The Arizona Wildcats and the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks have announced a 10-year scheduling agreement, which includes football.
“Continuing our scheduling efforts with Northern Arizona for the next decade is an exciting initiative for our athletics department, university and state,” said Arizona Vice President and Director of Athletics Dave Heeke. “Ensuring our sport programs compete within our great state enhances the student-athlete experience, generates excitement for our fans, eases non-conference scheduling challenges and creates a stronger economic impact within our state’s footprint. I look forward to watching student-athletes compete in our state while representing these outstanding Arizona universities.”
Arizona and Northern Arizona are already scheduled to meet at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Ariz., during the 2021, 2023, 2024, 2026, and 2027 seasons. Each contest will be played during the first three weeks of the season.
The new agreement will add four additional football games “…in between the 2030 and 2036 seasons.” The two schools are unable to play during the 2028, 2029, and 2030 seasons due to “previous contractual obligated scheduling commitments.”
Below are the dates for the five currently scheduled Northern Arizona at Arizona football games:
- Sept. 18, 2021
- Sept. 2, 2023
- Aug. 31, 2024
- Sept. 5, 2026
- Sept. 18, 2027
“The University of Arizona Department of Athletics in general and, Dave Heeke in particular, have been unbelievable resources for our program as we have navigated COVID-19,” said NAU Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Mike Marlow. “This scheduling series is an offspring of conversations centered on the way Intercollegiate Athletics may look in our state and region for the immediate future. An emphasis on regionalized scheduling is certainly something that has become a priority. Our student-athletes, coaches and fans will very much look forward to competing more regularly with the Wildcats in both Tucson and at 7,000 feet in Flagstaff.”
In addition to football, Arizona and Northern Arizona have committed to playing home-and-home series with each other, when possible, in each sport that is sponsored by both schools. Below are those sports:
- Men’s and Women’s Basketball
- Men’s and Women’s Cross Country
- Women’s Golf
- Women’s Soccer
- Women’s Swimming & Diving
- Men’s and Women’s Tennis
- Men’s and Women’s Track & Field
- Women’s Volleyball
Football Schedules
Why?
Good question. According to Arizona’s AD the answer is: “Ensuring our sport programs compete within our great state enhances the student-athlete experience, generates excitement for our fans, eases non-conference scheduling challenges and creates a stronger economic impact within our state’s footprint. I look forward to watching student-athletes compete in our state while representing these outstanding Arizona universities.”
Since they are both state universities, I would assume that the state government likes the idea.
Each year Norther Arizona will travel to either Arizona or Arizona St for a road football game through 2030. I wonder what the contract amount is. Does it help that it stays between state schools?
Yes, it cuts the travel costs.