[tps_title]Utah at Arizona[/tps_title]
[tps_header]8 p.m., Fox Sports 1[/tps_header]
UTAH (8-1, 5-1) AT
ARIZONA (5-5, 2-5)
8 p.m., Fox Sports 1
Pointspread: Utah is favored by 6 points
— The line has shifted from Utah as a 4.5-point favorite to 6 points.
— Arizona is a team that has dominated the Utes the last three years. Arizona has seen a running back top 200 yards in each game of its win streak over No. 10 Utah. Arizona has totaled 918 rushing yards and 10 scores on the ground in winning three straight in this series.
— Utah leads the Pac-12 South Division by one game over No. 18 UCLA and USC. The Utes have lost to the Trojans and have a home showdown with the Bruins next week. It’s unlikely the Utes will be looking ahead to that one.
— The struggling Wildcats have lost three straight and yielded 45 touchdowns – the most in the conference.
— Arizona averages 244.5 rushing yards. Nick Wilson (expected to be out with a knee injury) has 691, second-string quarterback Jerrard Randall has 683 and Jared Baker has 622, with that trio combining for 19 touchdowns.
— Randall gets some snaps at quarterback behind Anu Solomon, who has thrown for 16 TDs and 2,061 yards. Whittingham said it is difficult to prepare for both. The Wildcats’ zone-read scheme will pose a challenge for a Utah team limiting foes to 114.3 rushing yards per game for the conference’s best mark under new defensive coordinator John Pease.
— One thing Utah would like to establish is the running game with Devontae Booker, who leads the nation with 234 rushing attempts. Booker carried 34 times for 150 yards in last Saturday’s 34-23 win at Washington, with 104 yards after halftime. Booker has topped 1,100 yards for the second straight year. He gained 142 last season against the Wildcats.
— Arizona is the only Pac-12 opponent that Utah senior quarterback Travis Wilson hasn’t beaten. Wilson has thrown for 469 yards with four TDs and four interceptions in the first three meetings.
— The Utes will be without safety Chase Hansen for the rest of the season due to a leg injury suffered last Saturday.
— The Wildcats haven’t dropped four straight conference games since an 0-4 start in 2011.
Utah is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Utah’s last 7 games
Utah is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games on the road
Utah is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Arizona is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Arizona’s last 11 games
Arizona is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games at home
Arizona is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games at home
My pick: Arizona will win and cover
Steve Rivera’s pick: USC will win and cover
Anthony Gimino’s pick: Utah will win and cover
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