Arizona vs Hawaii 2019 College Football Week 1 Lines & Betting Prediction

Kevin Sumlin enters his second year coaching the Arizona Wildcats, and the coach who turned around the Houston Cougars but then struggled to bring extended transformation at Texas A&M, running off both starting quarterbacks, has a stronger, deeper defensive line than he had in 2018, when Arizna won just five games. The Wildcats begin their 2019 season with a Week Zero trip to Hawaii to take on the Rainbow Warriors. The game gives the Wildcats exposure on national television but also brings the risk of distractions as a result of traveling to such an exotic locale. Can Hawaii trip up the Wildcats, or will Arizona set the tone for an improved 2019? Check out our college football betting preview before you lock in your wagers.

Arizona vs Hawaii 2019 College Football Week 1 Lines & Betting Prediction

📍 Honolulu. Time to go to work. #BuildingTheA 🅰️ | #BearDown pic.twitter.com/qdBbqCpOxD

— Arizona Football (@ArizonaFBall) August 22, 2019

When: Saturday, August 24, 2019, 7:00pm ET Where: Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, HI TV: CBS Sports Radio: None Live Stream: ESPN+ College Football Week 1 Odds: Arizona -11 / O/U 70.5 

Why should you bet on Arizona?

Khalil Tate returns at quarterback for the Wildcats, and the ceiling on him is sky-high. He scored 26 total touchdowns during the 2017 campaign, picking up momentum as the season came to a close, but while the offense averaged 31.3 points and 457.7 yards per contest in 2018, inconsistncy plagued the team. The defense returns eight starters, but that unit permitted 32.6 points per game. Four of the top five tacklers from 2018 are back, such as Colin Schooler, who led the team in tackles for loss, picking up 21 ½ from the linebacker position. Arizona has only covered five times in their last 21 road games, but they have covered in four of their last five overall. In their last five games in August, they have covered each time. If you like Arizona to cover this sizable spread, you see Tate leading the team up and down the field in the same style he showed in 2017, and you see the Wildcats’ defense showing significant improvement over 2018.

Why should you put your money on Hawaii?

Hawaii won eight games in 2018, their best record in eight seasons, and Nick Rolovich returns to lead the Rainbow Warriors for a fourth season. Hawaii is strong at home, having won five of their last seven at Aloha Stadium. Quarterback Cole McDonald has racked up nearly 3,900 passing yards and 36 touchdown passes, and playing in the middle of the Pacific Ocean has left him under the radar. The Hawaii defense was porous last year, though, permitting 35.1 yards per game. The unit does return nine starters, including linebacker Solomon Matautia, who led the team with 92 tackles in 2018, along with 4 ½ tackles for loss and three forced fumbles. Hawaii has covered in each of their last five August games as well — so something has to give. However, they have only covered in six of their last 29 home games and in 14 of their last 51 games overall. If you like Hawaii, you recognize that McDonald can lead the Rainbow Warriors’ offense up and down the field just as well as Tate can for Arizona. There is also the intangible factor associated with Arizona making a trip to the islands.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

This is a huge line for a game in Week Zero, when offensive schemes can get fouled up and the first half is often an ugly mess. There is the added factor of the trip to Hawaii, which not only involves a significant time change but also disrupts schedules and offers a number of distractions for the Wildcats. I think Kevin Sumlin’s crew can get the win, but I’m not sure that they can do it by 11 points. Final Score Prediction: Arizona 33, Hawaii 27