandpa instilled in me.

"I hope to share with the next generation that their identity isn't in football or how popular they are in school, it's in God. That's my mission." 

Fifita was recently named a 40 under 40 winner by the Southern Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The honor recognizes rising leaders in the Tucson community.

“Super blessed and honored to receive this award,” Fifita said in a video message at the 40 Under 40 ceremony at JW Marriott Starr Pass Tuesday. “Give all glory and praise to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to my family. At the end of the day, they’re the ones that raised me to serve my community.

“Tucson has given me so much, given my family so much love, so to be able to give back in this way, to use the platform that God gave me, that’s what my purpose on this Earth is: to serve as my Lord savior Jesus Christ served, to use the platform and ability he gave me to give back to the community, so I thank you. God bless.”

Brennan sang Fifita’s praises at the awards before racing over to the Wildcats’ training camp practice Tuesday morning.

“Tell me which 22-year-old college football superstar is doing these kind of things,” Brennan said. “I don’t know of any. He’s a generational player but he is an exceptional person and his style of leadership shows up every day with our team.”