One of the most important games in college football this weekend will take place on Friday night. The Cincinnati Bearcats are set to host the UCF Golden Knights in a game that will likely determine the champion of the American Athletic Conference. UCF has dominated this conference in recent years, but it has some challengers in 2019.
No. 18 UCF comes into this game with a record of 4-1, and their one loss was a stunning defeat just two weeks ago. The Golden Knights are not used to losing games during the regular season but suffered a 35-34 loss to Pittsburgh.
Cincinnati comes into this game with a record of 3-1, but they got blown out against the only great team they have faced. The Bearcats suffered a 42-0 loss to Ohio State but have been on a roll since that game. UCF is a four-point favorite in this game.
UCF Offense Continues to Shine
The UCF offense might look different in terms of who is on the field but not in terms of production. The Knights are averaging 49.0 points per game this season, which is the sixth-best mark in all of college football. UCF has a trio of talented quarterbacks on its roster, but Dillon Gabriel has won the job. Gabriel has thrown for close to 1,400 yards this season and has 14 touchdown passes.
The Golden Knights gave up just 14 combined points through their first two games, but things have gotten much worse since that time. UCF is still allowing less than 20 points per game, but they have been giving up some big plays of late. Forcing turnovers is one area that UCF has struggled with so far this season, and that will need to change against the tougher teams on their schedule.
Cincinnati Needs Its Defense To Dominate
If the Bearcats are going to win this game, they are going to need their defense to play well. Cincinnati is allowing just 20.8 points per game this season, but they have faced just one explosive offense. Safety Darrick Forest leads the team with 26 tackles, but the Bearcats hope that they get the Knights stopped before they reach the second level. This will be a huge test for the Cincinnati defense.
Quarterback Desmond Ridder has not been consistent this season, but he was terrific in Cincinnati’s most recent win. Ridder threw four touchdown passes in that game, but the Bearcats are averaging just 222 passing yards so far this season. The Bearcats have been running the ball well this season, averaging 186.5 rushing yards per contest. Cincinnati will need to sustain long drives to knock off the Golden Knights in this game.
Golden Knights Pick Up Impressive Road Win
Cincinnati feels like the only team with a shot to take down UCF in the American this season, and there will be a lot riding on this game. The Bearcats have been impressive at times this season, but also have a blowout loss on their resume. UCF saw its long regular-season winning streak snapped in week four, but it has bounced back in a hurry. Take the UCF Knights -4.0 over the Cincinnati Bengals in this American Athletic Conference clash on Friday night.
