Houston Cougars vs Cincinnati Bearcats Betting Pick & Prediction 9/21/24
FS1 will be covering the week four matchup between the Houston Cougars and Cincinnati Bearcats, set to kick off at 12:00 ET from Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. The Bearcats are the -3.5 point favorites at home, with the over/under line currently sitting at 48.5 points. Houston enters the game with a 1-2 record, while Cincinnati is 2-1 on the season.
HOUSTON COUGARS VS CINCINNATI BEARCATS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Houston Cougars +3.5
This game will be played at Nippert Stadium at 12:00 ET on Saturday, September 21st.
WHY BET THE HOUSTON COUGARS:
- We have the Cincinnati Bearcats winning this one by a score of 21 to 20
- Even though we like the Cincinnati Bearcats to win, our ATS pick is to take the Houston Cougars at +3.5
- We see this game finishing below the line of 48.5 points
Will The Houston Cougars Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs
Houston is looking to build on their 1-2 record after a 33-7 victory over Rice. The Cougars, who were -4.5 point favorites, not only won the game but also covered the spread. The over/under line was set at 45 points, but the combined score of 40 points fell short of this, resulting in an under. This was Houston’s first win of the season.
The Cougars dominated from the start, taking a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and extending it to 20-0 by halftime. Houston added 6 points in the third quarter and allowed Rice to score in the fourth, ending the game with a 26-point margin of victory.
Quarterback Donovan Smith led Houston’s offense to a 33-7 win, throwing for 142 yards and one touchdown while completing 57.1% of his passes. The Cougars’ offense totaled 379 yards, with 237 yards coming on the ground. Houston’s ground attack was effective, resulting in three rushing touchdowns.
Stacy Sneed was the leading rusher for the Cougars, gaining 82 yards on just seven carries. Stephon Johnson was the top receiver, with one catch for 44 yards and a touchdown.
In their most recent game, Houston’s defense was dominant, holding Rice to just 84 passing yards on 16 completions. The Cougars’ secondary also came up with an interception, limiting Rice’s offense to 159 total yards. Houston’s run defense was effective, allowing just 75 yards on 24 carries. Overall, the Cougars gave up just seven points and nine first downs in the game.
Are The Cincinnati Bearcats Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?
After a 27-16 road win over Miami (OH), Cincinnati now holds a 2-1 record for the season. The Bearcats, who were -3 point favorites, not only won the game but also covered the spread. The over/under line was set at 47.5 points, but the combined score of 43 points fell short, resulting in the under hitting.
Cincinnati led 3-0 after the first quarter, and Miami (OH) tied the game at 3-3 in the second quarter. The Bearcats added another touchdown to lead 10-3 at halftime. Miami (OH) outscored Cincinnati 7-0 in the third quarter and added another touchdown in the fourth. However, the Bearcats outscored Miami (OH) 17-6 in the fourth quarter to come out on top.
Cincinnati’s offense was effective in their 27-16 win, racking up 401 total yards and 20 first downs. The ground game was particularly strong, with 215 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Corey Kiner led the way with 126 yards on 21 carries, averaging 6.0 yards per attempt and finding the end zone once.
In the passing game, Brendan Sorsby completed 61.8% of his passes for 186 yards and one touchdown. Xzavier Henderson was his top target, hauling in 10 receptions for 108 yards.
Cincinnati’s defense held Miami (OH) to just 26 rushing yards in their most recent game, but they struggled against the pass, giving up 356 yards through the air. Despite allowing 382 total yards, the Bearcats managed to limit Miami (OH) to 16 points. Cincinnati’s defense picked off one pass, and they’ll need to tighten up their pass coverage in the next game.