NCAA Football Odds - West Virginia at Cincinnati

NCAA Football Betting

West Virginia Mountaineers (7-2 SU, 2-6 ATS) at Cincinnati Bearcats (9-0 SU, 5-3 ATS)
Friday, November 13 - 8 PM ET

BetUS NCAA Football Betting Odds: CINCINNATI -9, Total 54

Here are some of the NCAA college football betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

• WV has covered one of its last seven games
• WV has won five of its last six games SU
• WV has covered one of its last five road games
• WV has won 18 of its last 25 road games SU
• WV has played five of its last seven road games OVER the total
• CIN has won eleven of its last 12 home games SU
• WV has won four of the last six meetings SU

Cincinnati is riding high after last week's 47-45 win over U-Conn, and ranks #5 in the country in both the Associated Press (writers) and USA Today (coaches) poll. They are also #5 in the BCS rankings, and if TCU loses to Utah this weekend, and Texas slips up in any game, including the Big 12 title contest, the Cincinnati Bearcats could be in a position to play in the BCS Championship game.

Right now Zach Collaros' quarterback efficiency rating is 210.24. He does not have enough playing time to qualify for the national leaders, but if he did he would be leading the category by a wide margin. The next highest-rated quarterback is Kellen Moore of Boise State, at 169.35.

Collaros has completed 76% of his passes, with ten TD's, on interception, and 12.3 yards an attempt, which would also be leading the nation by more than two and a half yards a throw. In other words, the Bearcats are not unlucky in the least that he is starting at quarterback, even though Tony Pike has been cleared by doctors and will be available for this game. Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly has said that Pike will see action.

Collaros had 480 yards passing against Connecticut last week, but the Huskies put a scare into Cincinnati, scoring 45 points, including 21 in the final quarter, and rolling up 462 yards. That was a wild game, but otherwise the Bearcats have been very dependable defensively, as no other team had scored more than 20 points against them. Inasmuch as this was a team that had to replace ten of its eleven starters from last season, that's quite an accomplishment. They lead the nation in tackles for loss and have sacked the quarterback a total of 30 times.

Noel Devine is the big question mark for West Virginia Mountaineers, as he suffered an ankle injury against Louisville and won't be 100%. He's got less than a hundred yards in the last two games, and he's joined by quarterback Jarrett Brown, who won't likely have his same level of mobility his own ankle injury.

I've looked at West Virginia and what I see is underachievement. They have dominated things against ordinary teams, but lately they have had to pull one out of the hat against U-Conn, lost in very disappointing fashion to South Florida and struggled with Louisville. I understand that this is a lot of points, but I know better what I am going to get out of the Bearcats. Let's lay the points with Cincy, the nine-point favorite in the BetUS NCAA football betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: CINCINNATI -9 **

(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)