2001 Arizona Wildcats football team
The 2001 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the 2001 NCAA Division I-A season. They were led by first-year head coach John Mackovic, who replaced Dick Tomey. Arizona finished 5–6 overall and 2–6 in the Pac-10, missing a postseason bid after a season that started with promise and ended with losses.
The season was affected by the September 11 attacks, which caused the NCAA to cancel a week of games and reshaped the schedule for many teams, including the Wildcats.
Mackovic rebuilt the program with a new coaching staff and brought back defensive coordinator Larry Mac Duff, known for the early 1990s “Desert Swarm” defense. The Wildcats opened the year with a win at San Diego State, then beat Idaho and UNLV, reaching 3–0 under Mackovic before Pac-10 play began.
In conference action, Arizona faced a tough stretch and dropped multiple Pac-10 games, extending a late-season slide. A win at California gave the Wildcats their first Pac-10 victory under Mackovic. The season’s high point came in the rivalry game against Arizona State, where Arizona won and captured the Territorial Cup for the first time since 1998.
Arizona finished 5–6, the same record as the previous year, and Mackovic’s first season left the program facing questions about its direction and future.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 12:16 (CET).