Let’s see which team is the one who takes the win on this Bearcats at Fighting Irish betting pick.
Normally Saturday’s game against Cincinnati would be a huge letdown possibility for #9 Notre Dame following the Fighting Irish beating #18 Wisconsin 41-13 on the national stage at Soldier Field last weekend.
This is not a Bearcats team to be overlooked, though, ranked #7 in the country coming into this contest. Cincinnati is looking for legitimacy after a 9-0 regular season in 2020 and may have some as ND is actually a +2.5 underdog in South Bend, which is kind of wild.
Bearcats Ready to Make a Statement
Cincinnati had an undefeated regular season in 2020, but they were an afterthought for the CFP final 4, instead losing 24-21 to #9 Georgia in the Peach Bowl. The Bearcats are once again off to a 3-0 start, coming into Saturday’s game with some momentum after beating Indiana 38-24 last weekend to easily cover the -4.5 spread.
Once again, the Bearcats’ key to their strong start has been their offense, which was a top 20 unit in total yards (467.2), rushing yards (225), and points scored (39.3) last season. Cincinnati has scored 43.0 ppg in 2021, which is the 10th best mark in the country, but obviously, Notre Dame is the biggest test this Bearcats team has faced so far.
Cincinnati has a very experienced QB in Desmond Ridder, a Senior who completed 66% of his passes last season. Ridder had his ups and downs last week against the Hoosiers, though, going 20/36 for 210 with 1/1.
Is that the type of performance that warrants the Bearcats being road favorites in front of Touchdown Jesus, even if Notre Dame has QB questions of their own?
Can Coan Go For ND?
It was already a tough task for graduate transfer Jack Coan to replace 4-year starting QB Ian Book, who is off to the New Orleans Saints, but now it looks like Brian Kelly may have to replace Coan too. Coan left the game against Wisconsin with a leg injury, but by all accounts is back on the top of the depth chart – but how healthy?
Ironically enough, Notre Dame’s most dominant performance of the season came last week against a top 20 team on a neutral field and when their own QB got knocked out in the 2nd half and didn’t return.
The Irish needed OT to get a win at Florida State in week 1 (as -7 favorites), only beat Toledo 32-29 in their home opener (as -16.5 favorites), and were only up 17-13 on Purdue going into the 4th in the week 3 27-13 win over the Boilermakers.
So the big question coming into Saturday’s hookup with Cincinnati is if Notre Dame has finally figured something out? QB questions aside, the Irish went off with 31 unanswered points in the 4th quarter last week against a good Badgers defense. That’s the sign of a team ready to make a move.
Bearcats at Fighting Irish Pick
There are two concerns in this game, one being that this is the “Super Bowl” for the Bearcats, who feel like they’ve been disrespected for nearly two years now, and two – this is a huge public betting trap game.
There’s not one “Joe Public” bettor seeing Notre Dame as +2.5 underdogs at home that isn’t going to take it. Take the line the oddsmakers don’t want you to, which means the Bearcats are the play.
Cincinnati 34 – Notre Dame 27
Betting Pick: Cincinnati -2.5
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