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Kickoff time, TV info announced for Arizona’s Homecoming game vs. Colorado

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Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images

Earliest (by date) home day game since 2016

If the “too late” crowd tries to move the goalposts it better get started, because Arizona’s next home game is a lot earlier in the day.

The Wildcats’ Homecoming contest against Colorado on Oct. 19 has been slated for a 1 p.m. PT start, with Fox airing the matchup. It will be the UA’s fourth game this season on Fox and third in a row, including Saturday afternoon’s visit to No. 14 BYU.

This will be the earliest in a season Arizona has started a game at home since 2016 when it hosted USC on Oct. 15. Last year the only home game came in the home finale against Utah on Nov. 18, and in six of the previous seven seasons the Wildcats have either not played a day game until November or at all.

It will hopefully have cooled off by then, as Tucson is in the midst of a massive heat wave. Sunday marked the 11th time in the past 12 days that a record high had been set, while Monday’s forecast high of 101 (which would tie a record) is 12 degrees above normal.

The normal high for Oct. 19 in Tucson is 85. That 2016 game, which kicked off at 12:30 p.m., had a high of 93.

Colorado’s national appeal—thanks, Coach Prime!—likely had a big say in this game not getting a late-night time slot. Same goes for the game selling out prior to Arizona’s most recent home game, the 28-22 loss to Texas Tech in which the announced attendance was 45,773 but the actual crowd looked far smaller as many fans may have opted to stay home and watch the 8 p.m. PT kickoff in their pajamas.

First day game (before 5 p.m.) of season at Arizona Stadium (Since 2010)

  • 2024: Oct. 19 vs. Colorado
  • 2023: Nov. 18 vs. Utah (W, 42-18)
  • 2022: Oct. 29 vs. USC (L, 45-37)
  • 2021: Nov. 6 vs. Cal (W, 10-3)
  • 2020: Nov. 14 vs. USC (L, 34-30)*
  • 2019: Nov. 2 vs. Oregon State (L, 56-38)
  • 2018: Nov. 24 vs. ASU (L, 41-40)
  • 2017: None
  • 2016: Oct. 15 vs. USC (L, 48-14)
  • 2015: Oct. 2 vs. Oregon State (W, 44-7)
  • 2014: Nov. 15 vs. Washington (W, 27-26)
  • 2013: Nov. 16 vs. Washington State (L, 24-17)
  • 2012: Oct. 27 vs. USC (W, 39-36)
  • 2011: Nov. 5 vs. Utah (L, 34-21)
  • 2010: Oct. 9 vs. Oregon State (L, 29-27)

*-season opener