Top-25 Matchup Should Lead to Under
Cincinnati vs. Arkansas, Saturday, 9/3, 2:30 ET
We have a top 25 matchup in this game as Cincinnati takes on Arkansas. I'm excited to see where these teams start the season after very different endings to last year. This being a game at Arkansas, it is clear they should have the edge, but is this going to be a game that they slip, or will it be one that they take a top 25 victory to start the year?
Cincinnati had an outstanding season last year. After going 13-0, things broke the right way for them to get a chance to play against Alabama in the College Football Playoff. To my recollection, I don't remember any other non-power 5 school making the final four. They didn't do much in the game, but again, you're facing Alabama so not much was expected either. Unfortunately for them, they have to turn the ball over to a new starting quarterback after Desmond Ridder was drafted. Ben Bryant should be starting for Cincinnati and he has had an interesting college career. He was at Cincinnati for three years then transferred and played for Eastern Michigan last year, in what was kind of a mediocre season. He now is back, and I don't think the Bearcats offense will be very good in their first game.
Arkansas posted a respectable 9-4 record last season, including a victory over Penn State in the Outback Bowl. It wasn't a particularly amazing game offensively from the Razorbacks, but they have shown flashes of brilliance at times. The losses last year game at the hands of Georgia and Alabama, as would be expected. The other two were Ole Miss and Auburn. Ole Miss was 17th at the time, and Arkansas lost by only one point at the time. They followed up that great performance with a bad loss to Auburn. Still, the good news for them is they are the more tested team coming into this as they have KJ Jefferson returning as their quarterback. So, even though Cincinnati still might be tough on defense.
There is more faith in the Arkansas offense than I have in Cincinnati being able to put things together offensively. Both teams should be good defensively, and I'd probably argue that Cincinnati's will be better. I'd lean Arkansas to take the game by the spread, but I think this game is more likely to be an under. I'm going to take under 53 for the game.
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