The No. 20 Arizona Wildcats host the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks in Tucson, Arizona on Saturday night. It's not quite a throwback to the old "Pac-12 After Dark," with NAU vs. Arizona kicking off at 10 p.m. ET, but it is a nice late-night college football Week 2 clash.
Arizona is now a 36.5-point favorite against NAU, as the Arizona vs. NAU point spread has come down from -44.5 to the current -36.5. There is no posted Arizona moneyline, given how big of favorites the Wildcats are, while any book that has a moneyline for NAU has the Lumberjacks at +5500. Most importantly, the over/under is currently 63.5 total points, which will come into play with my college football Week 2 pick tonight.
Here's my NAU vs. Arizona predictions and my college football predictions for Week 2.
NAU vs. Arizona Pick, Prediction
Arizona vs. NAU Pick: Over 63.5
My Northern Arizona vs. Arizona best bet is on the over, with the best line currently available at DraftKings, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Any questions Arizona fans had about the state of their program following the departure of head coach Jedd Fisch were put on hold — if only temporarily — with a 61-point outing to begin the Brent Brennan era.
Arizona’s ease into life post Fisch continues this weekend as the Wildcats play host to FCS foe Northern Arizona. The Lumberjacks, also in their first season under a new head coach, are fresh off a 60-burger of their own after topping Lincoln University in Week 1.
NAU vs. Arizona Odds, Spread, Over/Under
| N. Arizona Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+36.5 -110 | 63.5 -118o / -104u | +5500 |
| Arizona Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-36.5 -110 | 63.5 -118o / -104u | |
- NAU vs. Arizona Point Spread: Arizona -36.5 | NAU +36.5
- NAU vs. Arizona Over/Under: 63.5 total points scored
- NAU vs. Arizona Moneylines: NAU +5500 | Arizona off the board
Northern Arizona Football vs Arizona Football Preview
NAU Lumberjacks Football Preview: Offense Was Dominant in Week 1
Something was in the Arizona air last Saturday as Arizona State, Arizona and Northern Arizona all scored at least 48 points en route to blowout wins. The Lumberjacks scored a touchdown on eight consecutive drives as they beat Lincoln 66-3.
Northern Arizona, who used four quarterbacks, needed only 217 passing yards to complete the rout and tallied 241 yards on the ground, with five different players breaking off runs of at least 34 yards.
With the coaching upheaval at Northern Arizona, the Lumberjacks lost the majority of their talent on both sides of the ball and return just four starters each on offense and defense. Quarterback Angel Flores, however, is one of those returning players. Flores finished the 2023 season as NAU's starter for its final three games.
Aided by additions from the transfer portal, Northern Arizona’s secondary is its strength on defense. Sophomore safety Alex McLaughlin returns after leading the Lumberjacks with 71 tackles in 2023.
Arizona Wildcats Football Preview: Can Anyone Stop McMillan?
A coaching change and roster rebuild are made much easier when the star quarterback and receiver stay put. Monster performances from Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan gave Brennan and offensive coordinator Dino Babers a picture-perfect start on the offensive side of the ball.
Fifita and McMillan, two of the biggest reasons Arizona won its final seven games of the 2023 season, had banner days against New Mexico in Week 1. McMillan reeled in 10 receptions for 304 yards and four touchdowns from his former high school teammate.
The duo, and the rest of Arizona's offense, are tasked with keeping the Wildcats’ heads above water with a roster that saw high amounts of turnover at almost every other position. A welcome new piece of that offense, however, is New Mexico transfer running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who rushed for 106 yards in his Arizona debut and will likely see a ton of action in another expected blowout this week.
The defense features a lot more uncertainty and has a completely new front four from 2023. There’s more continuity in the secondary, led by corner Tacario Davis, but the Wildcats allowed 251 passing yards and three passing touchdowns to a New Mexico team that had just one passing touchdown against FCS Montana State in Week 0.
How to Make College Football Picks For My NAU vs Arizona Prediction
Lost in the headlines of Fifita and McMillan’s stats is that Arizona failed to cover the 28-point spread against the Lobos. The Wildcats are favored by even more this week, so will their fate be the same?
While New Mexico is one of the worst teams in the FBS, Northern Arizona is a mediocre FCS team with a rebuilt roster that hasn't had time to gel. The Wildcats should be able to move the ball at will and approach an output similar to the 61 points they put up against New Mexico.
That said, 44.5 points is a huge number to cover, and New Mexico did have some modest success against Arizona's defense, scoring 39 points. It wouldn't be surprising to see the Lumberjacks find the end zone once or twice and possibly backdoor that spread.
In an effort to not worry about late NAU points, the better play here is on the total. It wouldn't be all that surprising to see Arizona clear this number by itself, but it should have some help from the Lumberjacks' offense.
Arizona vs. NAU Pick: Over 63.5 (Play to 65.5)
How to Watch NAU vs Arizona: Streaming, Channel, Time
| Location: | Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ |
| Date: | Saturday, Sept. 7 |
| Kickoff Time: | 10 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPN+ |
NAU vs. Arizona is live at 10 p.m. ET, exclusively streaming on ESPN+. The game comes to you from Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona.
Arizona vs. NAU Betting Trends
- 75% of the bets and 95% of the money are on Arizona to cover the Arizona vs. NAU point spread.
- 52% of the bets and 85% of the money are on the over.
- Arizona is favored by four-plus touchdowns for the second straight week to open its new season.
Betting trends data courtesy of our live NCAAF Public Betting & Money Percentages page.
Arizona vs. NAU Weather Forecast
