The Arizona Wildcats (2-1) aim to cause trouble for the 10th-ranked Utah Utes (4-0) on Saturday, September 28 at 10:15 PM ET at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. In this Arizona Wildcats vs. Utah Utes betting preview, the Utes are favored at home with a point spread at -12.5 (-110).
The Wildcats lost to the Kansas State Wildcats 31-7 when they battled on the road. After being down 14-7 going into the half, they allowed Kansas State to score 14 points unanswered in the third quarter.
Noah Fifita had a rough day, as he completed 26 of his 42 passes for 268 yards and had an interception. The running game was a bit stagnant as well, with Quali Conley leading with 14 carries for 48 yards and a touchdown.
Both teams' yardage and first-down efficiency were about the same. One key difference was that Arizona turned it over once and was unable to find a rhythm offensively in the second half. If they come out flat against the Utes, this could be bad.
The Wildcats are averaging 30.0 points a game and have allowed opponents to average 26.6 points in return. While this spread is appealing on paper, their games have not been close in both the win and loss columns.
The Utes came away with a tough victory against the Oklahoma State Cowboys with a 22-19 ending. They had a 22-3 lead in the fourth quarter, but the defense had issues and allowed the Cowboys to get within reach.
Isaac Wilson had moments of success, but there were some problems with his two interceptions. Other than that, he completed 17 of his 29 passes for 207 yards with a touchdown. Micah Bernard rushed 25 times for a career-high 182 yards and gave their ground the attack they needed.
The offense shined with 456 yards, but three turnovers plagued its success. This also kept the Cowboys in the loop with the potential to come back, as they nearly did late. Surprisingly, the Utes had the majority of the possessions, with about 42 and a half minutes with the ball.
Their offense is averaging 33.0 points a game while holding opponents to 13.0 points. This margin has been closer against teams that have a respectable defense.
MyBookie has the college football betting odds for the Arizona Wildcats vs. Utah Utes battle. Current odds indicate the Utes as 12.5-point favorites. Betting trends showcase the Utes having a 77.3 percent chance of winning.
The Wildcats have been stagnant on offense at times when they need to produce, while the Utes have had some issues with turnovers. The Utes should be able to stay ahead late and cover the spread.
