Utah vs. Arizona Prediction: Can Noah Fifita, Wildcats Stay Hot at Home Against Utah?
The Utah Utes will take on the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday afternoon in a battle of ranked Pac-12 foes. Can the Noah Fifita and the Wildcats keep their surprising four-game win streak going against the Utes? Ben Rajavuori gives his best bet for the Utah vs. Arizona showdown.
Ben Rajavuori - November 17, 2023, 5:08 PM EST
5 minUtah vs. Arizona Prediction: Can Noah Fifita, Wildcats Stay Hot at Home Against Utah?
Arizona has now won four games in a row and crept into the top 20, ranking 19th after a win over Colorado last week. Utah, meanwhile, dropped a few spots to number 16 after a loss to Washington last week. Arizona heads back home to Tucson to host Utah this week and try and bring their win streak to five games. They are very slight one-point favorites to do so. Are they a good bet this weekend?
Utah vs. Arizona Date, Start Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: November 18, 2023
- Game Time: 2:30 pm ET
- Where to Watch: PAC12
Utah vs. Arizona Odds
- Spread: Utah -1 (-110), Arizona +1 (-110)
- Total Odds: Over 44.5 (-110), Under 44.5 (-110)
- Moneyline Odds: Utah (-115), Arizona (-105)
Utah vs. Arizona Prediction
Arizona is on my list of the top five most surprising teams in 2023. I didn't think Arizona would necessarily be bad, but Arizona is currently tied in third place in the Pac-12 with Oregon State, just below Oregon and Washington. They are ahead of USC and Utah in the standings. In a stacked Pac-12 conference, Arizona is right there, on a four-game win streak, running the table against ranked teams.
Before last week's game against Colorado, Arizona had played five ranked teams in a row, including Washington, USC, Washington State, Oregon State, and UCLA. They won the last three in a row, beating Washington State 44-6, Oregon State 27-24, and UCLA 27-10. Their losses were pretty close, too, as they lost to USC by 2 points and Washington by 7 points. They have yet to lose a game by more than one possession this season.
Noah Fifita has been electric and is looking like one of the better freshman quarterbacks in the nation. He has thrown for 300+ yards in three of his last five games, with all three coming against ranked teams. He has only thrown four picks this season, taking care of the ball as well. This Arizona offense has been consistent and impressive.
Utah has done the best they can this season without Cam Rising. Bryson Barnes has been effective in his place, throwing for 1,197 yards this season and 10 touchdowns with 7 picks. The offensive line has done really well for him and given him time, as he has only been sacked eight times all season.
The real star for Utah has been their run game. They rank 10th in the nation with a 60% rush rate, and they are averaging 179 rush yards per game. Ja'Quinden Jackson has been big for Utah, as he leads the Utes with 627 rushing yards this season with 5.1 yards per carry.
Arizona is 2-1 against ranked teams at home this season, with the lone loss being a one-possession loss to Washington. Utah is 1-2 against ranked teams on the road this season, with the win being a two-point win over USC, who has fallen out of the rankings and may be the worst defense in the Pac-12. Utah has had impressive wins this season, but they seem to falter in big games, and their best wins are over Cal and Arizona State, two of the bottom conference teams. I like Fifita and Arizona to break through and score enough to put the pressure on Utah to score, which they have been inconsistent with this season. Arizona is hot, and I'm going to keep riding them.
Utah Utes vs. Arizona Wildcats Pick
Pick: Arizona ML -115 is currently the best odds Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
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