Cincinnati vs BYU Prediction, Odds & Picks – NCAAF Week 5: Expect Back-and-Forth Action

The 2023 NCAA college football schedule continues on Friday with another handful of Week 5 matchups. The Big 12 takes center stage at 10:15 p.m. ET as the Cincinnati Bearcats collide with the BYU Cougars at LaVell Edwards Stadium.

Everything you need to know ahead of our game at BYU!#Bearcats pic.twitter.com/22p9S19mWs

— Cincinnati Football (@GoBearcatsFB) September 28, 2023

Cincinnati looks to avoid its third straight loss tonight after falling 20-6 to Oklahoma in Week 4. Meanwhile, BYU was also defeated last week, picking up a 38-27 loss to Kansas on the road.

Which of the Big 12 newcomers will stand tall once the dust settles?

This Cincinnati vs. BYU betting preview attempts to shed some light on the upcoming matchup. Keep on reading for the latest game odds, as well as a prediction and the best bets to make.

Cincinnati vs BYU Tonight (NCAAF Week 5)

Bearcats vs Cougars Game Information

• Matchup: Cincinnati Bearcats (2-2, 0-1 Big 12) vs. BYU Cougars (3-1, 0-1 Big 12)
• Venue & Location: LaVell Edwards Stadium (Provo, UT)
• Date: Friday, Sept. 29, 2023
• Game Time: 10:15 p.m. Eastern Time
• Cincinnati vs. BYU TV Channel: ESPN

Cincinnati vs BYU Odds

NCAAF game odds courtesy of Bovada as of Friday, Sept. 29 at 8:32 a.m. ET from. Odds from other sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• Cincinnati Bearcats -1 (-105)
• BYU Cougars +1 (-115)

Over/Under

• Over 49 Points (-110)
• Under 49 Points (-110)

Moneyline

• Cincinnati Bearcats -110
• BYU Cougars -110

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Other NCAAF Week 5 Betting Stories

• Utah vs. Oregon State Week 5 Betting Preview
• Notre Dame vs. Duke Week 5 Betting Preview
• No. 13 LSU vs. No. 20 Ole Miss Week 5 Betting Preview
• No. 24 Kansas vs. No. 3 Texas Week 5 Betting Preview
• NCAAF Week 5 Best Bets

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Cincinnati vs BYU Betting Trends

• Cincinnati is 12-2 straight up in its last 14 road games.
• BYU is 13-2 straight up in its last 15 games played in September.
• Cincinnati is 1-4 ATS in its last five games played on Friday.
• BYU is 0-7 ATS in its last seven home games.
• The total has hit the Over in eight of Cincinnati's last nine games played in September.
• The total has hit the Under in four of BYU's last five Week 5 matchups.

Cincinnati vs BYU Week 5 Game Preview

Tonight's game is only the third time that Cincinnati and BYU have met. The Cougars got the better of the Bearcats in each of the first two meetings, most recently notching a 20-3 road victory on Nov. 5, 2016.

There wasn't much to be impressed about when it came to Cincinnati's Week 4 performance. The Bearcats couldn't get the job done when it mattered the most, going 3-of-15 on third downs and 1-of-4 on fourth-down conversions.

It didn't help that QB Emory Jones only completed 53.7% of his passes and even threw out two interceptions. Things won't get any easier for Jones on Friday as BYU only allows 174.7 passing yards per game (No. 17) while averaging 1.3 interceptions (T-No. 20).

And while the Cougars didn't get the win last week, they still scored 27 points against an undefeated Jayhawks team on the road. BYU actually led 17-14 at halftime, proving that they can hang with stiff competition. A more complete effort is all that's needed this week.

Defensively, both teams average similar numbers. For example, BYU allows 23.0 PPG (No. 46) while Cincinnati isn't too far behind at 24.0 PPG (No. 48).

The Bearcats' run defense is tight, only allowing 102.3 rushing yards per contest (No. 30) while the Cougars allow 145.7 (No. 75). On the flip side, BYU has the edge on passing defense, giving up an average of 174.7 yards through the air (No. 17) to Cincinnati's 246.0 (No. 77).

Nevertheless, winning games is about limiting your opponent's opportunities and BYU does that well. The Cougars have the fourth-best third-down defense in the nation (22.9%), whereas the Bearcats sit tied for 49th (37.5%).

Opponents also only have a 77.8% success rate in the red zone against BYU (T-No. 43) while scoring on 91.7% of trips inside the 20-yard line vs. Cincinnati (T-No. 96).

Cincinnati vs BYU Prediction Week 5

In a game that can go either way, I'm taking BYU to beat Cincinnati. Not only do the Cougars have the home-field advantage, but their red-zone and third-down defense also gives them an edge.

It's hard trusting the Bearcats after only scoring two field goals last week, especially when the Cougars have only surrendered 16 total points in two previous home games this season.

Prediction: BYU 26, Cincinnati 23 — BYU ML (-110 on Bovada)

Cincinnati vs BYU Player Prop

Let's go with Cougars RB LJ Martin scoring an anytime touchdown as the best Cincinnati vs. BYU player prop.

The freshman rusher has looked solid over the last two weeks, tallying 126 total yards from scrimmage while finding the end zone three times. Cincinnati has a solid run defense, but it has also allowed a rushing TD in each of its last two outings.

With the Cougars averaging 33.0 carries per game at home this season, Martin should see a solid number of opportunities to score tonight.

Bet: LJ Martin Anytime Touchdown (-121 on Bovada)

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How can I bet on Cincinnati vs BYU?

All of the top online sports betting sites will have NCAAF odds, but here are some of the sites we recommend most for college football enthusiasts.