Arizona vs Texas Tech Picks and Predictions for Saturday October 31 2026
I've been trying to figure out why I'm supposed to be so much more impressed with Texas Tech than Arizona heading into this game. Sure, the Red Raiders are tough at home. Nobody's arguing that. But Arizona just beat Iowa State 39-3, and Texas Tech went to Cincinnati and lost 37-24. That's a pretty big difference in how these two teams spent their Saturday. And here's the part I keep coming back to. Arizona beat that same Cincinnati team 34-7 earlier this month. Doesn't mean the Wildcats automatically win in Lubbock, but it sure makes me question anyone treating Texas Tech like the obvious choice. Be prepared for all the college action with our free college football picks.
Arizona visits Texas Tech at Galaxy Stadium in Lubbock on Saturday, October 31, 2026. Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET, with television coverage on ABC or ESPN. BetMGM has Texas Tech favored by 3.5 points, with the total sitting at 54.5. Both teams are fighting for position in the Big 12, and I think we're getting a much closer game than some Texas Tech fans might expect.
Arizona Wildcats Have More Than Enough Offense to Win This Game
Arizona is 6-1 overall and 2-1 on the road. The Wildcats have won five straight, and that 39-3 beating they handed Iowa State was probably their best performance yet. They finished with 477 yards while allowing only 221. Iowa State never really got anything going after the opening quarter. What impressed me was how Arizona handled the game once it got ahead. The Wildcats didn't start giving away possessions or letting Iowa State back into it. They kept playing football. That's what you want from a team heading into a difficult road game.
The offense has scored at least 34 points in five straight games. Arizona put up 52 at West Virginia and 34 against Cincinnati before handling Iowa State. The passing game has been the difference. The Wildcats threw for 336 yards Saturday, and they've shown they can score without having to pound the ball between the tackles all afternoon. That's important against Texas Tech because the Red Raiders can be awfully difficult to run against. Arizona's defense deserves some credit, too. Holding Cincinnati to seven points looks a whole lot better after watching the Bearcats score 37 against Tech. I wouldn't expect Arizona to shut the Red Raiders down completely, but the Wildcats have shown they can get stops against good competition.
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Noah Fifita is the guy I'd trust to keep Arizona in this game. He's thrown for 2,064 yards with 18 touchdowns and only four interceptions, and he just completed 27 of 34 passes against Iowa State. That's pretty efficient football. Isaiah Mizell has 493 receiving yards and five touchdowns, including that 71-yard score Saturday. Kendrick Reescano has five rushing touchdowns, giving Arizona another way to finish drives. The Wildcats do have injuries at receiver, with Giovanni Richardson and Chris Hunter dealing with problems, while Tre Spivey remains out. That's something to watch because Texas Tech can get after the quarterback. But if Fifita has time to throw, I like his chances of moving the ball.
Texas Tech Red Raiders Need a Better Game From Their Quarterback
Texas Tech is 6-1 overall and 4-0 at home. That's a good football team, and I wouldn't pretend otherwise. The Red Raiders beat Arizona State 53-25 two weeks ago and looked like they could score whenever they felt like it. Then Cincinnati happened. Tech trailed 24-6 at halftime and never recovered, losing 37-24. I expect a better effort back in Lubbock. The Red Raiders have played well there all season, and a loss like that usually gets everybody's attention at practice. But I'm not ready to forget how badly things went in Cincinnati just because they're coming home.
Texas Tech's defense can cause real problems when the pass rush gets going. The Red Raiders sacked Arizona State six times, and that's exactly the kind of afternoon that could make things difficult for Fifita. If Tech gets pressure without sending extra defenders, Arizona could have trouble sustaining drives. But the Red Raiders aren't impossible to move the ball against. Cincinnati showed that last weekend, and Arizona has a much better passing attack than people sometimes give it credit for. Tech also needs to run the ball well enough to keep Arizona from focusing entirely on its quarterback. If this turns into Hammond throwing on every down, I like the Wildcats' chances of forcing a mistake.
Will Hammond has thrown for 1,561 yards, but his six touchdowns and six interceptions aren't exactly numbers that make me want to lay points against a good defense. He threw an interception and lost a fumble against Cincinnati. Those mistakes hurt when you're trying to come from behind. J'Koby Williams has been a bright spot with 619 rushing yards and five touchdowns, and Kenny Johnson has 499 receiving yards. There's plenty of talent here. Cameron Dickey and Donte Lee Jr. remain sidelined, though, and Jalen Jones has also been dealing with an injury. Texas Tech can win this game with the players it has available. I just think it'll have to earn every bit of it.
Arizona vs Texas Tech Picks and Predictions
Arizona Wildcats +3.5
I'm taking Arizona plus the 3.5 points, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Wildcats win outright. The biggest reason is Fifita. He's playing well, he's protecting the football, and Arizona has scored 34 or more in five straight games. Texas Tech has a dangerous pass rush, and I'll admit that worries me. Six sacks against Arizona State is no joke. But Tech also just gave up 37 points to Cincinnati, a team Arizona held to seven. I'm not saying those results tell us exactly what happens Saturday. They don't. But they tell me Arizona belongs on the same field with the Red Raiders. Texas Tech might get a couple of big plays at home, and Williams could have a good afternoon running the ball. I still trust Fifita more than Hammond if this comes down to a couple of late possessions. Give me the Wildcats and the points.
Over 54.5
I like Over 54.5 here, although the side is my stronger play. Arizona has been putting points on the board every week, and Texas Tech has enough offensive talent to answer. The Red Raiders scored 53 against Arizona State and have been particularly dangerous at home. Arizona's defense has been good, but I don't expect it to hold Tech to seven the way it did Cincinnati. On the other side, Fifita should find opportunities against a defense that gave up 37 last weekend. The concern is Texas Tech getting enough pressure to wreck Arizona's passing game. If Fifita spends the afternoon running for his life, the over could be in trouble. But I think both teams reach the upper 20s, and that should be enough. Something around Arizona 30-28 wouldn't surprise me.
Final Picks: Arizona Wildcats +3.5 and Over 54.5
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