The 2011 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team played their home games in Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona. This was the first year for Arizona in the newly reconfigured Pac-12 Conference; they played in the Pac-12 South Division. They finished the season 4âÂÂ8, 2âÂÂ7 in Pac-12 play.
The team was coached by interim head coach Tim Kish for the last six games of the season after eighth-year head coach Mike Stoops was fired as head coach on October 10 after starting the season 1âÂÂ5 (their sole victory was against FCS Northern Arizona). Including the previous season, the Wildcats under Stoops had lost 10 consecutive games against FBS opponents, with their last victory over a FBS team taking place nearly a year earlier on October 30, 2010, against UCLA. Kish, the team's defensive coordinator, was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Kish finished the season 3âÂÂ3, including a Duel in the Desert victory over Arizona State to reclaim the Territorial Cup. Rich Rodriguez was named the Wildcats' new full-time head coach starting in 2012.
This game was a rematch of the 2010 Alamo Bowl, just nine months earlier, which Oklahoma State won 36âÂÂ10.
Oregon's 56 points is the most points Arizona has allowed at home since LSU scored 59 points in 2003 at Arizona Stadium.
This was Tim Kish's first game as head coach for Arizona. Before halftime, a streaker dressed as a referee and ran off the field, and a fight ensued, leading to two players being ejected and four Arizona players being suspended.