The 2013 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats played their home games at Arizona Stadium in Tucson for the 85th straight year. The 2013 season was Arizona's third in the South Division of the Pac-12 Conference and the second for head coach Rich Rodriguez.
Before the season
Previous season
In the 2012 season, head coach Rich Rodriguez's first at Arizona, the Wildcats went 8–5 overall and 4–5 in Pac-12 play. The team defeated Nevada 49–48 in the 2012 New Mexico Bowl after trailing 48–35 with 1:48 remaining in the game.
No Arizona player was taken in the NFL draft for the first time since 2005, although three signed with teams as free agents. Quarterback Matt Scott signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, center Kyle Quinn signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, and wide receiver Dan Bucker signed with the Arizona Cardinals.
Spring practice
Arizona held fifteen spring practices from March 12 through April 13 including an hour-long scrimmage at Phoenix College on March 29. The team's defense won the scrimmage by one point after stopping the offense on its final drive. Quarterback B.J. Denker threw for four touchdowns and 176 yards. Javelle Allen had 57 yards passing and 50 through the air. Coach Rodriguez rested all-American running back Ka'Deem Carey, who appeared for only one series. Several key defensive players were held out entirely, including Jake Fischer, Marquis Flowers, Jonathan McKnight, Shaquille Richardson, C.J. Dozier, Jourdon Grandon and Dan Pettinato.
Arizona's offense won the 2013 spring game, held on April 13 in front of 4,095 at the program's practice facility, Kindall/Sancet Stadium, and televised on Pac-12 Arizona. Carey and Fischer again sat out, among others. Denker went 13–20, 246 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception; Jesse Scroggins went 6–14, 44 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception; and Jack Nykaza went 8–12, 89 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Dakota Conwell and Shane Wilson led the defense with 5 tackles apiece. Dame Ndiaye had 4 tackles, 1 sack (−10 yards), 1 tackle-for-loss (−1), a pass-broken-up, and a forced-fumble. William Parks and Tra'mayne Bondurant each made an interception.
Recruiting class
Schedule
Arizona played six of twelve regular season games at home: two of three non-conference games and four of nine Pac-12 games. The Cats played neither Oregon State nor Stanford in both 2013 and 2014. They played the Boston College Eagles in the 2013 AdvoCare V100 Bowl to conclude the season, which they won 42–19.
Roster
Top returners
Offense
Defense
Special teams
Depth chart
Departures
Arrivals
Coaching staff
Game summaries
Northern Arizona
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In the first non-conference game of the 2013 season, Arizona will play the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at Tucson. In their previous meeting in 2011, Arizona defeated the Northern Arizona 41–10 and Arizona lead the all-time series 11–1.
UNLV
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Junior RB Ka’Deem Carey, the nation’s leading rusher and a consensus All-American in 2012, rushed 16 times for 171 yards (averaging 10.7 yards per carry) as Arizona routed the UNLV Rebels in a 58–13 road victory at Sam Boyd Stadium. Carey saw his first action of the season after serving a one-game suspension related to offseason off-the-field issues. His first carry was a 58-yard touchdown run, early in the second quarter, which set the tone for the rest of the game.
Defensively, Arizona also showed solid performance; senior LB Jake Fischer intercepted UNLV QB Nick Sherry midway through the second quarter and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown; soon afterward, safety Tra’Mayne Bondurant picked off Sherry and ran 52 yards for a touchdown, his second in as many weeks.
The Cats excelled with their ground game, finishing with 68 carries for 397 yards and five touchdowns. Arizona, up 45–6 at halftime, attempted only four passes after the break.
Arizona senior QB B.J. Denker also had two rushing scores in the first half. He scored from 35 and 4 yards in the first quarter. Denker finished the game with 60 yards on 16 carries, but only passed for 81 yards on 8-of-21 passing. For the second straight game, Denker was interception-free.
In their previous meeting in 2001, Arizona defeated the Rebels 38–21 and Arizona leads the all-time series 2–0. Arizona has also won the Maaco Bowl Las Vegas at Sam Boyd Stadium in 2008, defeating BYU 31–21 under then-head coach Mike Stoops.
UTSA
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