TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The University of Arizona is gearing up for its football season opener as the Wildcats prepare to take on Northern Arizona University on Saturday, Sept. 5th, with students and local businesses expressing high confidence heading into game day.
Students on campus say the energy is hard to miss. U of A freshman JJ Encinas said he has no doubts about the outcome.
"All right, so I just feel like we're going to put belt to booty. We're going to whoop them."
Encinas said he is bringing friends to the game to share the experience.
"It's dope. I definitely met a bunch of boys down here that I'm chilling with now. Yeah, NAU's done for."
That confidence has a foundation in history. The Wildcats hold a 17-2 all-time record against the Lumberjacks, a track record that is fueling high hopes among the student body heading into the season opener.
For freshmen Elle Edwards, Lindsay Kell, and Nora Sweeney, the game is as much about community as it is about competition.
"It's so much fun, Edwards said"
"It's really fun and refreshing. You see everybody like so happy and back on campus and all of that," Sweeney said.
Students Jayson Kubica and Will Jacobsen echoed that sentiment, saying the matchup is a chance to rally around the team.
"NAU is a solid football team, but it's not as good as us," Jacobsen said.
" I think we just got to get the fans riled, get everyone there and just support the team and get hyped," Kubica said.
The excitement extends beyond campus. Down on University Avenue, local businesses are also preparing for the boost that comes with game day. Frog and Firkin General Manager Jonathan said the bar spent the entire summer getting ready for the season.
"It's an exciting time for us; we love game days around here," Graham said. "We spent the whole summer fixing stuff up, putting in new TVs, rewiring sound. I challenge that there's a better place on university than to come watch the game. I know that everybody's excited for football anytime that comes back around."
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JJ McKinney joined KGUN 9 in July of 2025 as a multimedia journalist. He graduated from Colorado State University in May of 2025 with a degree in journalism and media communications and a minor in law. With a background in investigative reporting and documentary filmmaking, JJ is dedicated to giving a platform to the voices of his community. Share your story ideas and important issues with JJ by emailing jj.mckinney@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
