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NCAAF futures, Arizona win totals: Do Wildcats have a shot?

By Matt Wiesenfeld | Last updated 6/16/23

Arizona Football was once a thing. They had the Desert Swarm defense and finished fourth in the nation back in 1998. More recently, they are just trying to get a winning season for the first time since RichRod was the coach. They have a real chance this season.

Jedd Fisch was 1-11 in his first season as coach but five wins last year confirmed the program's improvement. Now they are looking to get to bowl eligible as rumors swirl about whether they might jump to the Big 12. If football is truly on the rise, they definitely become a more interesting candidate.

2023 Arizona Wildcats Win Total

Over 5.5 +120 / Under 5.5 -150

The pricing here says not to expect too much more success than they had a year ago. Sometimes getting more competitive on the field does not always lead to more victories. Taking the under is not a great way to tie up your money for six months though. In terms of the Over, I like that +120 payoff and it is not like we are needing them to challenge for supremacy in the new division less Pac-12.

The schedule should help them get off to a fast start. There are a couple of nonconference games that look like gimmes against Northern Arizona and UTEP in the first three weeks. In between they go to Mississippi State. They will be underdogs, but that is a game they can win, especially with a strong offense and the same goes for a trip to Stanford at the end of September. That is a program in transition. After that, the schedule stiffens with a trip to Wazzu, and a home game against Oregon State as swing games.

Last year the Wildcats seemed to "solve" the offense. They were third in passing offense in the Pac-12 and scored 30 ppg and the QB and top receivers return. The defense was second worst in the league though, allowing 36 ppg. Until they are better on that side of the ball it is hard for this group to find some unexpected wins in a league filled with strong offenses. They can compete and move the ball but they are not built to keep teams off the field.

I see the Wildcats as a 50/50 team right now so I am leaning to the over for the better payoff. I would not go hard but a 4-0 start means they can still struggle a little in league play.

Take the Wildcats on the over.

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