The Holiday Bowl will feature the SMU Mustangs hitting the field against the Arizona Wildcats on Friday, January 2, 2026.

The Mustangs are small favorites (-1.5) in their game versus the Wildcats, with the over/under being 54.5 points. (On the moneyline, the Mustangs are -125 and the Wildcats are +105.)

Below you can find our preview for this this contest between the Mustangs and the Wildcats, and uncover all of our betting picks here, too!

SMU vs. Arizona betting lines

• Spread favorite: Mustangs (-1.5)
• Moneyline: Mustangs (-125), Wildcats (+105)
• Total: 54.5 points
• TV Channel: FOX 4K
• Live Stream: Fubo

SMU vs. Arizona betting info and stats

SMU has a 5-6-0 record against the spread this season. SMU has an ATS record of 3-5 this season when favored by 1.5 points or more. SMU is 5-3 in the eight games this season it has been the moneyline favorite. Arizona is 7-4-0 against the spread through 11 opportunities so far this season. In the four games Arizona has been the underdog by at least 1.5 points, it covered the spread two times. In the four games this year, Arizona has been moneyline underdogs, it is 2-2.

SMU vs. Arizona recent stats and trends

SMU Mustangs

• SMU has covered the spread twice in its past three contests while putting up a 2-1 record straight-up in those games.
• SMU and its opponents have combined to hit the over two times in those games.
• SMU’s last three outings have ended with an average of 52.5 points scored. That’s 2.0 fewer points than this contest’s over/under.

Arizona Wildcats

• Arizona has covered the spread in each of its past three contests, while going 2-1 overall.
• The final combined score of each of the past three Arizona games did not go over the set point total.
• Arizona’s last three outings have ended with an average of 55.8 points scored. That’s 1.3 more points than this contest’s over/under.

SMU vs. Arizona key players

SMU Mustangs

• Kevin Jennings has thrown for 3,363 yards (280.3 ypg) to lead SMU, completing 66.1% of his passes and tossing 26 touchdown passes compared to 10 interceptions this season.
• Tomarion Harden has racked up 746 yards on 161 carries while finding paydirt seven times.
• This season, Chris Johnson Jr. has carried the ball 62 times for 463 yards (46.3 per game) and four touchdowns, while also racking up 176 yards through the air with one touchdown.
• Jordan Hudson’s team-high 749 yards as a receiver have come on 56 receptions (out of 80 targets) with six touchdowns.
• Romello Brinson has caught 43 passes for 638 yards (53.2 yards per game) and three touchdowns this year.
• Yamir Knight’s 47 receptions are good enough for 533 yards and five touchdowns.
• Isaiah Smith leads the team with 9.0 sacks, and also has 11.0 TFL and 36 tackles.
• Ahmaad Moses has 67 tackles, 4.0 TFL, one sack, and five interceptions, and leads the team in both tackles and interceptions.

Arizona Wildcats

• Noah Fifita leads Arizona with 2,963 yards on 247-of-386 passing with 26 touchdowns compared to five interceptions this season. He has chipped in with 149 rushing yards (12.4 ypg) on 102 carries while scoring three touchdowns on the ground.
• Ismail Mahdi has rushed 122 times for 785 yards, with four touchdowns.
• Kedrick Reescano has run for 394 yards across 83 attempts, scoring nine touchdowns.
• Kris Hutson’s 740 receiving yards (74.0 yards per game) lead the team. He has 57 catches on 88 targets with four touchdowns.
• Jayin Whatley has put up a 443-yard season so far with four touchdowns. He’s caught 38 passes on 57 targets.
• Tre Spivey has racked up 359 reciving yards (29.9 ypg) and six touchdowns this season.
• Chase Kennedy has collected 4.0 sacks to lead the team, while also recording 4.0 TFL and 23 tackles.
• Dalton Johnson is the team’s leading tackler this year. He’s picked up 64 tackles, 1.0 TFL, one sack, and four interceptions.
• Jay’Vion Cole leads the team with four interceptions, while also recording 22 tackles, 3.0 TFL, one sack, and six passes defended.