The No. 3 Cincinnati Bearcats welcome the UFC Knights at Nippert Stadium this week. The Bearcats are unbeaten so far this season. Can they avoid getting upset by Guz Malzahn’s boys? Check out our preview of this game below.
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Betting Preview for the UCF Knights vs Cincinnati Bearcats NCAA Week 7 College Football Game on October 16, 2021
Where: Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati
When: Saturday, October 16, 2021, 12:00 PM ET
Line: UCF Knights (+20.5) vs. Cincinnati Bearcats (-20.5) – view all 2021 NCAAF lines
TV Broadcast: ABC
Betting on the UCF Knights (+20.5)
Record: 3-2 Overall / 1-1 Conference
The Knights pulled off their first win of conference play this year by taking down the East Carolina Pirates at home last Saturday to the tune of a 20-16 score. The team was led in that game by true freshman quarterback Mikey Keene, who passed for 194 yards on 23/35 completions. Keene has been starting for UCF with Dillon Gabriel out with an injury, and will make another start this weekend against a tough Cincinnati unit on the road. The Knights are also missing their top running back in Isaiah Bowser, who, like Gabriel, got injured in the loss to the Louisville Cardinals on Sep. 17. However, UCF can still trust Johnny Richardson to power the rushing attack. Richardson had 104 rushing yards and a touchdown on 16 carries against East Carolina. Mark-Anthony Richards added 58 rushing yards and a score on six carries. The X-factor for UCF in this meeting with Cincinnati is head coach Gus Malzahn, who’s no stranger to playing huge games.
UCF is 39-17 against the spread in its last 56 games after allowing fewer than 20 points in its previous contest.
Betting on the Cincinnati Bearcats (-20.5)
Record: 5-0 Overall / 1-0 Conference
Cincinnati is coming off a dominant 52-3 home win over the Temple Owls last Saturday. Prior to that, the Bearcats victimized the then-No. 9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish in South Bend in a 24-13 victory that proved Cincinnati as a legitimate CFP threat. Still undefeated, the Bearcats rely on their suffocating defense that is fourth nationally with just 13.5 points allowed per game. They are also limiting opponents to only 307.2 total yards per contest, which is 17th in the nation. Cincinnati is so good at spoiling opponents’ plans at extending drives. In fact, they are only allowing 30 percent of opposing teams’ third-down attempts to get converted, which is 12th-best in the nation. With UCF missing their No. 1 quarterback and top running back, the job for the Bearcats should have an easier time defending against a seemingly stripped-down Knights attack.
Cincinnati is 5-1 against the spread in its last six games overall.
Writer’s Prediction
Cincinnati wins, 40-17.
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