As expected, the Arizona Wildcats have opened as an underdog in their season finale vs. rival Arizona State.
Arizona is an 8.5-point underdog, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The over/under for the Territorial Cup is 51.5 points. The game kicks off Saturday at 1:30 p.m. MST in Tucson.
Arizona enters the game 2-9 against the spread (ATS) this season, among the worst betting records in the FBS. ASU, on the other hand, is 9-2 ATS.
The 8.5-point spread is rather small considering the teams’ records of covering. Additionally, ASU enters the game with the incentive of competing for a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game. Arizona’s season is over after Saturday.
In the last 10 Territorial Cup games played in Tucson, both teams are 5-5 overall and 5-5 ATS. The over has hit eight of those 10 times.
The 8.5-point spread in favor of ASU is close to the 2020 game, when the Sun Devils were favored by nine points and wound up winning 70-7.
This iteration of the Territorial Cup should be more competitive, though maybe not by much.