by Chuck Sommers
Thursday, Nov 11, 2021
Game time: 2 p.m. ET
Venue: Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ
Where to watch: Pac-12 Network
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Utah -24
BetMGM: Utah -24.5
Caesars: Utah -24
Season record
No. 24 Utah: 6-3 (5-1 Pac-12)
Arizona: 1-8 (1-5 Pac-12)
Al McMordie put forth a great week on the college gridiron with a 10-4-0 record and is 38-20-1 over the last month. Catch Al’s and other plays available right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers.
Utah - Arizona preview and analysis
Last week
Utah: won 52-7 at Stanford
Arizona: won 10-3 vs. California
When is the parade through downtown Tucson and are we invited?
We absolutely never stopped believing in the Arizona Wildcats and we couldn’t be more thrilled that they won their first game last week (we absolutely did not have any faith in them but are thrilled for them all the same).
Now the fun begins: Arizona can start to play spoiler in the Pac-12 South as it hosts the No. 24 Utah Utes in a potential division clincher for the Utes on Saturday.
There might not have been no uglier game than Arizona’s victory over the Cal Golden Bears at home last week. You’re not going to find many instances where the winning team outgained the losing squad, lost the turnover battle 3-0 and still won by a touchdown.
But if you’re the Wildcats, you take what you can get at this point. And though it hasn’t seemed like they’ve won since 1922, Arizona won while quarterback Will Plummer threw for 129 yards and two interceptions. This was your winning quarterback to end the longest losing streak in the country.
College football. There’s nothing better than being horrible yet finding a way to end a 20-game losing streak.
The Utes have a chance to clinch a spot in the Pac-12 conference championship game with a win and some help, but Utah’s run through conference play has been incredible winning five of six.
Utah is coming off a 45-point victory over the Stanford Cardinal in which the Utah offense put up 581 total yards while holding Stanford -- the same team that somehow beat the Oregon Ducks -- to just 167 yards.
The Utes had three players -- Tavion Thomas (177 yards, 4 TD), Micah Bernard (110 yards, 1 TD) and TJ Pledger (107 yards, 1 TD) -- reach the century mark in rushing. Pledger had a 96-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to push the lead to 35-0, and the Utes eventually took a 38-0 lead into halftime.
Prediction
You sort of feel bad for Arizona, going from such the emotional high of finally winning, to now having to face arguably the best team in the Pac-12 on deck. This should be an easy win for the Utes as their improbable run continues. Utah by 38
Betting trends
Utah is 10-3 ATS following a stretch of three consecutive conference games.
Utah is 3-1 ATS this season and 10-2 in its last 12 following a 10-point win in conference play.
Arizona is 5-2 ATS as an underdog this season.
Arizona is 14-29 ATS following an upset win as an underdog since 1992
Statistical leaders
Utah:
Passing: Cameron Rising -- 1,458 yards, 12 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Tavion Thomas -- 742 yards, 14 TD
Receiving: Devaughn Vele -- 318 yards, 1 TD
Defense: Devin Lloyd -- 81 tackles, 6 sacks, 3 INT
Arizona:
Passing: Will Plummer -- 835 yards, 2 TD, 7 INT
Rushing: Drake Anderson -- 265 yards, 1 TD
Receiving: Stanley Berryhill III -- 543 yards, 1 TD
Defense: Anthony Pandy -- 62 tackles, 1 INT
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
