For the last two years, the UCF Knights have been the best Group of Five team in the land. They claimed a share of the national championship in 2017, and they won every regular season game in 2017 and 2018. UCF has thrashed many of its AAC rivals during that time, including the Cincinnati Bearcats. The Knights have outscored the Bearcats 113-39 over their last three meetings, but this Cincinnati team looks much stronger than those in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This college football betting line<\/a> has vacillated throughout the week. UCF has been favored by as few as 3.5 points and as many as 5 points, so 4 or 4.5 points appear to be the final resting spot for this line. The total has remained largely the same throughout the week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Cincinnati and UCF never met on the football field until both teams became a part of the AAC East in 2015. The Knights and Bearcats have met in each of the past four seasons, and the result has always been a blowout. Cincinnati hammered UCF 52-7 in the first meeting between these foes in 2015, easily covering the college football betting odds<\/a> for the game in the process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That was Cincinnati\u2019s only win to date though. UCF has won the last three meetings by 21, 28, and 25 points, establishing the upstart school in Orlando as the team to beat in that side of the AAC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Freshman quarterback Dillon Gabriel has played well this season. Gabriel wasn\u2019t the starter for the season opener, but Josh Heupel quickly discovered that Gabriel had more upside than graduate transfer Brandon Wimbush or Darriel Mack Jr. The freshman is from the same school as McKenzie Milton, so it\u2019s only natural that another Hawaiian phenom would flourish in this system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Gabriel has completed 61.7 percent of his passes for 1,338 yards with 14 touchdowns and two interceptions on the season. He has shown great poise and touch on the deep ball, averaging 11.1 yards per attempt, but he has had some issues with accuracy and timing on shorter patterns and he isn\u2019t the running threat that the other quarterbacks have been in this system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Knights\u2019 offense has an embarrassment of riches at the skill positions, and there are few offenses that have more speed at running back and wide receiver. The top four running backs are all averaging 6.2 yards or more per carry, and Adrian Killins Jr. could take any touch to the house as one of the fastest players in the sport. Receivers Gabriel Davis, Tre Nixon, and Jacob Harris have been excellent too, but Cincinnati has a solid defense that will be out to prove it can stop this offense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cincinnati\u2019s defense is one of the best in the Group of Five. Ohio State was the only team that moved the ball at ease against this defense, as the Bearcats are holding opponents to just 4.6 yards per play otherwise. This team has looked sharp at all levels on defense, and they stand a good chance of limiting UCF.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Desmond Ridder may have finally turned a corner last week. Fickell has been waiting for the talented, young quarterback to figure it out, and he had his best game of the year last week in a tricky road environment against Marshall. Cincinnati was favored by less than a field goal per the NCAAF betting odds<\/a>, but the Bearcats whooped the Thundering Herd 52-14.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ridder has completed 64.3 percent of his passes for 815 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions this year. His numbers right now are better than they were at this point last year, and he has faced two solid defenses in Ohio State and Marshall. Alec Pierce has been the top receiver by a wide margin, so expect to hear his name often on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cincinnati must have success through the air, because the ground game has struggled. The Bearcats are averaging just 4.1 yards per carry, and they have been unable to pick up the short yards they need to sustain drives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This Knights\u2019 defense is better than you might think. They are considered one of the top Group of Five defenses in the land, and they have done an excellent job shutting down opponents\u2019 passing attacks. UCF is holding quarterbacks to just 5.3 YPA on average this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The under and Cincinnati are two strong plays for me on Friday. The Bearcats can slow down the Knights\u2019 offense and frustrate them throughout the evening, winning an ugly, somewhat low-scoring game late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Get the latest college football odds and information–follow BetOnline.ag on Twitter<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\nRECENT HISTORY<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
WHEN UCF HAS THE BALL<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
WHEN CINCINNATI HAS THE BALL<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
PREDICTION<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n