Cincinnati vs. UCF: Prediction, Preview, Betting Odds
Week 7 of the college football season is here. Cincinnati plays UCF, and Heartland College Sports has your game prediction, preview, and betting odds ahead of the matchup. Breaking news happened prior to kick off with UCF benching quarterback KJ Jefferson and starting EJ Colson. There is more information on Colson below.
GAME INFO
Saturday, October 12, 2024; 2:30 p.m. (CT); FBC Mortgage Stadium; Orlando, FL
TV: ESPN2
Records: Cincinnati Football: 3-2 (1-1 Big 12); UCF Football: 3-2 (1-1 Big 12)
Last Week: Cincinnati on BYE; Florida def. UCF, 24-13
Series History: UCF leads, 5-4-0
Last Meeting: UCF 28, Cincinnati 26 (2023)
Fun Fact: According to Wikipedia, Cincinnati-UCF is a recognized rivalry in college football, but the first meeting between the schools didn’t come until 2015. While the legitimacy of the rivalry is questioned by some, there’s no denying that the stakes were high when these two team during their time shared in the AAC. Between 2013 and 2022, seven of the ten AAC Championships went to either the Knights or Bearcats.
Cincinnati vs. UCF Betting Lines and Odds
Opening Line: UCF (-3.5)
Over/Under: 58.5
Key Players
Cincinnati Bearcats
QB Brendan Sorsby
Statistically speaking, Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby has been one of the most impressive signal-callers in the Big 12 through his first five games. On the year, Sorsby has completed 66.3% of his attempts for 1,481 yards and 12 touchdowns and one interception, adding 66 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. The Bearcats’ offense has been much improved in 2024, and Sorsby is the biggest reason why.
DL Dontay Corleone
Dontay Corleone is clearly a player to focus on as Cincinnati faces one of the top rushing attacks in the country. The junior defensive tackle and Cincinnati native is one of the best interior run stuffers in college football, and with the Knights rushing attack coming from all angles, he’ll be the anchor of the Bearcats’ defense in this week’s game plan.
UCF Knights
QB EJ Colson
As was announced just an hour before kick off, the UCF Knights are turning to true freshman three-star QB EJ Colson, moving on from KJ Jefferson, who has struggled this season, especially passing the ball. Colson is highly-regarded, but is set to make his first career start as a true freshman in Big 12 play. This won’t be an easy spot, but it may be the boost this offense needs to get things turned around, as defenses have forced Jefferson to beat them with his arm, which he has been unable to do.
LB Deshawn Pace
After spending the first three years of his career as a Bearcat, safety/linebacker Deshawn Pace has taken over as the top tackler for the UCF Knights’ in 2024. With 27 stops and two interceptions on the year, Pace is a pivotal part of what UCF does defensively and will be a player to watch with his old squad in town.
KEY STORYLINES
Cincinnati Bearcats
Was the bye week enough to overcome a heartbreaker in Lubbock? The last time we saw Cincinnati, the Bearcats lost on a missed field goal on the final play of a 44-41 loss to Texas Tech. Sorsby was incredible in that game, throwing for 426 yards and four touchdowns, but it just wasn’t enough. Can Cincy put that behind them and pick up a key win on the road?
UCF Knights
Can UCF overcome a sudden portal exodus? Over the last two weeks, UCF football has seemingly fallen off a cliff. After a 3-0 start, the Knights have dropped their last two, and then lost a few key players to the new-look transfer portal. There’s been a recent trend of players preserving their redshirts in order to hit the portal with eligibility in the offseason, and we saw starting WR Xavier Townsend, PK Colton Boomer, and S Byron Threats, among six names that will sit out the remainder of the season in order to transfer. Do the Knights have the depth to overcome that?
PREDICTION: Cincinnati 38, UCF 27
Yes, UCF is favored, as well as playing at home in this game. However, the Knights have felt disjointed since their loss to Colorado, and now, with several key players essentially quitting on their team, I don’t like the feel of this one for the home team.
Cincinnati has been much improved in 2024, and their two losses have come by a combined four points — this team could just as easily be 5-0. Getting UCF right now is the break that this team needs to get a statement win, and I think they do just that behind an inspiring performance from Brendan Sorsby.
Give me Cincinnati to win outright, and do so by two scores.
