by Rod Pearson
Friday, Sep 11, 2026
Game Time: 10:15 pm ET, Saturday, September 12, 2026
Venue: Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, UT
Where to Watch: ESPN
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Arkansas +12.5, Utah -12.5; Over/Under: 55.5 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Arkansas +12.5, Utah -12.5; Over/Under: 55.5 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Arkansas +12.5, Utah -12.5; Over/Under: 55.5 points
Season Record
Arkansas Razorbacks: 1-0 (0-0) (1st place, SEC)
Utah Utes: 1-0 (0-0) (1st place, Big 12)
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Recent Form
Arkansas Razorbacks: won their last game at home against the North Alabama Lions 31-14.
Utah Utes: won their last game at home against the Idaho Vandals 66-14.
Arkansas Razorbacks vs Utah Utes Preview and Analysis
Arkansas is entering this game with a 1-0 record overall and they have a 0-0 record in their conference games too. They are 1-0 in their home games, 0-0 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be on the road for this game. They won their last game against North Alabama 31-14. KJ Jackson was the starting QB and he completed 24/35 passes for 267 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Braylen Russell led the team in rushing yards with 49 and 1 TD. Chris Marshall led the receivers with 79 receiving yards on 7 receptions. Ben Bogle led the defense in that game with 4 tackles while Khmori House and Charlie Collins each led the defense in sacks with 1. No one on the defense came away with an interception for them in that one.
Utah is entering this game with a 1-0 record overall and they have a 0-0 record in their conference games too. They are 1-0 in their home games, 0-0 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be at home for this game. They won their last game against Idaho 66-14. Devon Dampier was the starting QB and he completed 13/18 passes for 176 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. LaMarcus Bell led the team in rushing yards with 87 and 1 TD. Braden Pegan led the receivers with 81 receiving yards on 4 receptions and 1 TD. Manny Fuller, Elijah Elliss, and Cyrus Polu each led the defense in that game with 4 tackles while Karson Kaufusi led the defense in sacks with 1. Trey Reynolds came away with the only interception for them in that one.
Arkansas vs Utah Prediction
The current betting odds have Utah listed as a 12.5 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. Utah has a 1-0 record overall this season and they destroyed a team from the FCS in their season opener. They are coming off a 66-14 win over Idaho and they look to be fine in this new era without Whittingham. Whittingham was already on his way out the door too and Scalley has been waiting in the wings, so he is going to make the most of his opportunity to be the head coach now. They still have a ton of talent all over the roster on both offense and defense. They have a really talented QB in Devon Dampier who they are returning from last season too. Meanwhile, Arkansas has a 1-0 record overall this season, but they didn't look as good in their season opener. They beat a team from the FCS in week 1, beating North Alabama, but they only won that game 31-14. They gave up 14 points and had trouble putting up points against an inferior opponent, so they are already off to an uninspiring start with their new head coach. Silverfield definitely wasn't the best option to hire as head coach either, so he is going to have to do a lot to pull this program out of the SEC toilet where it has been the last few seasons. They also had one of the worst defenses in the nation last year and have a lot of new faces this season now. Silverfield might not be the right fit for this team and they are going to find out quickly in this game when they face a Utah team who looks like it can compete for the Big 12 again. Utah has a lot more talent where it matters most on the roster and they are going to use this game to make a statement against an SEC program. The best way to place a bet here is on Utah to cover the spread in this game.
Arkansas Utah Prediction: Our NCAAF Pick for Saturday, September 12, 2026 (10:15 pm ET start time) is Utah 45 Arkansas 10.
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NCAAF Betting Trends
Arkansas Razorbacks: 6-11 ATS when playing with 6 or less days rest. 22-30 1H ATS in the first two weeks of the season. 22-9 OVER as a road underdog of 7.5 to 14 points. 23-15 OVER in a road game where the total is between 49.5 and 56.
Utah Utes: 51-36 ATS as a favorite of 10.5 to 21 points. 35-26 ATS in a home game where the total is between 49.5 and 56. 74-49 ATS in non-conference games. 21-15 OVER as a home favorite of 7.5 to 14 points.
Key Injuries
Arkansas Razorbacks: M. Lassiter (TE) Out - Upper Body.
Utah Utes: None.
Notable Quotes
“Today’s performance certainly wasn’t to the standard and expectations we want. Probably one of the worst offensive performances I’ve been a part of.” - Ryan Silverfield after his team’s win against North Alabama in their last game.
“I just wanted our players to show what our culture is all about. It’s not, and I keep saying this, it’s not about Morgan.” - Morgan Scalley after his team’s win against Idaho in their last game.
Starting Lineups
Arkansas Razorbacks
WR Marshall, Chris
WR Brown, CJ
WR Hawkins, Jamari
TE Platt, Jaden
QB Jackson, KJ
RB Smith, Sutton
Utah Utes
WR Johnson, Ricky
WR Pegan, Braden
WR Whittemore, Creed
TE Bennee, Noah
QB Dampier, Devon
RB Parker, Wayshawn
Statistical Leaders
Arkansas Razorbacks
Passing: KJ Jackson (267)
Rushing: Braylen Russell (49)
Receiving: Chris Marshall (79)
Touchdowns: Braylen Russell (1)
Utah Utes
Passing: Devon Dampier (176)
Rushing: LaMarcus Bell (87)
Receiving: Braden Pegan (81)
Touchdowns: Wayshawn Parker (3)
Coaches:
Arkansas Razorbacks: Ryan Silverfield (1st season)
Utah Utes: Morgan Scalley (1st season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
