Arizona football eyes revenge against BYU after 'heartbreaking' loss in Tucson

PROVO, Utah — Before Arizona linebacker Chase Kennedy played for the Wildcats, he started his college journey at Utah, which is about an hour up the road from BYU. 

The Utah-BYU rivalry, also known as the "Holy War," is one of the fiercest football rivalries on the West Coast. 

“It's called the ‘Holy War,’ but when we talked about it, it wasn't so holy,” Kennedy joked. 

The all-time series between Arizona and BYU doesn't have the history and traditions like the Holy War, which includes a Beehive Boot for the winner, but the Wildcats and Cougars have an interesting history with each other, especially the last 20 years, with Arizona beating BYU in the 2008 Las Vegas Bowl and losing five straight since then, including a 41-19 beatdown in Provo two years ago and a double-overtime nail-biter last season.   

Since becoming conference opponents for the first time since the WAC days in the late 1970s, the Arizona-BYU matchups will be more common. The matchup between No. 15 BYU and Arizona at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday will be the third installment of the series as Big 12 opponents.

It could be a launching pad for both teams in the conference championship picture — and quarterback Noah Fifita's Heisman Trophy campaign. 

“Everybody in America should watch that game,” Arizona head coach Brent Brennan said at Big 12 Media Days in July. “It's going to be one of the best games of the whole weekend.” 

Fifita said the Arizona-BYU game has “been circled because you get to go back to Provo and we know that stadium is going to be on fire.”

“You know that team is going to be physical and great,” added Arizona's quarterback. “We're looking forward to that one. We gotta get our get-back from last year. We're definitely excited for that one.” 

Brennan said last season's contest, “to lose in double overtime here, the way we did, it was heartbreaking.”

“But that was last year,” Brennan said. “In terms of getting ready for this one now, that’s where our hearts and minds are at. ... Last year’s game is last year’s game. We have 50 new players and I’m sure they also have a bunch of new players, so we’re really not focused on that one as much as you might think. That one is in the past and I don’t have a time machine. We’re focused on right now.”

Brennan didn't sugarcoat the magnitude of Saturday's game. A win would put the Wildcats on the map. Worst-case scenario: the Wildcats lose to “one of the best teams in the conference for the last few years,” Brennan said.

“They have outstanding players at lots of different positions,” he added. “They’re very well-coached. This is a big-time football game. This is going to be a great football game. We get to go on the road and play in front of a tough environment and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

It’s a rarity for BYU to lose at home nowadays. The Cougars are 12-1 at home since 2024, which is the best home record by any Big 12 team during that time, followed by Texas Tech (13-2), Arizona State (12-2), Iowa State (11-3), Kansas State (10-3), TCU (9-4) and Arizona (10-5).

“It’s going to be loud as hell,” said Arizona defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales.

Brennan said the atmosphere at LaVell Edwards Stadium didn't contribute to the Wildcats committing four turnovers, including three interceptions by Fifita, in 2024. 

“I don’t feel like the crowd was a problem in ‘24,” Brennan said. “I felt like we didn’t play very well. We turned the ball over too many times. That’s a very separate issue. They have a great crowd, though. That part of it I respect — and we know that going in there. If you let that be an excuse, it will be.

“We’re there to go play good football. We’re there to attack the opportunity that’s in front us — against a top-15 team on the road. And we can’t wait to do it.”

Added Kennedy: “It's a fun environment, loud and it can be hostile if you let it be. It's just football at the end of the day.” 

If the Wildcats pull off the upset, it will be the first time Arizona has won in Provo since 1975, which was the last time it had a first-team all-conference quarterback in Bruce Hill. Fifita earned first-team All-Big 12 honors 50 years after Hill's last season at Arizona. The last time Arizona beat BYU, Rob Gronkowski was catching touchdowns for the Wildcats before a prolific pro career. 

Plus, a win would make Arizona 13-14-1 against BYU after losing five straight to the Cougars. Usually a rivalry isn't a one-sided affair, but the Wildcats have lost four games to the Cougars by one possession. Arizona hopes to change that and avenge its double-overtime loss in Tucson, one of three one-possession losses in Arizona's 9-4 season last year.  

“I don't know if it's a rivalry, but we want to get the taste out of our mouth,” Kennedy said. “It'll be a good road win to start the season, honestly. We just look at it game-by-game, week-by-week and we'll be 2-0 moving on to the next week.”

Said Gonzales: “Let’s have a hell of a time, because it’s one of the cleanest and one of the neatest places to go play a football game. I know we need to practice, but gosh dang it, I wish the game was tomorrow (Wednesday), because I’m excited as hell to watch these two teams — these two great football teams — try and kill each other. I hope the referees keep the flags in their pockets and let them try and kill each other and see who wins at the end of the game. It’ll be fantastic.”