The BYU Cougars hit the road in Week 13 taking on the Cincinnati Bearcats in a match up between two teams with plans to play for a Big 12 Championship. The BYU Cougars are 9-1 following a big win at home over TCU. Meantime, the Cincinnati Bearcats are 7-3 overall and fresh off a loss at home against Arizona.
BYU is favored by 2.5 points, and the over/under is set at 54.5 points. Here are two key players to watch in this game, followed by the top storylines for each team, and a prediction from Heartland College Sports.
Two Key Players to Watch
Bear Bachmeier, BYU Quarterback
The true freshman quarterback bounced back from a rough game against Texas Tech and looked like the guy he’s been all season against TCU, with a 93.2 QBR, which is the best QBR he has had all season. He threw for 296 yards and one touchdown, while rushing for 59 yards and a score. Having LJ Martin back and healthy at running back is a big difference maker as well.
Tawee Walker, Cincinnati Running Back
Evan Pryor has missed several games with an ankle injury, but he’s expected to be back this weekend. However, how healthy will he be? Walker has had to carry the load in the backfield for the Bearcats. He had a season-high 119 rushing yards last week in a loss to Arizona on just 12 carries. Cincinnati will need to have a balanced attack vs. BYU, and that will start with Walker, to try and open things up for the passing game.
Top Storylines
Can BYU Take Its Home Performance on the Road?
The BYU Cougars are awesome at home. On the road, the team is not as confident. Now, they have one of the best home environments in college football, and road trips are always tough in the Big 12. But think about their Big 12 road games: A three-point win at Colorado, a double-overtime win vs. Arizona, a double-digit comeback at Iowa State and a loss to Texas Tech. Now any road win is great, but BYU is much more comfortable at home. Now, they have a desperate Cincinnati team on the ropes, but for the Cougars, a loss likely leaves them out of the Big 12 Championship Game. They should be as dialed in as ever.
Can Cincinnati Win the Turnover Battle?
As underdogs at home, the Bearcats need to figure out how to turn momentum around in their favor in this game. And a big turnover or two against a freshman quarterback might just do it. However, Cincinnati ranks 67th in the FBS with an even turnover margin, compared to BYU’s 12th-ranked +8 margin. The Bearcats have a bend-but-don’t break defense that needs to make a play in this game to win at home. They don’t want to get into a shootout, as BYU’s defense is much more stout than Cincinnati’s.
Prediction: BYU 27, Cincinnati 17
The BYU Cougars will go on the road and get a win against a Cincinnati defense that just won’t hold up against a healthy BYU offense. BYU will wear down a Cincinnati defense that ranks 88th against the pass, 86th against the run and 51st in points allowed per game. Also, Cincinnati is 136th in the FBS with an average time of possession of 24:39, compared to BYU’s 15th-ranked average of 32:24. The Cougars will wear this Bearcats team down and get a comfortable win on the road to reach the 10-win mark.
