Arizona (3-3) at Utah (3-2)
When: Friday, October 12th 2018
Where: Rice-Eccles Stadium,
Salt Lake City, Utah
Time: 10:00 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Utah -14/51.5
The Utah Utes had high expectations coming into the season with their sights set on winning at least the Pac-12 South, and competing for a College Football Playoff spot. After setbacks to Washington and Washington State, the Utes rebounded for a confidence-building road victory over Stanford (40-21), but find themselves in fourth place in the division. The good news is, Utah will play all three teams ahead of them in the coming weeks, beginning with a home date against the Arizona Wildcats on Friday night. The Wildcats (3-3, 2-1) are one of three teams ahead of Utah (3-2, 1-2) in the South Division along with USC (3-2, 2-1) and first place Colorado (5-0, 2-0). Utah has a road date with the Buffaloes remaining on November 17th so the Utes still control their own destiny when it comes to trying to earn a spot in the Pac-12 Championship Game on November 30th at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. Arizona has bounced back from an 0-2 start to win three of its last four games including a 24-17 home win over Cal last Saturday. Arizona’s defense has forced seven turnovers in its last two games after creating just one in the first four games.
The biggest surprise for Arizona this season has been their solid defense led by sophomore linebackers Colin Schooler (66 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss) and Tony Fields II (45 tackles) under first-year head coach Kevin Sumlin. Arizona has allowed an average of 18.3 points in its first three conference games and returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the victory over Cal. Preseason Heisman candidate Khalil Tate, who has been bothered by an ankle injury and a new offense that stresses passing from the pocket, has rushed for only 109 yards and two touchdowns on 44 attempts but has thrown for 11 touchdowns. Tailback J.J. Taylor is averaging 100 yards per game and has scored four touchdowns.
We already know Utah has a good defense coming into the season and they lead the Pac-12 in total defense (296.4 yards per game), rushing defense (75.4) and pass efficiency defense (109.22) and are second in scoring defense, allowing an average of 17.2 points per game. Sophomore cornerback Jaylon Johnson was the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week after returning an interception 100 yards for a touchdown and leads the secondary with 20 tackles. The offense ranks ninth in scoring (25.8) and is led by junior running back Zack Moss, who rushed for 160 yards and two TDs at Stanford, and junior quarterback Tyler Huntley, who completed 17-of-21 passes for 199 yards and a TD against the Cardinal.
Arizona has been creating turnovers to keep them in games recently, but the Utes don’t turn the ball over very often. Arizona’s defense still lets up a lot of yards and the offense isn’t quite good enough to have success against a solid Utah defense on the road. I’m looking for the Utes to easily win this by a couple of touchdowns.
Pick: Utah -13.5
Betting Trends:
- Wildcats are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in October.
- Wildcats are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 Friday games.
- Wildcats are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games following a straight up win.
- Wildcats are 4-9 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Wildcats are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
- Wildcats are 14-38 ATS in their last 52 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
- Wildcats are 5-16 ATS in their last 21 games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
- Wildcats are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games following a ATS win.
- Wildcats are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 road games.
- Wildcats are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Wildcats are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games on fieldturf.
- Wildcats are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
- Utes are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Utes are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
- Utes are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Utes are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
- Under is 5-0 in Wildcats last 5 conference games.
- Under is 5-1 in Wildcats last 6 games overall.
- Under is 4-1 in Wildcats last 5 road games.
- Over is 4-1 in Wildcats last 5 games in October.
- Over is 11-4 in Wildcats last 15 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Over is 25-10 in Wildcats last 35 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
- Over is 17-7 in Wildcats last 24 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 12-5 in Wildcats last 17 games following a straight up win.
- Over is 13-6 in Wildcats last 19 games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
- Under is 6-1 in Utes last 7 games following a ATS win.
- Under is 5-1 in Utes last 6 games following a straight up win.
- Under is 6-2 in Utes last 8 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Over is 6-2 in Utes last 8 conference games.
- Over is 5-2 in Utes last 7 games in October.
- Under is 11-5 in Utes last 16 games after allowing more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
- Wildcats are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings in Utah.
