Arizona vs. BYU prediction: College football Week 2 odds, picks, best bet
The BYU Cougars will get a stiff test in Week 2.Ranked No.15 in the country and coming off another terrific season in 2025, Kalani Sitake’s Cougars have their sights set on a Big 12 Championship and a trip to the College Football Playoff.BYU came up just short of both of those goals last year, but with Bear Bachmeier under center, there are plenty who believe that the sky is the limit for this squad.But don’t look past the Wildcats on Saturday.Brent Brennan did a masterful job turning things around in Tucson last year.After going 4-8 after the departure of Jedd Fisch in 2024, Brennan guided Arizona to a 9-4 record in 2025.
It largely went unnoticed because Arizona was never in contention for the Big 12 crown, but it was impressive nonetheless.The Wildcats could be even better this year.Defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales was dealt a raw hand with injuries in 2025, but he still managed to turn the Wildcats into a stingy defensive side that allowed just 4.7 yards per play (14th overall) and 20.7 points per game (24th).There was some churn on the Arizona defense, but nothing crazy, so I expect another step forward from one of the country’s most underrated units last year.The offense should do its part, too.Led by veteran quarterback Noah Fifita, Arizona was tidy with the ball and rarely got itself into trouble.The Wildcats may not have been an electric attack, but you could trust that they’d do their thing.That’s the exact type of offense that you want to back when you’re going into a hostile environment as an underdog.
Bachmeier and the Cougars are going to get a lot of love ahead of this game, but 7.5 points is a hefty price to lay against a really solid Arizona side.Don’t be shocked if this goes down to the wire.The Play: Arizona +7.5 (-110, DraftKings)Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry.
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