Arizona now has the framework of its schedule for the upcoming 2020 season, and while there could still be some tweaks and changes we now know who the Wildcats will face this year if there is a college football season. The Pac-12 decided to go to a conference-only slate for the season amid the coronavirus pandemic. Teams in the league will play the teams they had been scheduled to play this year already in addition to one other conference opponent that was added to make it an even 10 games for each team.
There were some tweaks for UA that included flipping the first and last Pac-12 games of the year plus the addition of Cal to the schedule. Here is a closer look at what we think the five biggest and most important games of the season will be for Kevin Sumlin and his squad heading into his third season at the helm for the Wildcats.
No. 1 — vs Arizona State (Week 1 - Sept. 26)
2019 result: 24-14 UA loss
Rather than playing their in-state rival at the end of the season during Thanksgiving Weekend, Arizona will now play Arizona State to open the season. That hasn't happened since the middle of the last century, but the move was done to allow some flexibility for both teams should either one not be ready to play come the start of the season. So, it is still possible that the game gets moved to the fourth week of the season or to the end of the year during what is currently an open week for all the Pac-12 teams in December. No matter when it is played it will be a big opportunity for the Wildcats. ASU has become a bit of a darling in the league behind head coach Herm Edwards but the results have not quite been there just yet through his first two seasons. The expectations this season are higher than they have been and UA simply needs to have a victory over the Sun Devils to break a losing streak that has now grown to three games including Sumlin's first two matchups with the program's rival. The challenge will be a big one for the Wildcats if the game does take place in the first week of the season considering it will be the first under new coordinator Paul Rhoads who is installing a new 3-4 scheme this year.
