Preseason rank: 21st
What went wrong: New offensive identity
The offseason excitement around Arizona was justifiably focused around the star players who opted to return under new coach Brent Brennan, namely quarterback Noah Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who've been playing together since they were eighth graders in California. But there were questions about the direction of the offense.
Some Big 12 assistants wondered whether Dino Babers, the former Syracuse coach beginning his second stint as Arizona's offensive coordinator (1998 to 2000), would truly be empowered, or whether the offense would operate more like the ones Brennan had at San Jose State.
The answer is the latter, as Babers handed off playcalling duties to tight ends coach Matt Adkins after the Wildcats' first loss. The main criticism of Arizona's offense, which has fallen from 18th nationally in scoring in 2023 to 100th this season, is too much of a focus around its stars.
The Wildcats have dealt with too many injuries on a weekly basis on both sides of the ball, making it impossible to live up to expectations in their first season in the Big 12. But the rapid decline of a top-10 team in 2023 that's now mired in a four-game slide, one that could end up putting bowl eligibility out of reach, has left Brennan searching for answers. He's got a lot of work to do to get this program back on the right track.