Cincinnati vs Pittsburgh Betting Odds - Panthers to regain focus after Brawl letdown
The Cincinnati vs Pittsburgh betting odds sets up a makeshift Big East Championship game, even though there really isn’t a Championship game for this conference. The Panthers put forth a very sluggish effort last week against their rival, West Virginia, but look for a much more focused effort this week. The Bearcats have been impressive this year, but with their head coach eyeing the Notre Dame job, online betting cappers know there’s enough of a window for Pittsburgh to earn the win and earn the BCS berth.
| Cincinnati vs Pittsburgh betting odds: Pittsburgh -1 |
| WHAT: NCAA football betting |
| WHEN: Saturday, December 5th – 12:00 PM ET |
| WHERE: Heinz Field – Pittsburgh, PA |
| PICK: Pittsburgh -1 |
Cincinnati vs Pittsburgh betting odds maker breakdown: What’s On The Line
Cincinnati (11-0, 6-0) is one of the few remaining undefeated teams in the nation – who would have thought it? The Bearcats lost a lot of talent after last season but they haven’t skipped a beat. Brian Kelly has his team humming right now, but he can’t seem to shake the Notre Dame rumors. We saw a situation like this play out a couple of years ago with Rich Rodriguez, so don’t be surprised if the Bearcats are a little distracted this week.
For Pittsburgh (9-2, 5-1), they came out flat last week, but a Dave Wannstedt team is good for that at least once a year. The Panthers are still a very talented team and last week’s loss may serve as a wakeup call. The Panthers should be more motivated this week with a BCS berth on the line.
Betting Edge: Even
Cincinnati vs Pittsburgh betting odds maker breakdown: Offense
The Bearcats offense is motoring along right now. Last week, quarterback Tony Pike started for the first time since suffering an arm injury and he looked great, passing for six touchdowns. Mardy Gilyard is the big play threat at wide receiver, but the Bearcats don’t have much of a running game. They picked up just 21 yards on 15 carries against a porous Illinois defense, and NCAA football betting cappers know that they might have a tough time winning on the road if they can’t run the ball.
The Panthers have a very dynamic offense but stumbled last week. The Panthers coughed up two interceptions, which is uncharacteristic for them since quarterback Bill Stull has done a great job with his efficiency this year. Stull has plenty of weapons around him, including freshman back Dion Lewis, who now has eight 100-yard rushing games in 11 games this year. With Jonathan Baldwin making big plays on the outside and tight end Dorin Dickerson making solid catches on the inside, the Panthers have a very good offense.
Betting Edge: Even
Cincinnati vs Pittsburgh betting odds maker breakdown: Defense
The Bearcats defense is one of the better units in the nation, but you can’t help but notice the fact that they’ve struggled a bit lately. They couldn’t notch a sack against Illinois last week and they gave up 36 to Illinois, which comes on the heels of allowing 45 to UConn just three weeks ago. The numbers may seem high because they tend to ease up after the offense gives them a cushion, but that may be a problem this week if they don’t have a cushion to start with.
Sportsbook odds makers know that Pitt has a tough defense. After giving up 31 points to North Carolina State, the Panthers have given up an average of 14 points per game throughout their entire Big East schedule. This unit is even tougher to play against at home, and while they haven’t got the attention of Cincinnati, they will this week as they get on a national stage.
Betting Edge: Even
Cincinnati vs Pittsburgh betting odds maker breakdown: Notable Injuries
Bearcats safety Drew Frey suffered a concussion last week, and although the injury isn’t serious, he isn’t a guarantee to play this week. Running back John Goebel, who’s one of the many running backs that Cincy uses, played through a broken right hand last week.
Betting Edge: Pittsburgh
Cincinnati vs Pittsburgh betting odds breakdown: Outlook and Pick
The Bearcats have been perfect to this point, but a road trip to Pittsburgh will change that. The Bearcats have a fast-paced offense, but it’s mostly passing oriented. It’s tough to win on the road against quality teams without a rushing attack. Look for the Panthers to get the lead and play ball control with Dion Lewis. They are the more balanced team, they are at home and they had a wakeup call last week. That should be enough to get them past Cincinnati and into the Orange Bowl.
BLAKE’S PICK: Pittsburgh -1
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