BYU Cougars vs UCF Knights Betting Pick & Prediction 10/26/24

ESPN will be covering this week nine matchup between the BYU Cougars and UCF Knights, set to kick off at 3:30 ET from FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando. BYU is coming in with a 7-0 record this season, while UCF is 3-4. The Cougars are the slight -1.5-point favorites on the road. The over/under line is currently at 55.5 points.

BYU COUGARS VS UCF KNIGHTS BETTING PICK

The Pick: UCF Knights +1.5

This game will be played at FBC Mortgage Stadium at 3:30 ET on Saturday, October 26th.

WHY BET THE UCF KNIGHTS:

• We have the BYU Cougars winning this one by a score of 26 to 25
• Even though we like the BYU Cougars to win, our ATS pick is to take the UCF Knights at +1.5
• We see this game finishing below the line of 55.5 points

Will The BYU Cougars Pick Up A Win On The Road?

BYU enters Week 9 with a perfect 7-0 record, facing UCF on the road. They are ranked 30th in our power rankings and have a 100% chance of being bowl-eligible. The Cougars have a 23.6% chance of winning the Big 12 and the 13th best odds of making the CFB playoff at 41.8%.

BYU’s ATS record is 5-1, with a +15.9 average scoring margin. They are 3-0 against the spread on the road and 2-1 at home. The Cougars have been favored in three games, going 2-1 ATS as the favorite and 3-0 as the underdog.

The over/under line for this week is 55.5 points. BYU’s games have averaged 53.9 points, with an average line of 48.9 points. Their over/under record is 4-2, and only one game has had a higher line than this week’s total.

BYU’s offense is averaging 34.9 points per game, ranking 22nd in the nation, and they sit 29th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 9. Jake Retzlaff has thrown for 1,642 yards with 15 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 94.

BYU is 51st in rushing, averaging 171.9 yards per game. LJ Martin leads the team with 256 rushing yards, averaging 5 yards per carry, and has scored four touchdowns. Darius Lassiter has 450 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

BYU’s defense has been solid this season, ranking 24th nationally by allowing just 19 points per game. In their latest game, a 38-35 win over Oklahoma State, they gave up 35 points but also forced two interceptions. The defense allowed 421 total yards, including 269 rushing yards, while holding Oklahoma State to 152 passing yards.

Opponents are averaging 142.6 rushing yards per game against BYU and 183.1 passing yards, with a completion rate of 52.3%. Quarterbacks have a passer rating of just 55.2 against BYU, the fifth-lowest in the country.

Will The UCF Knights Win At Home Over The BYU Cougars?

UCF enters Week 9 against BYU with a 3-4 record, ranked 36th in our power rankings. They have a 64.4% chance of reaching bowl eligibility. At home, the Knights are 1-2, and they’ve been favored in three of their seven games this season.

Their ATS record stands at 3-3, with a 2-1 mark on the road and 1-2 at home. UCF is 1-2 against the spread as the favorite but has covered both games as the underdog (2-0). Their average scoring margin is +5.6 points per game.

UCF’s over/under record is 4-2, with their games averaging 57 points. This week’s line is set at 55.5 points, slightly below their average over/under line of 57.7 points.

UCF’s offense is built around their ground game, ranking 2nd in the nation with 280.3 rushing yards per game. They are 3rd in rushing attempts, averaging 46.9 per game. RJ Harvey leads the team with 890 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns, and an average of 6 yards per carry. UCF is 38th in scoring, putting up 31.3 points per game, and they are 50th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 9.

KJ Jefferson has thrown for 1,012 yards this season, with seven touchdowns and four interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 96. UCF ranks 102nd in passing yards per game. Kobe Hudson leads the receiving corps with 503 yards and three touchdowns. UCF is converting 43.2% of their third-down opportunities.

UCF’s defense had a tough outing in their recent game against Iowa State, giving up 38 points and 530 total yards. They allowed 256 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 48 carries, while the secondary surrendered 274 passing yards but also came away with two interceptions.

On the season, UCF’s defense is ranked 55th nationally, allowing 25.7 points per game. They’ve given up 250 passing yards per game, ranking 130th, and a 66.1% completion rate. Against the run, they’re allowing just 116.7 yards per game, which is the 41st-lowest in the country.