This article is part of our College Football Picks series.
College Football Picks: Utah vs. Arizona Best Bets
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Utah heads to Tucson, AZ, this week to face the Arizona Wildcats in a game that could help determine one of the two participants in the PAC 12 title game. Utah is on the outside looking in at the moment in the race for the second spot in the PAC 12, but Arizona sits just one game behind Oregon.
Utah vs. Arizona Betting Odds for Week 12
Spread: Utah +1.0 (ESPN BET), Arizona +1.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Total: Over 45.0 (DraftKings Sportsbook) Under 45.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Moneyline: -108 Utah (DraftKings Sportsbook); -110 Arizona (BetMGM)
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Utah vs. Arizona Betting Picks for Week 12
I'll start by mentioning the strange situation with the lines. As you can see above, no matter which side you are on, you can get a good deal depending on which sportsbook you choose, so shop around.
Back to the game, this is going to be a good one. Utah entered the season with high expectations, but part of that was based on having QB Cameron Rising available. Without his services, the Utes' outlook wasn't as bright, but they've managed to play well this year and currently sit at 4-3 in the conference and 7-3 overall.
Expectations weren't quite as high in Tucson entering the season, but the Wildcats have played extremely well this year with wins against three ranked teams and one-score losses to Washington and USC.
Momentum, if you believe in that, is clearly on the side of Arizona entering this game, as the Wildcats have won four consecutive games, with three of those wins against ranked teams. Meanwhile, Utah has dropped two of its past three games, although to top-tier competition.
Utah is getting it done on the ground, both on offense and defense. The Utes scored a big win at USC a few weeks ago but have since lost to Oregon and Washington. The Oregon loss was a blowout, but the Utes fared much better against the Huskies, losing by one score.
The biggest problem for the Utes this week is their one-dimensional offense. The Utes are ranked 118th in the country in passing yards per game. Part of that is because they haven't often needed to throw, but when they have, it hasn't been pretty. The reason that is an issue this week is that Arizona is stout against the run, ranking 13th in the country in yards allowed per game. There's a good chance that Arizona can force Utah to throw, and when that happens, it could get away from the Utes. Throwing wasn't an issue this past week against Washington, but the Huskies have one of the worst pass defenses in the country, and Arizona is middle of the pack, so I don't expect as much success through the air this week.
On the other side, Utah has a stout defense, both against the run and the pass, but the Utes are clearly better against the run, and that's just fine with Arizona, as the Wildcats love to sling it. Arizona is ranked 25th in passing yards per game, and that's how the 'Cats will have to get it done this week.
It will be a slugfest, but Arizona's balance will pay off in the end.
Utah vs Arizona Expert Pick: Arizona +1.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
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Utah vs. Arizona Predictions for Week 12
As mentioned earlier, I expect this to be a tough fight for most of the game. Though the Utes were blown out by Oregon a few weeks back, they are no pushover, and the Wildcats will have their hands full all day. It will take a while for both of these teams to get going, so I'd expect a low-scoring first half.
At some point, Arizona will get the passing game going, and when it does, the 'Cats will build a lead. I don't think this game ever gets more than two scores away from Utah, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were a one-score game heading into the final few minutes. It might even come down to Arizona needing a stop on the final drive.
Arizona 24 - Utah 21
