Will the Mountaineers cover the spread against the Bearcats?
West Virginia will head out for a game against former Big East rival Cincinnati this weekend. Cincinnati is currently favored by 4.5 points, with both teams returning fresh after a bye week.
Here are my predictions for the WVU game, with odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook.
Star Ratings (Prediction Strength):
– 1 Star – Low confidence
– 2 Star – Mild confidence
– 3 Star – Moderate confidence
– 4 Star – High confidence
– 5 Star – Very high confidence
Spread: Cincinnati -4.5
2-star play on West Virginia (+4.5): Despite the likelihood of Nicco Marchiol starting, I’m inclined to take the points with West Virginia as a possible underdog. The running game should be strong, with CJ Donaldson returning after being cleared and the team coming off a bye. WVU’s defense is still dealing with injuries, but recent leadership changes during the break might yield positive impacts. If this game becomes a shootout, however, WVU could struggle.
Over/Under: 56.5
4-star play on the over: Cincinnati boasts one of the top passing offenses, averaging 282.4 yards per game—an issue for West Virginia’s secondary. Although Cincinnati’s defense has looked solid on paper, they’ve mostly faced weaker offenses this season. This game might resemble Cincinnati’s 44-41 win over Texas Tech; while it may not hit that high, expect both teams to find the end zone with ease.
Season Record:
– Against the Spread (ATS): 5-3 (62.5%)
– Over/Under (O/U): 4-4 (50%)
– Overall: 9-7 (56.2%)
