The UTSA Roadrunners (4-8, 3-5 C-USA) will visit the #22 Arizona Wildcats (10-4, 7-2 Pac-12) on Thursday, September 3, 2015 at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona. The game will televise at 10 pm ET on Pac-12 network. The odds show Arizona as 31.5 favorites with the over/under set at 58.5
UTSA will look to try and make it five straight season openers when they take on Arizona. UTSA played Arizona tough last year but lost 26-23. This year UTSA only has 6 returning starters and will look to get better as the year progresses. They start the season off against teams like Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Colorado State. UTSA will be starting freshman quarterback Blake Bogenschutz which means they will be relying on junior running back Jarveon Williams. They will also need their defense to create some turnovers along with some points as this offense will more than likely struggle.
Arizona will have Anu Solomon returning at quarterback after a great freshman year where he set some new freshman passing records. Nick Wilson also returns after rushing for over 1300 yards and adding 16 touchdowns on the ground. Arizona should have little problems with offense but with the loss of several players on defense, we are left to wonder how this team will do without the ball. Arizona’s pass defense will be in question and teams will be throwing the ball against them which could result in some high scoring games.
My Pick: Arizona -31.5
This is a tough game to predict. Arizona should win this game with ease. UTSA will most likely struggle on offense and well, Arizona will not struggle on offense. Freshman quarterbacks will always leave bettors with a question mark. We really have no idea what this team will do especially if Arizona struggles in the secondary. You have to assume UTSA will be running the ball a lot but if Arizona is ready for that, UTSA will have to rely on the passing game which is where the problems may begin.