Brent Brennan doesn’t want to talk about last year.
Arizona’s 2025 double-overtime loss to BYU is in the past, even if it was immediately followed by the Wildcats’ winning five of their next six games — including two ranked road victories.
But none of that matters to Brennan now. Arizona, fresh off a 35-7 opening win over Northern Arizona, now sets its sights on securing an early upset of the No. 15-ranked Cougars Saturday in Provo.
“The game last year, to lose in double overtime here the way we did was heartbreaking, but that was last year, and so in terms of us getting ready for this one now, that’s where our hearts and minds are at,” Brennan told reporters Monday.
“... Last year’s game is last year’s game. We have 50 new players and I’m sure they have a bunch of new also, so we’re really not focused on that one as much as you might think. That one’s in the past and I don’t have a time machine.”
Brennan continued, “(BYU)’s been one of the best teams in the conference for the last few years. They have outstanding players in lots of different positions. They’re very well coached, and so this is a big-time football game. This is going to be a great football game. We get to go on the road, we get to play in front of a tough environment. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Just as he did before last year’s BYU-Arizona matchup, Brennan expressed his admiration for Kalani Sitake, who he spent a year coaching alongside in 2025 at Oregon State.
“Kalani’s one of my favorite people in this profession, lots of respect for him,” Brennan said. “When he came to Corvallis ... he asked me where to live, and he moved into our neighborhood. They lived five houses away, our kids ran around the neighborhood together. It was so fun. It was really, really a fun time, just spending time with him and his family.
“Our kids would just run into the house at midnight and eat all the ice cream out of our fridge, and then run over to Kalani’s and find out what kind of junk food they had on the shelf or whatever. We just had a lot of fun together. I definitely think fondly on those times, and it’s been fun to get to competing against him the last few years.”
Brennan also offered praise for BYU running back LJ Martin, who ran for 162 yards in Tucson last season and has three total touchdowns in two career games against Arizona.
“When you play these guys, you know it’s going to be a physical game, and then their running back is a total stud,” Brennan said of Martin.
“He’s powerful, he can finish runs, he’s hard to bring down. We’ve got to get population on the football. One guy’s not going to get him down, and so you’ve got to get him on the ground. He’s a really, really impressive player.”
“Kalani’s one of my favorite people in this profession, lots of respect for him.”
— Arizona coach Brent Brennan
Knocking off the Cougars in Provo will be a tall order, as BYU hasn’t lost at LaVell Edwards Stadium since November 2024.
However, much like last year’s loss, BYU’s crowd doesn’t concern Brennan, even if there were more than 64,000 fans in attendance for Arizona’s 41-19 loss to the Cougars in 2024.
“I didn’t feel like the crowd was a problem in ‘24, I felt like we didn’t play well. We turned the ball over too many times. I think that’s a very separate issue,” Brennan said.
“They have a great crowd, and that part of it, I respect. You know that going in there, and I think that’s one of those things that, if you let that be an excuse, it will be. We’re there to go and play good football. We’re there to go and attack this opportunity that’s in front of us, playing a top-15 team on the road, and we can’t wait to do it.”
