No. 24 Utah hosts No. 17 Cincinnati for a Week 10 matchup on Saturday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:15 p.m. ET in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Utes are listed as 10.5-point home favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at 55.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction, and best bet for this matchup between these two Big 12 opponents.
Cincinnati vs. Utah prediction, preview
Cincinnati Preview
The Bearcats are having a fantastic season. They are 7-1 with a real shot at making the Big 12 title game. A win over Utah in this spot would almost guarantee Cincinnati a spot in the conference championship, but even if it suffers its first conference loss, it remains in contention. A big reason for Cincinnati’s success has been the step up that quarterback Brendan Sorsby has taken. This offense ranks fourth in the nation in offensive EPA/pass, and Sorsby has 27 total touchdowns with just one interception. He has been a great passer, but has also been a game-changer with his legs. Between Sorsby’s rushing ability and the duo of Evan Pryor and Tawee Walker in the backfield, this offense is hard to stop. Pryor is going to be out for this game, but Walker should do fine toting the rock for the Bearcats.
Utah Preview
Utah is looking to salvage its season by winning some big games down the stretch. The Utes were the favorites to win the Big 12 before the season, but injuries to quarterback Devon Dampier held the team back. They suffered key losses to BYU and Texas Tech, likely costing them a shot at the conference title. Utah would need to take down Cincinnati, win out, and get some help with other top teams suffering losses. While things could start to look bleak down the stretch if they don’t get help, the Utes still have a shot at the title if they can win this game. Therefore, this should be an all-out effort with Dampier expected back to full health.
Cincinnati vs. Utah pick, best bet
My best bet for this game is the under 55.5 points. While both of these quarterbacks are great players, both are more dangerous with their legs. Last week, Brendan Sorsby had just 111 yards through the air, but 85 on the ground. Against other tough defenses on the road, he has struggled to move it through the air. Against Nebraska in the season opener, he had just 69 passing yards, but 96 rushing yards. Utah has one of the best pass defenses in the country, ranking ninth in defensive EPA/pass. They should take away the passing game and force Sorsby to move it with his legs. Also, with running back Evan Pryor out, the Bearcats won’t get as much rotation at running back as they typically like to use.
On the other side, Utah is at its best when working the ball on the ground. Utah moves the ball methodically down the field, picking up chunks and staying ahead of the sticks. However, they struggle to hit explosive plays. Both teams will try to move it on the ground and grind out long drives to keep it away from their opponents’ offense. While both teams could have some success scoring, especially Utah, the game should stay under the total due to the lack of total possessions in the game.
