Arizona vs SMU Prediction, Picks & Odds | 02 Jan 2026

College Football Betting Preview: Arizona vs SMU

No. 17 Arizona go up against SMU in the Trust & Will Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California, with kickoff scheduled for 20:00 on Friday, January 2.

There’s a good opportunity to back SMU against the spread considering the underdogs should perform well against Arizona. Snap up the -115 when it comes to them covering the +2.5.

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The Arizona Wildcats (9-3, 4th in Big 12) have won five straight games, most recently claiming a 23–7 road victory over the Arizona State Sun Devils in the Duel in the Desert at Mountain America Stadium.

The SMU Mustangs (8-4, 2nd in ACC) saw their three-game winning streak come to an end with a 38–35 road loss to the Cal Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium in their last outing.

Arizona vs SMU Prediction & Picks

Gear up for Arizona vs SMU with our betting guide, featuring an expert match prediction, scoreline advice and a hand-picked bet builder. Explore each section below for detailed insights.

Game Prediction

Our pick is that SMU can outperform their odds in this college football matchup. It leads us to a wager on the spread lines considering that an appealing +2.5 has been chalked up at -115.

Recent form is always part of the equation and we combine it with team news as soon as it’s available. To deliver expert predictions, our college football handicappers also analyze the latest stats to ensure we’re working with the best information possible.

Key Arizona vs SMU stats:

• The +2.5 line has been covered by SMU in 8 of their last 10 games.
• The +2.5 line has been covered by SMU in 4 of their last 5 games.

SMU +2.5 Probability

If you go by the best sportsbooks, our pick has a 53.5% prospect of winning. However, our analysts have this number closer to 60% based on their in-depth research. That means we’re regarding it as a value bet.

If you’re searching for bigger odds and feel confident that your selection will perform well, then moving the line can secure an increased potential payout.

Before you place your bets, explore our updated guide packed with the latest free bets and betting bonuses.

Our Game Prediction

SMU +2.5 @ -115 Bet Now

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Correct Score Prediction

Arizona 21 - 24 SMU

There’s every chance that this is going to be a close matchup and we’ll have a play on the Mustangs achieving a 24-21 winning scoreline. Hopefully this can go close.

Arizona vs SMU Odds

The odds and lines are updated on a frequent basis. You might therefore find that they are different to the ones listed for the betting predictions and bet builder tips.

The betting odds about SMU winning is +106, with Arizona priced up at -123 to achieve victory. According to the top sportsbooks, the home team have an implied probability of 49%.

The current spread is 2.5 and total points is 52.5. The Totals offers football bettors an alternative way of getting involved. If you’re going for Under 52.5, this outcome can be backed at -112.

There’s no shortage of betting opportunities when it comes to college football. The best betting apps offer a wide variety of team props and game lines for each game, so be sure to explore both the pre-game and in-game markets before making your pick.

Moneyline

Arizona

-123

SMU

+106

Point Spread

Arizona -2.5

-105

SMU +2.5

-115

Total Points

Under 52.5

-112

Over 52.5

-108

As an alternative to the game lines, check out the player prop bets that are available. It’s especially great if you have a view when it comes to First, Last or Anytime Touchdown Scorer, while there are lots of other player and quarterback options.

Micro betting is an exciting way to wager on college football. There are a huge range of live lines and it’s a simple case of predicting what is going to happen next. Field Goal Outcome, Next Drive Result and Next Play Result are often among the options.

Latest regular season and playoff games stats.

Arizona Wildcats Stats

SMU Stats

Moneyline

• 7 wins and 3 defeats in the last 10 games
• 4 wins and 6 defeats in the last 10 games on the road

Moneyline

• 7 wins and 3 defeats in the last 10 games
• 8 wins and 2 defeats in the last 10 home games

Point Spread

• -2.5 Betting Line: Have covered the spread in 7 of the last 10 games
• -2.5 Betting Line on the Road: Have covered the spread in 4 of the last 10 games on the road

Point Spread

• +2.5 Betting Line: Have covered the spread in 8 of the last 10 games
• +2.5 Betting Line at Home: Have covered the spread in 8 of the last 10 home games

Total Points

• Game Totals: An average of 52.10 pts in the previous 10 games
• Game Totals on the Road: An average of 54.10 pts in the previous 10 games on the road
• Over 52.5: Covered in 7 of the previous 10 games
• Over 52.5 on the Road: Covered in 7 of the previous 10 games on the road
• Team Totals: Have scored an average of 30.30 pts and allowed 21.80 pts in the last 10 games
• Team Totals on the Road: Have scored an average of 23.60 pts and allowed 30.50 pts in the last 10 games on the road

Total Points

• Game Totals: An average of 49.50 pts in the previous 10 games
• Game Totals at Home: An average of 57.90 pts in the previous 10 home games
• Over 52.5: Covered in 4 of the previous 10 games
• Over 52.5 at Home: Covered in 5 of the previous 10 home games
• Team Totals: Have scored an average of 30.80 pts and allowed 18.70 pts in the last 10 games
• Team Totals at Home: Have scored an average of 37.10 pts and allowed 20.80 pts in the last 10 home games

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