Nippert Stadium is expected to be blacked out for Thursday’s game, but the Hurricanes are likely to throw the knockout punch. Cincinnati will turn to a freshman quarterback for his first career start after Gunner Kiel got knocked out of last week’s game. The Bearcats’ fast-paced offense and matador defense has led to them cashing the over in all four games while Miami looks to stay undefeated before heading into ACC play.
ODDS
Miami hit the board as a 4-point favorite with the total at 66. The news on UC’s Kiel pushed plenty of dough on Miami causing a spike in the line to -6. The total was also wagered to 68.5 and still has plenty of value given the explosive offenses and Cincinnati’s aversion to playing defense. UC is 3-0 on the over this season while Miami has played above the total in its last two.
KEY MISMATCH
An offense that could have seen a drop in production with the departure of Duke Johnson to the NFL is still incredibly productive on the ground, led by Joseph Yearby and Mark Walton. But the leader of the unit is quarterback Brad Kaaya, who torched UC for 286 yards in a 55-34 win last season. He enters Thursday with 839 passing yards and five touchdowns with just one pick and leads a team that averages 41.7 points. Cincinnati wanted to show that last year’s No. 96 national ranking in total defense was an aberration, but things again are trending backward. In the first two games against Alabama AM and Temple, the defense largely held its own. Not so much the last two weeks, with the Miami RedHawks amassing 448 total yards and Memphis 570. UC is down a few key defenders, too, in cornerback Adrian witty and linebacker Clement Casseus. Regardless, there are too many missed tackles and a lack of consistent playmaking.
KEY STAT
-10 – Cincinnati’s turnover margin. The Bearcats are last in the nation in this category and have turned the ball over 14 times. The Hurricanes have 10 takeaways on the season and are plus-8 in turnover margin.
BETTING ANGLE
The Bearcats rallied last week after their leader and starting quarterback Gunner Kiel was carted off the field after taking a vicious hit to the neck and shoulder area. Redshirt freshman Hayden Moore replaced Kiel and nearly led Cincinnati to the upset win at Memphis, throwing for a school record 557 yards. He also threw four touchdown passes against the Tigers but was intercepted twice. Though coach Tommy Tuberville hasn’t ruled Kiel out for Thursday’s game, the chances are razor thin that he plays after being knocked out of the last two games with the same injury. Kiel has started every game for the past two seasons and that streak will most certainly end. How the freshman reacts to making his first collegiate start will go a long way toward determining if the Bearcats can salvage their season that is quickly spiraling out of control.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Football is a violent sport but it sure impacts a team when a player is lying on the field motionless for several minutes. The Bearcats went through that last week when Kiel was clobbered and eventually carted off the field on a stretcher. Thankfully the young man is fine and back with the team, but that leaves a big hole in the offense. His replacement Moore put up ridiculous numbers tossing the ball for a school record in pass yards playing just three quarters, but getting the start is a bit different than taking over mid-game and playing Miami is far from dealing with the Memphis defensive backs. The Canes should be well rested after taking a bye last week and Kaaya gets his favorite receiver Braxton Berrios back in the mix, which should help an already potent offensive attack. The game will be much closer if UC can avoid the turnovers, but that’s been hard for them this year. I like the Canes getting the cover win with plenty of offense.
Miami 38, Cincinnati 31
The college football lines for this contest were first released by BookMaker and the Hurricanes were positioned as 4-point favorites with a total of 66. Gamble on the game between every commercial break with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen on the next play or how many points will be scored in the next quarter. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device or tablet at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The Miami Hurricanes and Cincinnati Bearcats square off on Thursday, October 1, 2015, at 7:30 p.m. ET at Nippert Stadium. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
