The BYU Cougars last outing didn’t end the way they were hoping, falling by a point to No. 14 Boise State to drop to .500 on the season. That’s the bad news. The good news is there’s been plenty of time to rest since that game on October 20 thanks to a bye week. The Cougars will take on the Cincinnati Bearcats in Ohio in Week 10, aiming to rebound.
The Bearcats come into this one with the same 4-4 record as BYU and fresh off a 34-13 loss to Temple on Saturday. BYU is the early favorite despite playing on the road but the Bearcats will aim to defend their home turf.
Kickoff for this regular season Week 10 game is set for Saturday, November 5, 2016, at 3:30 p.m. ET at Nippert Stadium.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
BYU -9
Cincinnati +9
Over/Under 52
Odds Analysis
The spread has bumped up a half-point over the last day as the money has come in heavier on BYU and the oddsmakers are trying to entice some action on the Bearcats.
The scoring total has moved up a half-point as well to 52 and the early action is still favoring the “over.”
BYU has been really good against the spread this season with a mark of 7-1 including a perfect 5-0 mark while trying to cover on the road. Cincinnati is only 2-6 against the spread including 1-3 at home and 0-3 as the underdog.
Player to Watch
Jamaal Williams - The bye week was especially key for BYU’s injured running back, who is expected back this week against Cincinnati. Williams missed the Boise State game with an ankle injury.
The senior is the team’s leading rusher this season with 165 carries for 942 yards and 10 touchdowns. Earlier this year he broke BYU’s single-game rushing record, running for 286 yards and five touchdowns in the Cougars 55-53 win over Toledo on September 30.
Williams will be a welcomed return to the running game this week. He will try and pick up where he left off.
Key Stat
Two. That’s how many games BYU has lost by a single point this season. The Cougars fell to Utah by a score of 20-19 in Week 2 and then lost to Boise State 27-28 in Week 8.
And as for the team’s other two losses? Those both came by a field goal. These numbers suggest that BYU could be just a mistake or two away from being a winning football team.
In fact, almost every game the Cougars have played in this year has been tight with the exception of the win over 31-14 over Michigan State.
Free ATS Pick
The Bearcats’ offense has yet to get untracked this season as it has had trouble scoring points against legitimate opponents. Cincinnati faces a tough task in this one against a stingy BYU group.
Cincinnati quarterback Gunner Kiel has taken over as the starter and has done pretty well, throwing for six touchdowns and no interceptions the past two weeks. He hopes to take care of the ball, and that seems essential.
BYU’s offense isn’t great but it has been able to consistently put up points. The Bearcats aren’t as strong defensively as some other teams on the Cougars’ schedule, so they may be able to get into the 30-point range if everything is clicking.
BYU is better than its record would suggest, as it has hung tough with some good teams. Cincinnati is also 4-4 but doesn’t have as many marquee wins. While the Cougars should be able to pull this one out, expect the trend of close games to continue.
That means a cover for Cincinnati but a win for BYU in this matchup. A win will creep the Cougars close to bowl eligibility.
College Football Odds: BYU 31, Cincinnati 24
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