Brent Brennan Has Arizona Wildcats on Alert After Surprising Week 0 Results
Arizona was able to sit back and watch the opening weekend of the college football season.
When all the action was done, they probably let out a sigh of relief that they were home instead of playing in one of the four games that showcased schools across different levels of the sport.
Before Week 0, the slate was largely looked upon as an appetizer since there wasn't a single game projected to finish within a single-digit margin.
Instead, it delivered some surprising results.
First, the preseason ACC favorites, Florida State, were upset by Georgia Tech in a shocking game that has been the talk of the college football world since the walk-off field goal went through the uprights.
That was followed by FCS program Montana State getting dominated as double-digit favorites by Arizona's upcoming opponent, New Mexico, before mounting a late 17-point fourth quarter comeback.
Massive favorites SMU and Hawaii were also pushed a bit during their contests, something that was unexpected.
So, as the Wildcats get ready to take the field in Week 1 against New Mexico, head coach Brent Brennan is making sure his players took notice about what occurred over the weekend, and what can happen if they don't come ready to play.
"It's definitely something we talk about. Every game is a different game, and it's all about how you prepare, and what your mindset is going into it. I don't know why those things happened the way they did on Saturday, but credit to those teams that either pressed those teams to the edge or, when it comes to Georgia Tech, found a way to get it done," he said at his weekly press conference.
Brennan thinks they benefited by being able to watch the Lobos take on Montana State, since it gave him and his team an idea about what they should expect when these two teams face off on Saturday.
"They look like they play hard. They're definitely creative defensively, and offensively they've got some weapons. I feel like they were one catch away from it being over. They're going to be ready to play," he said.
So how can Arizona avoid the fate of Florida State, or almost being upset like the other big favorites in Week 0?
"My message to the team is, it's all about us. It's about our process and how we prepare. It's very, very simple, it's boring and it's not sexy ... It's about us and this football team and how we go about our business this week preparing for this game, and then how we show up on Saturday," he added.
That's certainly the right mindset to have.
This is a game Arizona should dominate if they are truly going to contend for a Big 12 Conference title, let alone a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Whether that happens or not will be determined on Saturday.
For a more in depth preview of this matchup, click here.
