The Utah Utes finally won a conference game last week, and they are looking to make it two in a row this Friday night when they take on the Arizona Wildcats. Utah narrowly lost to Washington State two weeks ago, but the Utes got out a lot of frustration in a 40-21 rout of Stanford in Palo Alto on Saturday. Meanwhile, Arizona is feeling much better after bad losses to BYU and Houston to start the season, and the Wildcats have won three of their last four. The loser of this game is essentially eliminated from contention in the PAC-12 South, so both teams know what’s at stake here.
This contest in Week 7 will go down Friday, October 12, 2018 at 10 p.m. ET at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Arizona +14
Utah -14
Total Check Back Later
Odds Analysis
On Sunday night, the CFB betting odds were released and Utah was originally a 13.5-point favorite. The line has moved slightly since that point, and the Utes are now a two-touchdown favorite on the NCAAF betting line. The total in this game will be released on Monday evening.
Player to Watch
For whatever reason, Kevin Sumlin has decided to keep his best offensive weapon bottled up for the first half of the season. What made Khalil Tate such a dynamic player, and dark horse Heisman Trophy candidate, coming into the season was his ability to run the ball. Some quarterbacks are good scramblers and others are good runners, but Tate is preternaturally gifted with his legs.
Tate ran for 1,411 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, and he almost single-handedly led the team to bowl eligibility. The Wildcats were not good on the defensive side of the ball in 2017, and they needed every point that Tate could put on the board. He was expected to keep it going when Sumlin was hired to replace Rich Rodriguez this season, but Sumlin has not let him use his legs.
Through six games, Tate has yet to run for more than 40 yards in a game. That has hamstrung Arizona’s offense, and the Wildcats have gone from averaging 41.3 PPG in 2017 to 30.3 PPG in 2018. He is not meant to be a pocket passer, and he has yet to have a great outing in conference play.
Key Stats
The Utes have been great at stopping the run this year, and that has kept them in games in spite of a mediocre offense. Utah is third in the nation in rush defense, allowing opponents to average just 75.4 yards per game in 2018, and the front seven is giving up a miniscule 2.4 yards per carry on the year.
Utah has consistently been one of the best run-stopping teams in the country. The secret to their success has been the Utes’ ability to recruit big, athletic players of Polynesian descent to put along the defensive line. Their quickness and agility, sometimes due to a rugby background, is apparent, and that’s why Utah can be so good at stopping the run despite playing a 3-3-5 base.
Live Betting Preview
It’s hard to lay 14 points with the offensive challenged Utes. Their offense has ranked in the middle-of-the-pack this season, and they aren’t liable to blow any team out of the water. They have been slow starters this season, averaging less than two touchdowns per game in the first half, but their style of play makes them a very good second-half team.
For that reason, it’s sharp to bet on Utah in live betting during this game. As the Utes’ offense stalls in the first half, the number will drop more and more to give you more value. Additionally, live betting this game rather than betting it straight will give you the chance to make sure Sumlin doesn’t change course with Tate. If Tate can play the style he did last year, you can lay off Utah.
College Football Odds: Utah 31, Arizona 20
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