Big 12 rivals collide in Provo, Utah on Saturday, Sept. 12 when the Arizona Wildcats visit the No. 15 BYU Cougars. Arizona had no trouble in Week 1, defeating Northern Arizona 35-7. BYU faced even less resistance in a 63-7 rout of Utah Tech. This matchup figures to be more even, though the Cougars are considered contenders in the conference while the Wildcats are just trying to make some noise in Brent Brennan’s third season. Bet on Arizona vs. BYU and more Week 2 college football at DraftKings and get $200 in bonus bets when you spend $5+:

The Wildcats have a star quarterback in Noah Fifita and are coming off a nine-win season in 2025. The Cougars have a rising quarterback themselves in Bear Bachmeier and have won more than 10 games in each of the last two seasons under head coach Kalani Sitake. If these two quarterbacks get into a groove, this could be a high-scoring contest where the team that gets the ball last ends up winning the game. We’ll break down everything you need to know about Arizona vs. BYU for Week 2 and give our best bet with help from the SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every game 10,000 times.

The model simulates every FBS game 10,000 times. It is on a 33-20 run on top-rated CFB money-line picks on betting sites since the 2024 season, and it has been upgraded for the 2026 season to even better factor in the transfer portal. Anybody following its picks on college football betting sites could have seen strong returns.

Arizona vs. BYU betting odds (via DraftKings)

Arizona vs. BYU betting preview

Fifita threw for 262 yards and two scores in Arizona’s opener, and he’s looking to build on a 2025 campaign where he tossed 29 touchdowns to just six interceptions. Arizona’s skill players look ready to step into bigger roles, with Giovanni Richardson logging 96 yards in Week 1 while Tre Spivey had 45 yards and a touchdown. Running back Kedrick Reescano averaged 4.8 yards per carry and also scored two touchdowns. The Wildcats were surprisingly good defensively last year, ranking 19th in yards allowed per game and 21st in points allowed per game. If Fifita can continue playing clean football and the skill players build on their Week 1 effort, Arizona has a great chance to pull off the upset.

Bachmeier tossed three touchdowns in Week 1 but he and the rest of the BYU starters eventually yielded to the backups when the result was clearly in hand. Things are unlikely to be that easy in Week 2 against a stout Wildcats defense. The Cougars needed double overtime to take down Arizona last year, and LJ Martin was a big reason for that 33-27 win. He logged 162 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries as part of a 1,305-yard, 12-touchdown campaign. If Martin can get going again, that’ll take some pressure off Bachmeier. The quarterback threw two interceptions in this matchup a year ago.

Use the BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS to get up to $1,500 in bonus bets for Arizona vs. BYU in Week 2 college football:

Arizona vs. BYU picks, prediction

Arizona-BYU Over 48.5 points

This game went to double overtime a year ago in Tucson, and a lot of familiar faces return for the 2026 game in Provo. The Wildcats have the quarterback and skill group to stay in this game, while the Cougars would like to establish themselves as true Big 12 and College Football Playoff contenders. The SportsLine model is leaning toward BYU against the spread and on the money line but I’ll stick with an Over/Under bet in what could sneakily be one of the most entertaining games in the late afternoon window in Week 2. The Over on 48.5 hits in 54.2% of simulations and I’ll back both quarterbacks to trade punches for four quarters, even against some solid defensive units.