Friday Night Lights: Utah vs Arizona Pick & Prediction, 9–22–2017

Free College Football Pick & Prediction by Ray Franklin of Precision Picks

Utah Utes (3–0) vs Arizona Wildcats (2–1)

Line: Arizona +3.5, 56.5
Game Time: Friday, September 22nd, 10:30 PM EST

A Friday night Pac 12 matchup takes center stage tonight as the Utah Utes take on the Arizona Wildcats. Utah has a physically dominant front seven on defense that is allowing on average 48 YPG. Arizona ranks 6th in rushing offense averaging 328 YPG on the ground which makes this game an intriguing matchup.

Utah enters this game (3–0) on the season after wins over North Dakota, BYU, and San Jose State. QB Tyler Huntley is completing 72.1 percent of his passes for 868 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions. The Utah Utes ground game is averaging 182.6 yards per contest, and Huntley leads the way with 212 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, the Utes are allowing 15 points and 246 yards per game. The Utes will need DT Utah’s Lowell Lotulelei to stuff the run and apply pressure on Arizona’s QB Brandon Dawkins. This will be a key component of the Wildcats game plan.

The Arizona defense has shown significant improvement in 2017 from 2016 and a much-improved secondary has been the key. Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, Dane Cruikshank and Jace Whittaker lead the secondary that will challenge Utah’s deep threat, WR Darren Carrington.

The Arizona Wildcats ground game is averaging 328 yards per contest, and Brandon Dawkins leads the way with 251 yards and five touchdowns. Defensively, Arizona is allowing 19.7 points and 387.7 yards per game.

The Utah Utes have won six of their last nine road games and Arizona has lost five of their last eight home games. However, the Wildcats are much healthier than they were last season. I think home field advantage will play into the outcome and Arizona has the pieces necessary to pull off this upset. I’ll take the Arizona Wildcats +3.5 in a tight game.

Utah vs Arizona Free Pick: Arizona +3.5