Arizona Wildcats vs SMU Mustangs Holiday Bowl Prediction - 1/2/2026
Updated January 1, 2026
Updated January 1, 2026
Friday night’s Holiday Bowl will feature the Arizona Wildcats (9-3) meeting the SMU Mustangs (8-4) at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. Both teams will try to finish their season on a high note on the final non-playoff day of bowl season. Who will get the job done in Southern California? Continue reading to get my thoughts on this contest, including my Arizona vs SMU prediction.
Pick: | SMU ML |
Confidence: | 2/5 |
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The Arizona Wildcats have built momentum with a five-game streak to close the regular season and they have had success on bown offense and defense. Their secondary ranks among the nation’s best in limiting opponents’ passing success and the Wildcats have broken 40 points in multiple games during their winning streak. But we are flying blind when it comes to Arizona's roster, as head coach Brett Brennan has refused to confirm who would be opting out to try and keep SMU in the dark.
SMU is powered by a prolific aerial attack led by quarterback Kevin Jennings, who leads one of the top passing offenses nationally. The SMU offense is a dynamic but turnover-prone unit that can score in bunches but has shown inconsistencies, including in their loss to Cal to end the regular-season. SMU is expected to be at or near full strength, which could help them to get the win over an Arizona team whose roster could look any number of ways in this game.
The game is likely to revolve around how each quarterback fares under pressure. Arizona’s Noah Fifita has thrown for nearly 3,000 yards with a strong touchdown-to-interception ratio, guiding a dangerous offensive attack that complements a stout defense.
SMU’s Kevin Jennings has compiled over 3,300 yards and 26 passing scores this season, helping his offense rank among the more explosive in the country. Arizona’s secondary will be challenged by SMU’s talented receivers, particularly Jordan Hudson. That matchup could determine the outcome of this game.
Score Projection: Arizona 31 – SMU 34
Win Probability: Arizona 47%, SMU 53%
I'm expecting a close game in the Holiday Bowl, though it's hard to feel confident in any direction without confirmation of who is and is not playing for Arizona. I lean slightly toward SMU to get the win in this pick 'em game, but that could change dramatically depending on who suits up for the Wildcats on Friday night.
Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.
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