Saturday Night College Football: Texas Tech vs Arizona Prediction, Pick & Odds

• We’ve made our Texas Tech vs Arizona prediction for Saturday night CFB
• The Wildcats are favored at home against the Red Raiders
• Read below for Texas Tech vs Arizona odds, prediction and best bets

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We’ve got late-night Big 12 battle in the desert as the Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-1) take on the Arizona Wildcats (3-1) at Arizona Stadium in Tucson. Kickoff is set for 11:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday, October 5, 2024, with FOX handling the television coverage.

The oddsmakers have the Wildcats as 6.5-point home favorites, and the total is sitting at 63.5 points. Who comes out on top in this Big 12 showdown?

Here is our Texas Tech vs Arizona prediction, along with Saturday CFB betting odds and picks.

Texas Tech vs Arizona Odds

The Wildcats are laying nearly a touchdown at home, and it’s not hard to see why. Arizona is coming off a huge upset win over Utah in Week 5, and their explosive offense should give the Red Raiders’ defense fits.

Texas Tech, meanwhile, is the betting underdog with a +200 moneyline, which implies a 33.3% chance of an outright win. The Red Raiders took down Cincinnati by a 44-41 score last weekend as small favorites.

Odds as of October 5, 2024, at ESPN Sportsbook. Browse the best College Football betting apps for Saturday Night Football.

Arizona has struggled to consistently cover the spread this season (1-3 ATS) but has been money in October (5-0 ATS in their last five October games). They are also 4-1 ATS in their last five games vs Big 12 opponents.

The total of 63.5 points feels a bit low considering the offensive firepower on both sides. However, it’s worth noting that the under has hit in 13 of Arizona’s last 20 games.

Red Raiders Betting Analysis

If you like offense, you’ll love watching Texas Tech play football. The Red Raiders are putting up 41.6 points and 486.4 yards per game, thanks in large part to the play of QB Behren Morton.

The junior QB has been slinging it all over the yard, racking up 1,426 passing yards and 14 TDs against just two interceptions. Morton’s favorite target? That would be senior WR Josh Kelly, who has hauled in 39 catches for 487 yards and three scores.

Josh Kelly CRUISING 🚗 @TexasTechFB off to a hot start pic.twitter.com/sMjjWUgOCH

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 21, 2024

But don’t sleep on the Red Raiders’ ground game, either. Junior RB Tahj Brooks has been a workhorse, averaging a whopping 137.8 rushing yards per game and topping the century mark in all four of his appearances this season.

The biggest question mark for TTU is on the defensive side of the ball. The Red Raiders are allowing 34.4 points and 463 yards per game, ranking 108th in pass success rate allowed and 126th in explosiveness allowed.

If TTU wants to spring the upset in Tucson, they’ll need to find a way to slow down Arizona’s high-octane offense and hope that Morton and Co. can keep pace in a shootout.

Wildcats Betting Analysis

Arizona’s offense has been a thing of beauty this season, and it all starts with sophomore QB Noah Fifita. The California native has completed 63.1% of his passes for 1,060 yards, seven TDs, and four picks. Many of those throws have gone to his favorite target, junior WR Tetairoa McMillan (503 yards, four TDs).

But the Wildcats aren’t just a one-dimensional team. Junior RB Quali Conley, an SJSU transfer, has been a revelation in the backfield. He’s rushed for 322 yards and four scores on 5.8 yards per carry. With an offense that ranks 10th nationally in explosiveness, Arizona has the potential to put up points in a hurry.

Defensively, the Wildcats have shown signs of improvement in recent weeks, particularly in their upset win over Utah in Week 5. Arizona held the Utes to just 84 rushing yards on 29 carries and generated three sacks and seven tackles for loss.

If Arizona can bring that same level of intensity against Texas Tech and force Morton into some mistakes, the Wildcats should be in good shape to cover the spread.

Arizona vs Texas Tech Prediction

I’m backing the Wildcats to cover the 6.5-point spread at home. Arizona has the advantage of playing in front of their passionate fans and are coming off a huge win over Utah. They are the more confident team after TTU narrowly escaped Cincinnati.

Fifita and McMillan should have a field day against Texas Tech’s lackluster secondary. And, as long as the Wildcats’ defense can build off their strong outing in Week 5, they should be able to generate enough stops to keep the Red Raiders at bay.

Arizona’s Noah Fifita with an absolute BEAUTY of a throw for the touchdown 🔥

📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/lKnATYZDXf

— ESPN (@espn) September 29, 2024

Arizona has been money in October (5-0 ATS in their last five October games) and against Big 12 opponents (4-1 ATS in their last five games). I expect those trends to continue on Saturday night.

The Red Raiders, meanwhile, are only playing their second true road game of the season and haven’t been away from home for a month. Lay the points with the Wildcats and look for them cover the spread in a high-scoring affair in the desert.

• Prediction: Arizona -6.5 (-110)

Saturday night college football is set to be an exciting matchup as the Texas Tech Red Raiders take on the Arizona Wildcats. Both teams are coming off strong performances in their previous games and will be looking to continue their momentum in this highly anticipated showdown.

Texas Tech comes into this game with a record of 2-0, having defeated Houston and Stephen F. Austin in their first two games of the season. Led by quarterback Tyler Shough, the Red Raiders have shown a potent offense that can put up points in a hurry. Shough has thrown for over 600 yards and five touchdowns in the first two games and will look to continue his impressive play against Arizona.

On the other side, Arizona is also off to a strong start with a record of 2-0. The Wildcats have wins over BYU and San Diego State under their belt and have shown a balanced attack on offense. Quarterback Gunner Cruz has been efficient in the passing game, while running back Michael Wiley has been a force on the ground. Arizona’s defense has also been solid, holding opponents to just 17 points per game.

In terms of odds, Texas Tech comes into this game as the favorite with a spread of -7.5 points. The over/under for total points scored is set at 65.5, indicating that oddsmakers are expecting a high-scoring affair between these two teams.

As for a prediction, this game has all the makings of a shootout with two high-powered offenses going head-to-head. While Texas Tech may have the edge on paper, Arizona has shown that they can compete with top teams and should not be taken lightly. In the end, I predict that Texas Tech will come out on top in a close game, with a final score of 35-31.

Overall, Saturday night college football fans are in for a treat with this matchup between Texas Tech and Arizona. Both teams have the potential to put on a show and it should be a thrilling game to watch. Be sure to tune in and see which team comes out on top in this exciting showdown.