Arizona’s homecoming has a history of embarrassing opponents, especially when the Wildcats are counted out. In 1992, Arizona stunned No. 1 Washington 16-3 before a record homecoming crowd of 58,510. The tradition dates back to November 26, 1914, when the Wildcats defeated Pomona College 7-6 before 1,500 spectators. More than a century later, homecoming remains one of Arizona’s biggest annual football events. And this year, Arizona has more than nostalgia to sell.

The Wildcats are 5-1, riding a four-game winning streak, with Iowa State visiting on October 24. Brent Brennan has another opportunity to prove his program’s resurgence isn’t a fluke. But the $4.7 million-a-year coach is making headlines for something other than wins. He’s purchasing 1,000 tickets for local children and youth organizations, making Arizona’s next generation of fans part of the celebration.

“Brent Brennan is buying 1,000 tickets for Arizona’s homecoming game against Iowa State on Oct. 24 and is giving them away to the following: Boys & Girls Club, Kids of Steele, Ronald McDonald House, Local youth football teams, Girls flag football organizations,” Arizona football beat reporter Justin Spears posted on X on October 12.

Kids of Steele is associated with the University of Arizona’s Steele Children’s Research Center, while youth football teams and girls flag football organizations will get an opportunity to watch a Big 12 matchup in person. The giveaway adds to Arizona’s existing community involvement, which includes initiatives with Habitat for Humanity, Ben’s Bells, Felicia’s Farm, and the Salvation Army. The program has also hosted youth football camps and Next Level Flag Football.

However, Arizona’s efforts to connect with Tucson haven’t always escaped criticism.

Ahead of the 2024 season opener, Arizona Daily Star columnist Michael Lev questioned the program’s limited fan outreach. Training camp practices were technically open to the public, but Arizona barely advertised them, leaving only a handful of spectators in attendance.

The criticism was particularly interesting because Brennan inherited considerable fan support. His predecessor, Jedd Fisch, had aggressively promoted Arizona football while rebuilding the program. The Wildcats had sold out their final home game of 2023, and season-ticket sales exceeded 20,000 for the first time since 2018, representing a 19% increase from the previous year.

Brennan became Arizona’s head coach on January 16, 2024, after seven seasons at San Jose State. His coaching background included stops at Hawaii, Washington, Arizona, Cal Poly, and Oregon State. He had previously served as a graduate assistant under the late Dick Tomey in Tucson in 2000, giving him a personal connection to the program.

But his debut season was a disaster. Arizona finished 4-8, raising serious questions about whether the Big 12 program had made the right hire. Brennan responded in 2025, leading the Wildcats to a 9-4 record, a Holiday Bowl appearance, and a No. 17 finish in the final College Football Playoff rankings. It marked just the eighth nine-win season in school history, with Arizona tying for fourth place in the Big 12.

The turnaround earned Brennan a contract extension through 2030 in February 2026, increasing his annual compensation from approximately $3.5 million to $4.7 million. Arizona also raised its assistant coaching salary pool from $4.25 million to $6 million, while offensive coordinator Seth Doege and defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales received extensions through 2028.

The improvements weren’t limited to the win column. Doege’s offense averaged nearly 10 more points per game than the previous season, with quarterback Noah Fifita setting a school record with 29 touchdown passes. Gonzales’ defense surrendered just 19.3 points per game and ranked among the nation’s top 20 in total defense, passing defense, and interceptions.

Wildcats Prepare for Homecoming After Road Win

Arizona’s latest victory offered another reminder of how far the program has come. Against West Virginia on October 10, the Wildcats scored 52 points on just 51 offensive plays, despite missing their top three receivers through injuries. Fifita still threw for 341 yards and three touchdowns as Arizona secured a 52-31 road victory.

“I thought all week our coaching staff did a fantastic job in how we attacked our process and our players followed that lead,” Brennan said after the game.

The victory gives Arizona momentum heading into homecoming, but Brennan’s off-field gesture carries its own significance. The same program that faced questions about its limited fan engagement two years ago is now taking a more direct approach to bringing young supporters into the stadium. Whether those children become lifelong Wildcats fans remains to be seen, but they will get an opportunity to experience one of Arizona’s longest-standing traditions firsthand.