Utah vs Arkansas Prediction Football Picks Today 9/12/26

In this article we will formulate a Utah vs Arkansas prediction for this College Football game on Saturday, September 12th at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. Let’s take a look at the prediction for this Week 2 matchup. 

Utah Utes Betting Preview

The Utah Utes are 1-0 this season after they defeated Idaho by a score of 66-14 last week. Utah led 31-7 at halftime and they scored 35 points in the second half to really pour it on in the blowout win. The Utes out gained Idaho by a total of 633-225, went 8-12 on third downs, and won the turnover battle by a total of 2-0 in the game. Devon Dampier threw for 176 yards and three touchdowns, while Braden Pegan caught four passes for 81 yards and one score. LaMarcus Bell rushed seven times for 87 yards and one touchdown in the game. 

The Utes were 11-2 (7-2) last year and they finished third in the Big 12 standings. Utah did play one FCS team in 2025, which was a 63-9 win over Cal Poly. The Utes started the season with a 5-2 record, but they finished with six straight wins, including a 44-22 win over Nebraska in the Las Vegas Bowl. Utah lost to BYU and Texas Tech last year, but they scored at least 44 points in five of their last six games. The Utes scored 41.3 points per game in 2025, while they allowed 18.9 points against per game on defense. 

Arkansas Razorbacks Betting Preview

The Arkansas Razorbacks are 1-0 this year after they defeated North Alabama by a score of 31-14 last week. Arkansas led 14-0 at halftime and they got the win, but it was not very convincing. The Razorbacks out gained UNA by a total of 415-153, went 10-17 on third downs, and lost the turnover battle by a total of 3-1 in the game. KJ Jackson threw for 267 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception, while Chris Marshall caught seven passes for 79 yards. Braylen Russell led the rushing attack with 17 carries for 49 yards and one score. 

Last year, Arkansas went 2-10 (0-8) and they finished last in the SEC standings. Arkansas defeated Alabama A&M by a score of 52-7 in their first game and won 56-14 against Arkansas State in their second game, before losing 10 in a row to finish the year. The Razorbacks allowed 31+ points in nine of those 10 losses. 

Why the Utah Utes will win

• Utah has won each of its last 11 games against non-AP-ranked teams.
• Arkansas has lost each of its last nine games against AP-ranked teams.
• Utah has covered the spread in each of its last five games against non-conference opponents.
• Arkansas has failed to cover the spread in each of its last four games in September.
• Utah has won the first half in each of its last 10 games against non-conference opponents at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
• Utah has won the first quarter in each of its last five games against non-conference opponents at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Why the Arkansas Razorbacks will win

• Arkansas has won 19 of its last 24 games against non-conference opponents.
• The road team has covered the spread in five of Arkansas’ last six games.
• Arkansas has won the first quarter in seven of its last nine September games as an underdog against AP-ranked teams.
• Arkansas has won the first half in seven of its last eight games against opponents from the Big 12 Conference.

Total Points Facts

• Eight of Utah’s last nine games at Rice-Eccles Stadium have gone OVER the total points line.
• Seven of Arkansas’ last eight games against opponents from the Big 12 Conference have gone OVER the total points line.

Utah Utes Player Prop Facts

• Devon Dampier has thrown two or more touchdown passes in seven consecutive games – longest streak in the FBS.

Arkansas Razorbacks Player Prop Facts

• Heading into Week 2, Ty Lockwood ranks T1st amongst qualified players for catch rate (100.0%) this season.

Matchup/League Facts

• Utah ranks T1st among FBS teams for Q1 opponent points per game this season (0.0).
• Utah ranks T1st among FBS teams for Q4 opponent points per game this season (0.0).
• Arkansas ranks T1st among FBS teams for Q1 opponent points per game this season (0.0).
• Arkansas ranks T1st among FBS teams for Q2 opponent points per game this season (0.0).

Utah vs Arkansas Prediction 

Arkansas comes into this matchup after an underwhelming season opener and they could really use a good performance here, especially after last year’s disaster. Utah dominated Idaho in their first game and Dampier is a very dangerous quarterback. The Utes lost a good amount of production from the 2025 team, but their offense is still very hard to stop. I don’t have any faith in the Arkansas defense in this game, so I will back Utah to cover at home.