Cincinnati Bearcats vs SMU Mustangs Prediction, 10/24/2020 College Football Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Cincinnati Bearcats vs SMU Mustangs

Date: Saturday, October 24, 2020

Location: Gerald J. Ford Stadium

TV: ESPN2

Odds/Point Spread: Cincinnati (-1.5)

Total/Over-Under: 57

Shane Buechele and the SMU Mustangs (5-0) host the Cincinnati Bearcats (3-0) at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on Saturday, October 24, 2020. Cincinnati opens this matchup as 1.5-point favorites. The total has been set at 57.

In the last game they played, the Cincinnati Bearcats took on the USF Bulls and added a win to their record by a score of 28-7. Gerrid Doaks led the team in rushing for the game. He had a long run of 15 yards and he tallied 1 touchdown for this contest. He ran for 102 yards on 22 carries which had him averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Jayshon Jackson was the receiving yardage leader by earning 47 yards on 3 catches. He notched an average of 15.7 yards per reception for the game. Desmond Ridder went 16/26 with 143 yards by way of the pass and threw 2 TD's. He walked away with 3 interceptions on the day.

The Bearcats currently have 1,188 total yards for the season. As a unit they average 178.0 yards in the run game ranking them 35th in the country. When it comes to getting the ball in the endzone, Cincinnati has compiled 7 touchdowns through the air and 7 touchdowns on the ground. When it comes to putting points on the board, the Cincinnati Bearcats are averaging 35.7 points per outing. The Bearcats are ranked 19th in D-1 regarding team defense, allowing 12.3 PPG. They are allowing 3.6 yards per run and 135.0 rushing yards per game this year. Overall, they have given up 405 yards via the running game in 3 contests. In terms of passing yards, the Bearcats have given up 515 yds which puts them in 21st in Division 1. In their 3 games played this season, they are conceding 171.7 yards per game through the air in addition to conceding a completion percentage of 51.3%. Overall, they are allowing 306.7 yards/game putting them at 25th in the country.

Desmond Ridder has connected on 420 of his career 714 passes for a completion percentage of 58.8%. He is throwing for 179.5 yards per game. For his career, Ridder has passed for a total of 5,206 yds with 44 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. His QB rating is 135.4 with a touchdown rate of 6.2% and an interception percentage of 2.5%. Since he has been in college, he has attempted a run 308 times for a total of 1,304 rushing yds.

In their last game, the SMU Mustangs took on the Tulane Green Wave and earned the win by a score of 37-34. Shane Buechele went 23/37 with 384 yards through the air and threw 2 TD's. He walked away with no picks. Ulysses Bentley IV paced the team in rushing in this game. His longest run of the day went for 14 yards and he tallied 1 TD in this outing. He scurried for 94 yards on 25 carries which had him averaging 3.8 yards per carry. Rashee Rice was the leader in receiving yardage by racking up 139 yards on 7 catches. He notched an average of 19.9 yards per catch in this game.

In terms of their scoring prowess, the Mustangs rank 7th in the country maintaining an average of 42.6 PPG. During this campaign so far, the Mustangs have thrown for 1,796 yards through the air in addition to an average of 359.2 passing yards per game, which has them ranked 5th in college football. They hold an average of 204.0 rushing yards per game and have run for 1,020 yards overall. The SMU Mustangs average 563.2 yards per outing ranking them 4th in D-1. The Mustangs are relinquishing 25.4 PPG, which has them sitting 40th in the country. Over the course of the season, they have given up 127 total points. SMU has conceded a total of 852 yards on the ground (170.4 yards per game) in addition to 7 touchdowns via the rush so far this season. They have surrendered 9 touchdowns through the air as well as 237.0 yards per game, ranking them 51st in Division 1.

Buechele has thrown for 76 TD's while tossing 28 picks in his career. His TD percentage on pass attempts is 5.8% and his interception percentage is 2.1%. He has left the pocket and rushed for 412 yds on 257 attempts. He averages 250.6 yds per contest through the air with a 143.6 QB rating. In the 41 contests in his career, Shane Buechele has connected on 829 of his 1,314 attempts for a total of 10,275 yards.

Who will win tonight's Bearcats/Mustangs college football game against the spread?

Josh's Pick: Take the Bearcats -1.5

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