The Arizona Wildcats have been playing college football since 1899, during which time they have won over 600 football games. For almost half a century the Cats have played in the Pac-12 Conference where they face off on an annual basis against powerhouse teams including Arizona State, Cal, Colorado, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington and Washington State. The goal for Arizona in 2023 is to win their division and earn a berth in the Pac-12 Championship Game. A win in the Pac-12 Champ Game could put the Cats in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day, a game the Wildcat faithful have long coveted.
The Wildcats biggest annual rivals are the Arizona State Sun Devils and New Mexico Lobos. The annual "Duel in the Desert" has the Cats playing the Sun Devils in either Tempe or Tucson. The winner of that game gets bragging rights in the State of Arizona, but also improves their chances of earning a South Division championship in the Pac-12. The winner of the Arizona vs ASU game receives the Territorial Cup trophy, which has traded back and forth many teams as the overall series history is very close. The Cats rival with New Mexico has faded a bit since they stopped playing regularly back in 1990, but these two neighboring state schools are always ready to battle when they are matched up on the field.