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Saturday marks the end of one era and the beginning of another.

We will pay tribute to Wildcats for Life Dalton Johnson and Treydan Stukes at the end of this week’s column. They’ve been around so long that even the stadium in which they play has a new name.

The 2025 home football finale vs. Baylor coincides with the debut of Casino Del Sol Stadium. Naming rights at long last have been secured. The deal will boost Arizona’s athletic revenue by $3 million a year for the next two decades.

It's an arrangement that was long overdue and desperately needed.

Here’s the cold, hard truth about modern-day college athletics: To compete at the highest levels, you need an abundance of cold, hard cash. Kudos to UA athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois and her team for recognizing that and getting a deal done.

If you think it feels a little icky to be associated with a casino, I understand where you’re coming from. But I doubt this naming-rights deal will lead to an increase in sports betting by college students; they’re going to do it anyway, on their phones, whether they should or not.

I’d also urge you to consider what the alternatives could have been.

Arizona could have partnered with a bank or credit union that, unlike Casino Del Sol, doesn’t have any ties to the area or the Native American community. Arizona could have partnered with a certain missile manufacturer that has a location in Tucson. Would you rather be linked to weapons of war or playing cards and poker chips?

You might feel a sense of nostalgia for Arizona Stadium, which has been the home of UA football for nearly 100 years. But “Arizona Stadium� is about as bland a name as you’ll find. It’s not McKale Center, which Reed-Francois has deemed untouchable ().

This is not something Reed-Francois necessarily wanted to do. It’s something she had to do. She’d be derelict in her duty as athletic director if she did not tap every conceivable source of revenue.

That’s the game these days, like it or not.

Take that for data!

As I file this piece early Friday, I remain hopeful that UA fans will turn out in large numbers for the last chance to see the '25 Wildcats in Tucson. It might be a false hope. We’ll see.

UA football attendance has been a source of frustration this season yet also explainable: Last season was a massive disappointment, creating a hangover effect; times are tough, for just about everybody; and Arizona has had bad luck with weather and kickoff times. (You’ll never hear me complain about an afternoon kickoff, but it’s not ideal for many fans.)

What I don’t understand is why attendance has shrunk while the Tucson area has grown.

Arizona ranks 15th in the 16-team Big 12 in percentage of capacity — announced attendance/total seats — at 82.77%. The Wildcats are 12th in average attendance at 42,045 — which is higher than the actual number of people in the building.

Meanwhile, the population of Tucson — nearly 557,000, per — ranks third among Big 12 cities.

(Fun fact No. 1: Ames, Iowa, has a population of about 69,660 ... and its average attendance is 61,380.)

(Fun fact No. 2: Houston is first in population, by a mile, and last in percentage of capacity. It’s also a city that has NFL, MLB and NBA franchises.)

The population of Pima County — nearly 1.1 million — ranks sixth in the conference.

So where is everybody, and why aren’t they coming to watch football on Saturdays?

(Rincon) Market report

Going up: Big 12 bowl bids

Nine league members have secured bowl berths. Three more can clinch one Saturday: Baylor, Kansas State and Kansas. UCF, at 4-6, hasn’t been mathematically eliminated yet. If any of those four teams make it, the Big 12 would surpass its postseason allotment from last season — also nine. Eight of those teams finished with at least eight victories. Four teams have hit that mark this season, and three more could join them this week: Arizona, Cincinnati and ASU. Of course, the number the league cares about most is two — as in, getting two teams into the College Football Playoff. The only path I see: BYU wins out and upsets No. 5 Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship Game.

Going down: The Sam Leavitt era

Sam Leavitt might have played his last game in an ASU uniform. this week that the quarterback’s return to the program is “doubtful.� And we’re not talking NFL Draft here. We’re talking transfer portal, where Leavitt immediately would become one of the most sought-after players. There was a lot of smoke around this situation in Tempe this week, plus some . It seems more likely than not that Leavitt will suit up for another school in 2026, a harsh blow for Sun Devils fans — and another reminder of the transient, transactional nature of big-time college athletics in the portal/NIL era.

A question from my X

“Who are the best pro prospects on the team?� —

Stukes is Arizona’s top prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft. The rangy defensive back is smart, versatile, tough and athletic. I can’t wait to see how the former state-champion triple jumper performs in combine drills.

At least six other departing Wildcats have put themselves on the NFL’s radar with strong senior seasons: fellow DB Johnson; cornerback Michael Dansby; defensive linemen Deshawn McKnight and Tiaoalii Savea; and offensive linemen Ka’ena Decambra and Ty Buchanan.

Dansby is an interesting one to watch. The San Jose State transfer also excelled in track in high school. He has limited opposing receivers to a 28% reception rate, . That’s the lowest mark among Big 12 corners who’ve been targeted at least 20 times and the second lowest among all cornerbacks in FBS.

Threads

Utah isn’t just killing it on the football field this year. The Utes’ gear game is also playoff-worthy. Earlier this season, we spotlighted their classy . For Senior Day vs. Kansas State, Utah is donning all-black uniforms with red accents. Simple but perfect. The red facemasks are a great complement to the black helmets and blend nicely with the red shoulder stripes. The curvy jersey numbers and interlocking U’s on the left pant leg have a white border around them. They’re not only sharp-looking but user-friendly. It’s a bold overall ensemble that fits Utah’s intimidating style of play.

What he said ...

“They're a good football team. You turn on the tape, they got a lot of talent. I don't know what the story is. I don't think the record tells it. But we gotta be ready for their best.� — UA offensive coordinator Seth Doege

What he meant ...

“This is a potential trap game, y’all. Do not — I repeat, do not — sleep on this Baylor team. We’re a little banged up, and they’re battling for not only a bowl berth but their head coach’s job. I don’t care what the point spread is. I don’t care what our respective records are. As a Texas Tech alum, I know what Baylor football is all about. This is gonna be a daggum rock fight.�

The other side

“There were a lot of hard conversations. That was probably one of the most intense defensive unit meetings I’ve been in since I’ve been here, and I would say it’s necessary. It’s a wakeup call to all of us.� — after the Bears allowed 55 points and 380 rushing yards last week vs. Utah

Pick to click (aka #fadelev)

The BYU-Cincinnati game will go a long way in determining who plays in the Big 12 Championship Game. The Cougars (6-1 in conference) will all but clinch a spot with a win over the Bearcats (one of four teams at 5-2); BYU hosts UCF (1-6) to close the regular season. Although it’s a night game and FOX’s “Big Noon Kickoff� show is in town, I’m taking BYU and laying the 2.5 points. Having seen both against Arizona, I believe the Cougars are a better all-around team. They also already have won road games in multiple time zones: Eastern (East Carolina), Central (Iowa State), Mountain (Colorado) and Mountain Standard (Arizona). Playing at nippy Nippert Stadium won’t faze them. (season record: 6-4)

One last thing

Johnson and Stukes are “everything that's right about college football,� UA coach Brent Brennan said.

No argument here.

The veteran defensive backs are excellent football players, true team leaders, good students and respectful young men. They’re also loyal soldiers who stuck with Arizona when they could have hit the eject button any number of times.

Both were recruited by Kevin Sumlin’s staff. Stukes arrived in Tucson in 2020 and endured the nightmarish, pandemic-shorted '20 campaign — capped by the embarrassingly awful Territorial Cup in which he was the lone bright spot.

Johnson was part of the '21 recruiting class that signed with Arizona a few days after Sumlin was fired — and had no idea who their new coach would be.

Then came the '21 season in which the Wildcats dropped their first eight games to extend their program-record losing streak to 20. They finished 1-11. No one would have blamed Johnson and Stukes for seeking a change.

But they stayed. And they played. And they were part of a 10-win team. And now they’re going bowling again.

Enjoy your Senior Day, fellas. You’ve earned it.