Arizona enters its third year in the Big 12 Conference this summer, with plenty of success for its programs since joining the new conference.
Since joining the Big 12, some of the Wildcats’ biggest accomplishments include a nine-win football season, regular-season and Big 12 Tournament men’s basketball championships, a men’s Final Four appearance, and a College World Series berth from their baseball team. Yet, one aspect that was lost in the dismembering of the PAC-12 was the Wildcats’ rivalries.
Nov 28, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Luke Wysong (15) stiff arms Arizona State Sun Devils cornerback Joseph Smith (22) in the first half during the 99th Territorial Cup at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Sure, they still have the season finale against Arizona State each year, but many of the others are now in different conferences. In the new look Big 12, it’s up to the teams to create and embrace new rivalries. Here are a few that would make sense for Arizona.
Jan 2, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Brent Brennan reacts against the SMU Mustangs in the first half during the Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Texas Tech Red Raiders
The Red Raiders have stormed to the top of the Big 12, so why not take on the challenge? Historically, Arizona and Texas Tech have delivered an ultra-competitive football series, with some great finishes, splitting their 28 overall meetings at 14 wins apiece. They’ve only played each other twice since 1989, but with both programs on a rapid rise, it makes plenty of sense to pit these two against each other.
Texas Tech’s Ben Roberts lifts the title belt after being named most outstanding player of the Big 12 Conference championship football game, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2025, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Then, you factor in basketball, where both have been consistent top-15 programs over the last decade or so. Texas Tech was also one of two teams to beat the Wildcats during the 2025-26 regular season, and Arizona has started to get involved in more recruiting battles in Texas in a variety of sports. Eventually, that overlap could naturally create a tense rivalry.
Arizona head coach Brent Brennan walks to the end zone with his team during a game against Arizona State at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Nov. 28, 2025. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
BYU Cougars
This one is in a similar vein to Texas Tech. The Cougars are also a rising Big 12 program and reached the Big 12 Football Championship game last season. While BYU has had the advantage in recent seasons, last year’s double-overtime thriller gave Arizona added motivation heading into 2026, and that could be the start of a great football rivalry.
The two schools also have great basketball history and have played some classics over the years. They even played one down to the wire in February, which ended with an iconic moment when Arizona freshman guard Brayden Burries rejected BYU’s game-winning shot.
Nov 28, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Brent Brennan against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the 99th Territorial Cup at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Houston Cougars
The jury is still out on the Houston football program, but it made strides in 2025 and has the potential to rise like the other programs mentioned in this article. And as Arizona’s footprint extends further into Texas’s major recruiting areas, there will be off-the-field battles with the Cougars as well, potentially creating captivating storylines down the road.
Mar 14, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Houston Cougars guard Mercy Miller (25) drives to the hoop past Arizona Wildcats guard Anthony Dell’orso (3) during the second half during the men’s Big 12 Conference Tournament Championship at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images
For now, the concentration of this potential rivalry remains on the hardwood. Houston has been one of the most successful basketball teams in the Big 12 since it joined, winning back-to-back conference titles in 2024 and 2025. Arizona was the team to end that run this season, and with both teams possessing Final Four-caliber talent and coaching for the foreseeable future, there are undoubtedly some epic battles on the way. It almost makes too much sense.
Arizona head coach Brent Brennan celebrates during a game against Arizona State at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Nov. 28, 2025. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas and Arizona have similar athletic program profiles. They’re both known more for their basketball programs than anything else, but they’ve also had their moments in the sun on the football field. Entering this season, Kansas has the overall advantage in basketball wins, while Arizona has the slight upper hand on the gridiron.
Like Houston, the basketball rivalry will drive this series, and their two games in 2026 were a great indication of what it can be. Kansas was the first team to beat Arizona this season, and when the Wildcats needed to return the favor a few weeks later on their home court, that’s exactly what they did. Expect that to be a regular occurrence going forward.
Nov 28, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Brent Brennan against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the 99th Territorial Cup at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Utah Utes
This is a bit of a carryover from the PAC-12. In the PAC-12, Utah was a consistent conference football title contender, but it took some adjusting to get there in the new conference. Still, Utah won 11 games last season and is a tough opponent for anyone while remaining a prime example of what hard work can do. In many ways, Arizona is hoping to build a similar program, and they need each other. That’s what makes this rivalry make even more sense, outside of the previous conference ties.
Sep 28, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes wide receiver Dorian Singer (3) jumps for a pass defended by Arizona Wildcats defensive back Emmanuel Karnley (23) during the second quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images
However, it would need to pick up the basketball. Utah was the last-place team in the Big 12 this season, but it has had some great teams in the past. Still, the Utes aren’t up to par with the Wildcats and the others on this list in that department, so there’s still work to do to make this a formidable rivalry.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/arizona as Potential Growing Big 12 Rivalries Arizona Should Embrace.
