UCLA vs Cincinnati 8/29/19 NCAA Football Bettings Odds

The UCLA Bruins take a trip to Nippert Stadium for a showdown with the Cincinnati Bearcats on August 29, 2019.

The UCLA Bruins enter their second season under head coach Chip Kelly. They went 3-9 last season including 3-6 in the Pac-12. The offense averaged just 393 yards and 24.6 points per game. Its passing game was not efficient and it couldn’t run the football either.  For this Chip Kelly experiment to work, he needs to find the quarterback who can be a statistical superstar and lead the offense to new heights. Wilton Speight did his best last season but now it’s in the hands of sophomore Dorian Thompson-Robinson to run the team and make it his own

Cincinnati had one of the impressive turnarounds last season as the Bearcats improved from 4-8 to 11-2 under Luke Fickell, with their two losses coming at the hands of American Athletic Division East rivals Temple (in overtime)  and UCF (the eventual champion). Their running game improved in 2018, finishing 15th in the nation and with star running back Michael Warren II, we can expect the same or even more from their ground attack. 2017 rushing leader Gerrid Doaks will return after missing last season with an injury. That should even make them even better. Playing behind center is 2018 AAC Newcomer of the Year Desmond Riddler, a dual-threat QB who started 12 out of 13 games.

Who Wins?

UCLA is 1-4 SU in their last five games played and 1-14 SU in their last 15 games played on the road. Cincinnati is 12-2 SU in their last 14 games played and 7-0 SU in their last seven games played at home. Head to head, Cincinnati won the only meeting between these teams in 2018 at 26-17 on the road. UCLA is also just 2-18 SU in their last 20 games like football betting underdogs.

UCLA was one of the most inexperienced teams last season and while you could say they are a year wiser, the same can be said of the Cincinnati Bearcats who return some 5,000 yards on offense this season. The departure of WR Khalil Lewis is a loss to the offense but given what is left and Doaks’ return, Cincinnati’s offense will be too much for UCLA. Prediction: Cincinnati Bearcats

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Other Bets To Make

UCLA is 1-4 ATS in their last five games against the American Athletic Conference and the Bruins are 1-4 ATS in their last five games played during Week 1. Cincinnati is 2-5 ATS in their last seven games played and 5-10 ATS in their last 15 games as favorites. Head to head, Cincinnati covered the spread during the September 2018 meeting.

I think Cincinnati’s offense is just too good for UCLA’s defense. And although they will most probably run the ball more, expect them to win by at least a TD. Prediction: Cincinnati -3

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The total has gone over in four out of the last six games played by UCLA but the under is 8-4 in their last dozen Thursday games played. The total has gone under in four out of the last five Week 1 game played by the Bearcats and under in their last five Thursday games.

These teams combined to score just 43 points during their September 2018 match-up and combined to score less than 60 points per game during the season. I’m not sold out with UCLA’s offense scoring 30 points per game this season. I think this will fall short of the total. Prediction: Under 60.5

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