Point spread, betting odds for Arizona vs. Northern Arizona in Week 1 of 2026 college football season
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Brent Brennan and the Arizona Wildcats kick off the 2026 college football season on Saturday evening, taking on in-state opponent Northern Arizona out of the Big Sky Conference in Week 1.
The matchup gives Brennan and his veteran Wildcats team an opportunity to shake the rust off before launching right into Big 12 play in Week 2, when they travel to Provo to take on the BYU Cougars.
Arizona recently revealed its depth chart ahead of Week 1, showing a bevy of familiar faces - with 18 of the named starters returning from last year's squad. That includes nine starters on offense - notably quarterback Noah Fifita, running back Ismail Mahdi, and a trio of wide receivers: Tre Spivey, Chris Hunter III, and Gio Richardson.
All this allows them a real opportunity to dominate Week 1 against an FCS opponent, while getting the newcomers familiar with Arizona football at Casino Del Sol Stadium.
History vs NAU
Arizona is 17-2 all-time against NAU, although they lost not that long ago,, back in 2022. Since then, they knocked off the Lumberjacks in both 2023 (33-3) and 2024 (22-10) and will look to make it three in a row on Saturday evening.
Meanwhile, NAU is riding momentum into Saturday, coming off a wild comeback win over Eastern Washington in Week 0. The Lumberjacks were down 21 points in the first half but came back to secure a 34-27 victory, thanks to two touchdowns and 164 passing yards from quarterback Ty Pennington.
Arizona is far from the only Big 12 team heavily favored in Week 1. UCF is -42.5 over Bethune Cookman, No. 21 Utah is -34.5 over Idaho, No. 23 Houston is -20.5 over former Pac-12 foe Oregon State, West Virginia is -20.5 over Coastal Carolina, Iowa State is -30.5 over SE Missouri State, and Kansas State is -41.5 over Nicholls State.
Below is a look at the point spread and betting odds for Arizona's 2026 college football season opener, as well as streaming information and kickoff time:
Arizona vs. Northern Arizona betting odds, TV channel
Spread: Arizona -32.5
Moneyline: Arizona N/A, Northern Arizona +3500
Over/under: 57.5 points
Records against the spread: Arizona 0-0, Northern Arizona 0-0
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Mountain time | Saturday, Sept. 5
Location: Casino Del Sol Stadium | Tucson, Arizona
TV channel: ESPN+
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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Andy Patton is a college basketball writer with deep ties to both Gonzaga and Arizona. A Gonzaga alumnus who graduated in 2013, he has hosted the Locked On Zags podcast covering Gonzaga basketball since 2021 and has co-hosted the Locked On College Basketball podcast since 2022. His years covering the Bulldogs have also given him extensive familiarity with Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd, who spent more than two decades on Mark Few’s staff at Gonzaga before taking over the Wildcats in 2021. Andy has worked in sports media since 2017, with experience covering nearly every major sport. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for USA TODAY from 2017–21, where he also spent time covering the USC Trojans and Oregon Ducks, and previously served as lead writer for College Sports Wire. He has also covered the NBA, NHL and MLB for various TEGNA outlets, including KREM in Spokane, 12News in Phoenix and KING 5 in Seattle. Andy now lives in Spokane, Washington, with his wife, daughter and dog.
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