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The Wildcats (3-0) are off to their best start since 2015 after winning all three of their non-conference games.

Arizona goes into its first bye week of the season unscathed, with a highly anticipated battle with 12th-ranked Iowa State to start Big 12 play in just under two weeks.

Arizona head coach Brent Brennan said "this is a really, really important couple of weeks for us as a football program."

"We're excited about where we're at," Brennan said. "We know we have work to do. This is a huge week for us in terms of improving, getting healthy, getting a jumpstart on the game plan for Iowa State. We have a tremendous amount of respect for (ISU head coach Matt Campbell) and that staff there.

"Those guys have built an outstanding program and they've done it the right way, so we know we have a lot of work to do. Everyone's here, ready to rock and it's going to be a great week."Ìý

Here are some of the other topics of conversation from Brennan's news conference on Monday, as the Wildcats turn their attention to a bye week.Ìý

After three games, what's your assessment of an Arizona defense that currently ranks in the Top 10 nationally — second-best in the Big 12?Ìý

A: "I think (defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales) and the staff have done an awesome job of preparing those guys, building a mentality. The way they attack, the way you see redline show up with them every game we play. There's still work to do there. It's not exactly what we want them to be, but ... seeing that effort on the field, it's fun to watch. We're making progress there. You asked about defense, but I would tell you in all three phases, us as a football team, we're a work in progress. We could feel good about the first three (games), but they're over now and they don't matter. What matters is what we're doing today and what we're doing tomorrow, and that's where our head space is."Ìý

How do you grade the up-and-down special teams units, especially after a game that had three missed field goals, a blocked punt and a muffed punt?

A: "I think we've got work to do there. I think there's some coaching that needs to be detailed up in some of those spaces. I think (special teams coordinator Craig Naivar) is an outstanding special teams coach in terms of the detail, the energy, the time and effort he puts into it. I think part of the redline that hasn't showed up is execution in the special teams space, so I think the bye comes at a valuable, because some of the challenges we have there are fixable and we need to get to fixing them."Ìý

In three games, Arizona has a combined 13 holding penalties. What are you seeing regarding that and what are the points of emphasis to improve there?

A: "I think that's something that is a huge thing we need to fix. ... Those players are trying their hardest; it's not an effort problem. They have to be smart about hand placement. They have to be smart about when a defender gets outside the framework of their body, to just let go. That's something we're going to drill the hell out of in the next couple of weeks, so we can hopefully eliminate those things, because they stall drives for us and they put us behind the sticks too many times in positive field position — and it's not just the O-Line either; we've had some of those on the perimeter, too. That is something, collectively as an offensive football team, that we have to get fixed."

You introduced the 'redline' mantra last season. Do you feel like it's more of a point of emphasis this season and are the players buying into it?

A:Ìý"Absolutely, because I believe effort, execution and accountability are things we have to have in order to win football games. Those are things we have to have that give us a chance to play good football on game day. That being a huge point of emphasis, we're doing a better job. I give the players credit, too, because they've really leaned into it, where it's not new and they know what it looks like. They know what the expectations are and because of that, we're getting a better demonstration of that in practice and on game day."Ìý

What are your early impressions of Iowa State?

A: "I think it's going to be a monster. Those guys are really good and they're ranked 12th in the country. They run the ball extremely well, their quarterback is a stud, they've got good football players everywhere. ... It's going to be rowdy, it's going to be hard to hear, all that stuff. It's one of those awesome moments where you know you're going to play an extremely good football — a nationally ranked football team — on the road in a hostile environment. ... It's an awesome challenge for us."

After going through the Big 12 schedule last season, what did you make of the environments and venues at other schools in the conference?

A: "It's one of those things where you realize how important football is in this new conference. Everywhere you go, the crowds, the atmosphere, what game day looks like, they are rocking and rolling. It's an important thing to all of these towns. It started off at Kansas State last year, that was the first one. But we're expecting a similar, rowdy environment in Ames. Like I said before, it's an awesome challenge for our football team."ÌýÌý

The NCAA FBS Oversight Committee recently voted for college football to have a and eliminate the spring window and make December a recruiting dead period. Is that something you would welcome?

A: "I think that's helpful. The more clarity we get on schedule, calendar, consistency where everyone is on the same page, is good for college football. I like the one portal, because I'm in the head space where we can build the program from January to August. Having the team intact for that whole time is important. You're going to know who your players are. You're not going to go through spring practice and then all of a sudden lose a couple of key pieces of your team. How all of this ends up working out, I don't know. But I'm excited about it and supportive of it."Ìý

Paw-print decals are here to stay

Arizona's paw-print decals aren't a one-hit wonder for this season.Ìý

During his news conference on Monday, Arizona head coach Brent Brennan revealed that the UA will have navy blue paw-print decals on its helmets on a full-time basis.Ìý

The Wildcats wore the paw-print decals for "Retro Night" in their 23-17 win over Kansas State on Friday.ÌýÌý

The decals Arizona wore were famously used in the 1980s under former head coach Larry Smith at the helm. Before Smith left Arizona for USC, he posted a 48-28-3 record. Smith was replaced by Dick Tomey following the 1986 Aloha Bowl.Ìý

The paw-print decals, similarly to Ohio State's buckeye leaf decals, were a sign of on-field success for a player. The more stickers on the helmet, the better the player.Ìý

Arizona's qualifications for a paw-print decal include an "explosive play, takeaway ... big pass, big run, stuff like that," Brennan said.Ìý

"If we get a win, everyone gets one," added Arizona's coach.Ìý

Brennan endorsed Arizona's revived tradition that stopped in 1990.Ìý

"I do think it's cool," Brennan said. "It started, because every day I walk into my office, I see that picture of (Arizona legend Chuck Cecil) on the wall in the hallway and his helmet looks so cool with all of those Wildcat paw prints on it."

TV, kickoff time announced for Big 12 opener

Arizona's Big 12 opener against No. 12 Iowa State will kick off at 4 p.m. on Sept. 27 at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa and will be televised on ESPN, the league announced on Monday.ÌýÌý

Arizona and Iowa State are both entering bye weeks this week.ÌýÌý

Arizona (3-0) is off to its best start in a decade after wins over Hawaii, Weber State and Kansas State. The 12th-ranked Cyclones are 4-0 for the first time since 2000 after wins over Kansas State, South Dakota, Iowa and Arkansas State. Iowa State is currently the highest-ranked team in the Big 12.Ìý

The matchup between Arizona and Iowa State will be the seventh contest between the Wildcats and Cyclones dating back to 1948. Arizona is 4-1-1 all-time against Iowa State. Arizona won the last matchup, 21-12, in Ames during the 1968 season.Ìý

Extra points

— Brennan, on UCLA and Virginia Tech firing their head coaches three games into the season: "Any time someone goes through that, my heart goes out to them and their families and the assistant coaches — and the players of the program. Those transitions are incredibly tough. College football has become big business. Sometimes we try to act like it's not, but it is. That's the harsh reality of it."

— Brennan said Arizona will practice Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before 10 UA coaches travel for recruiting Friday morning. Brennan said Arizona will have coaches recruiting in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Texas, Las Vegas, Washington and Utah. Arizona's 20-player 2026 recruiting class currently ranks 43rd nationally, according to . Brennan said, "I'm excited to get out and I'm excited about the players we're trying to bring to Arizona." 

— Brennan didn't have a status update on linebacker Riley Wilson, who missed the Kansas State game after making his season debut against Weber State. Said Brennan: "I don't have any updates on Riley right now. The availability report will be out next week. You guys will have an idea as we get closer to game time."ÌýÌý

— Brennan said, "It might be a B-Y-E week for me, but we need this to be a B-U-Y week for our fans for season tickets and tickets for our upcoming home games, because when Arizona Stadium is rocking, it's a hard place to play. We know we have some big-time opponents from the Big 12 conference coming in the next couple of weeks and we need to make the environment as I would imagine Iowa State is going to be in two Saturdays."