The 2017 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona during the 2017 season. The season was the Wildcats's 118th overall, 40th as a member of the Pac-12 Conference, seventh within the Pac-12 South Division, and the sixth and final year under head coach Rich Rodriguez. The team played their home games at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona for the 89th straight year.
They finished the regular season with a 7–5, 5–4 in Pac-12 play to finish in third place in the South Division, making it into a bowl game. They were invited to the Foster Farms Bowl where they faced Purdue, losing 35–38. Rich Rodriguez was fired after 6 seasons with Arizona. After Rich Rodriguez was fired, Kevin Sumlin was named the Wildcats' new full-time head coach on January 14, 2018.
Offseason departures
The Wildcats would lose twenty-nine (twenty seniors due graduation) football players. The Wildcats would lose nine more players from the 2016 team due to various reasons (transfers and withdrawals will be filled out once spring practice occurs). Notable departures from the 2016 squad included.
Preseason
Recruiting Class of 2017
The Wildcats signed 39 players including 10 HS walk-on players, 24 high school recruits, 3 JC transfers from junior colleges and 1 transfers were from NCAA Division I (FBS) programs. Five of the recruits were already enrolled for the spring, 2017 semester while 24 signed letters of intent on National Signing Day is February 3, 2017. Arizona is combined to be a unanimous top-25 class, ranked as high as (#21 by Scout, #15 by Rivals, #26 by ESPN, and #23 by 247) and finish top-5 in the Pac-12 recruitment class (#4 by 247, #4 by Scout, #4 by ESPN, and #4 by Rivals).
Source:
Incoming transfers
In addition to the 2017 recruiting class, Arizona did add four transfers, which includes eligible for the current season, to the 2017 roster:
Position key
Spring practice
Spring game
The 2017 Wildcats had spring practice from February 2017 to March 2, 2017. The 2017 Arizona football spring game will take place in Tucson, AZ at a date and time to be determined.
Fall practice
Fall camp is scheduled for August.
Pac-12 Media Days
Pac-12 media days are set for July 2017 in Hollywood, California.
Returning starters
Arizona returns 30 starters in 2017, including 14 on offense, 9 on defense, and 7 on special teams.
Projecting Returning Starters 2017
Offense (14)
Defense (9)
Special teams (7)
† Indicates player was a starter in 2016 but missed all of 2017 due to injury.
Personnel
Roster
*2017 Arizona Football Commits (07/28/2017) Projecting Roster
Coaching staff
Depth chart
Depth Chart Source: 2017 Arizona Wildcats Football Fact Book
True Freshman
Double Position : *
Injury report
Regular season
Schedule
Arizona announced its 2017 football schedule on November 29, 2016. The 2017 Wildcats' schedule consisted of 7 home and 4 away games for the regular season. Arizona hosted nine Pac-12 conference opponents UCLA, Utah, Oregon State and Washington State and traveled to California, Colorado, Oregon, USC and traveled to arch rival Arizona State for the 91st annual Territorial Cup to close out the regular season. Arizona was not scheduled to play Pac-12 North opponents Stanford and Washington in the 2017 regular season.
Arizona's out of conference opponents represented the American, Big Sky, and C-USA. The Wildcats hosted three non–conference games which were against Northern Arizona from the Big Sky and Houston from the American and traveled to El Paso, TX against Texas–El Paso from the C-USA.
Schedule Source
Game summaries
Northern Arizona
Statistics
To open up the 2017 season, Arizona will host its in-state rival, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks for the non conference home opener in Tucson since 2015. Arizona lead the all-time series with 13–1.
Houston
Statistics
After playing Northern Arizona, Arizona will host the Houston Cougars for the second non conference game in Tucson. This will be the first meeting between the schools since 1986. Arizona tied the all-time series with 1–1 apiece.
At UTEP
Statistics
After playing Houston, Arizona will travel to El Paso, TX hosts the UTEP Miners for third and final non conference game of the season. This will be the first meeting between the schools since 2003. Arizona lead the all-time series with 38–11–2.