The Idaho Vandals take on the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks on Friday, Oct. 31. Kickoff is set for 10 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Northern Arizona is favored by 4.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -180. Idaho, meanwhile, comes into the game as a +4.5 underdog and is +150 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 54.5 total points.
Here’s my Idaho vs Northern Arizona prediction and college football picks for Friday, October 31.
Idaho vs Northern Arizona Prediction
- Idaho vs Northern Arizona Pick: Northern Arizona -3.5 (Play to -6.5)
My Northern Arizona vs. Idaho best bet is on the Lumberjacks to cover the spread. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Idaho vs Northern Arizona Odds
| Idaho Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4.5 -110 | 54.5 -110o / -110u | +150 |
| Northern Arizona Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4.5 -110 | 54.5 -110o / -110u | -180 |
Idaho vs Northern Arizona College Football Betting Preview
Idaho Vandals Betting Preview: Falling Off
Idaho has had such a disappointing season by its standards, as the Vandals have experienced growing pains under a new coaching staff while breaking in many new players after the departure of Jason Eck in the offseason.
The Vandals have battled hard this season but have been on the wrong end of too many close battles, including three-point losses at Washington State and San Jose State.
We saw this team fade against lesser Big Sky opponents, but the return of quarterback Joshua Wood from injury will inject some life into the offense.
Wood returned against Portland State and completed 68% of his passes for 259 yards with four passing scores in a home win last week. Wood is relied upon in the running game, and his presence will add another dynamic that has been missing for several weeks.
Defensively, Idaho is coming off a strong performance in which it held Portland State to just six points and 317 yards in the convincing win.
Overall, the Vandals' stop unit has been serviceable but noticeably down from prior years.
The pass rush has been less effective, and the coverage unit hasn't been as disruptive as prior units. This has led to higher scoring games and losses in the standings.
Northern Arizona Lumberjacks Betting Preview: Due for Regression?
Northern Arizona is just a couple of breaks away from really being in the mix for an FCS Playoff spot.
The Lumberjacks hosted Big Sky powerhouse Montana State earlier this season and held an early lead before a 90-yard punt return touchdown and 79-yard passing touchdown thwarted the effort.
For the season, this NAU offense has been potent while averaging 30 points and 403 yards per game.
Quarterback Ty Pennington has been outstanding, completing 65% of his passes for nearly 2,000 yards and 11 touchdown passes. If the offensive line can hold up against a mediocre Idaho pass rush, this offense could score a ton of points in this game.
Defensively, NAU is down a notch from prior seasons, and as this season has played out, it has shown it can't hang with the premier teams in the Big Sky.
The coverage unit has been serviceable, but the front seven has been gashed on the ground at times, yielding over five yards per carry.
If NAU is to win this game, the pass rush is going to have to have something to say about it, and the coverage unit is going to have to play its best.
Idaho vs Northern Arizona Pick, Betting Analysis
NAU plays really well at home, and it protects its home turf exceptionally well. This is such an important game for the Lumberjacks, who will likely need to win out to secure a playoff berth — something they're more than capable of doing.
This is a Friday night FCS showcase on national television, an opportunity NAU doesn't get very often. This is the spot. I'm laying the -3.5 with Northern Arizona.
The NAU defense is down a notch, but this pass rush is nasty, and the front has secured 15 sacks and 47 tackles for loss to go along with 26 additional QB hurries.
Idaho doesn't possess the big-play weapons on the outside, and its run game is predicated on using Wood’s legs to create.
The Vandals don't have a potent ground attack to rely on, as the offensive line grades out with the second-worst run blocking marks in the conference, per PFF.
This rushing operation has struggled in the second half of games in recent weeks, and while Idaho will score some here, I don’t think it'll keep drives alive by running the football. The Vandals will be in third-and-medium or worse often.
NAU should be able to throw the ball a ton against an Idaho secondary that has given up 7.7 yards per pass and has routinely been unable to secure stops in the second half.
The Idaho pass rush has posted only eight sacks this season and has put very little pressure on opposing quarterbacks to make them uncomfortable.
With time to throw, watch out for NAU's matchup nightmares on the outside. Wide receivers Kolbe Katsis and Isaiah Eastman should both have explosive outings in this one.
I love this spot for Northern Arizona at home on a Friday night on ESPN2. This is the first time NAU will play in front of a large TV audience since 1988.
The Lumberjacks are also playing with revenge from a loss to the Vandals last season and have been laser-focused since coming out of the bye week on Oct. 18.
This will be an electric atmosphere for a really fun FCS game on Friday night. I'm laying anything under a touchdown with the home team.
Pick: Northern Arizona -3.5 (Play to -6.5)
Idaho vs Northern Arizona Betting Trends
