Arizona vs. Northern Illinois odds, spread and betting lines for Week 3
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Brent Brennan and the Arizona Wildcats head back home for Week 3, coming off a disappointing loss in Provo to No. 15 BYU last Saturday.
The Wildcats (1-1) were shut out in the second half against the Cougars, with star quarterback Noah Fifita shouldering the blame for the offense disappearing down the stretch in what was otherwise a winnable game.
But now attention turns to Northern Illinois, which is 0-2 on the year after getting blasted 40-0 by Iowa in Week 1, followed by a loss to FCS Illinois State last weekend. The Huskies - who joined the Mountain West after nearly 30 years in the MAC - are looking for their first win under head coach Rob Harley, who replaced Thomas Hammock after a 3-9 season in 2025.
Arizona has a big question at wide receiver
The big question for Arizona this week is at wide receiver. Sophomore Gio Richardson - who was leading Arizona with 14 receptions and 161 yards - suffered a lower-body injury early in the second quarter against BYU and will be out this weekend.
Veteran Tre Spivey and backup slot receiver Rodney Gallagher are the likely candidates to garner more touches in Richardson's absence, while Illinois transfer Cole Rusk has been a key target for Fifita in the early going as well.
But don't be surprised to see Arizona pound the ball on the ground, with a deep RB room that got even deeper with the news that last year's leading rusher - Ismail Mahdi - is set to make his season debut after he was cleared to play a fifth year via a TRO granted in Pima County.
Arizona's Week 3 matchup is part of a busy Big 12 slate
Arizona vs. BYU was the first Big 12 game of the season, and Week 3 will have two more conference showdowns featuring Houston vs. Texas Tech on Friday evening and Arizona vs. Kansas in London on Saturday morning. The Red Raiders are -7.5 point favorites over Houston at FanDuel Sportsbook, while Arizona State is -5.5 point favorites over the Jayhawks.
Other key matchups include West Virginia going on the road to play Virginia, where they are currently 10.5-point underdogs, and Colorado going on the road at Northwestern as 3.5-point underdogs.
Below is a look at the point spread and betting lines for Arizona's Week 3 battle with Northern Illinois:
Arizona vs. Northern Illinois betting odds, TV channel
Spread: Arizona -34.5 (at FanDuel Sportsbook)
Moneyline: Arizona N/A, Northern Illinois +5000
Over/under: 49.5 points
Records against the spread: Arizona 0-2, NIU 1-1
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Pacific time | Saturday, Sept. 19
Location: Casino Del Sol Stadium | Tucson, Arizona
TV channel: TNT
Odds are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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