What to expect at the UA Wildcats football home opener

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - Arizona fans are gearing up for the big home opener for the University of Arizona football team Saturday, Sept. 10. The big game comes after the Wildcats’ 18-point victory over San Diego State on Sept. 3.

After that big win, Athletic Director Dave Heeke said you can expect to see the stadium filled with fans, hoping for another victory against Mississippi State.

A reminder for fans headed to the game, the clear bag policy is still in effect. If your bag is bigger than 12 inches by 6 inches, you’ll need a clear bag to get into the stadium.

At the football pregame celebration, country music star Phil Vassar will be holding a concert on the east side of the UA Mall at 5:30 p.m.

Some exciting additions:

• After the third quarter, you can open up the Arizona Wildcats app and click on Arizona Lights. Your phone’s flashlight will sync to Don’t Stop Believing by Journey.
• You can use that same app to play Bear Down Games. That’s a free prediction-based competition that lets you compete against other fans to win prizes.

As for new food items:

• Crunch Nachos, Mustache Pretzels, paletas, sno cones, and Sonoran dogs will be added to the menu.
• There will no longer be ID checkpoints to pick up a wristband for fans over the age of 21. You will have to show your ID at the concession stands.

“We’ve worked very hard to create a culture, to help create the image, to be very inclusive to do the things that are important for a football program to be successful. That’s facility things, that’s investment in staff, that’s growth of staff, that’s investments in fields, that’s all the things,” said Heeke. “We’re investing in this football program because we know it can be successful.”

Gates at the stadium will open at 6:30 p.m. ahead of that 8 p.m. kickoff. Tickets and parking have gone mobile, so make sure to download those to your phone before you head to the stadium.

If you haven’t purchased tickets yet, click here.

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