The Navy Midshipmen (3-5) pay a visit to Nipper Stadium to tangle with Cincinnati (6-1) in a late-season AAC matchup on the College football schedule.
Navy enters the 4 p.m. contest on a one-game winning streak while the Bearcats return to the Queen City licking their wounds from a last-season second at the hands of league rival UCF to snap a 6-game winning streak.
3-2 Advantage
This will be the 6th meeting between the two sides, with Navy holding a 3-2 advantage.
The Bearcats enter Saturday’s game riding a 30-game home winning streak, second only to Clemson, who has won 38 at home.
In fact, Luke Fickell’s team has not dropped a home game since the 2017 season. Keep this in mind when making Navy vs Cincinnati Betting Picks.
Navy Midshipmen vs. Cincinnati Bearcats
Navy Stats
Midshipmen comes into the game off a 27-20 victory over Temple. After beginning the season in dubious fashion. Falling to FCS foe Delaware 14-7 at home, the team has steadied the ship somewhat.
A traditional run team given the triple-option, the Mids are 11th in America in rushing yards at 244.5 yards a contest. Predictably, they only average 101.6 yards a game through the air.
Navy’s Defense
Defensively, they have been torched through the air, but given the fact that they practice against the run daily in practice, they are 11th nationally and tops in the AAC in rush defense, surrendering just 92.1 yards a contest.
On the year, Navy is averaging 75.9 offensive snaps per contest and runs it 80 pct. of the time. Three players have over 300 yards rushing, with pint-sized fullback Daba Fofana leading the way with 488 yards and five touchdowns.
Keep this in mind when making Navy vs Cincinnati Betting Picks.
Cincinnati Stats
Hoping to pick up where they left off in 2021, the Bearcats dropped their season-opener to Arkansas in Fayetteville 31-24.
They then reeled off six straight, but they weren’t all cakewalks as Fickell and Company struggled as 27.5-point favorites to edge South Florida 28-24 at home.
The Bulls have just one win on the season. The next week, they squeaked out a 2-point win in Dallas over SMU.
The luck had a lifespan, and it ended as the team fell at the Bounce House to UCF 25-21, losing their national ranking in the process.
Bearcats Points
The Bearcats are 29th nationally in points per game at 34.9, and the strength of the offense has been the passing game despite losing Desmond Ridder to the NFL.
Junior Ben Bryant has thrown for 2059 yards, 16 touchdowns, and six picks, averaging 257.4 yards a contest. Junior Charles McClelland has been a bright spot on the ground, rushing for 667 yards and 6 TDs.
Cincy runs 71.1 offensive plays per game, throwing it 58.1 pct. of the time, according to Cincinnati football stats. Keep this in mind when making Navy vs Cincinnati Betting Picks.
Matchup Betting Trends
- Since 2006, Navy has played 53 one-possession games, the most of anyone in the college football standings.
- This season, Navy is 4-4 ATS, and the Bearcats are 2-5-1 ATS.
- Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell is 31-4 SU at home and 18-12-1 ATS as a home favorite.
- Off a straight-up loss, Fickell is 7\five ATS.
- Since the start of the 2012 season, the Bearcats have been 30-24-2 ATS as home favorites.
- Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo is 3-0 ATS as a road dog this year and 29-19 in his career ATS as a road dog.
- In the last three meetings, the Bearcats are 2-1 ATS when facing Navy.
Who to Bet On?
Bearcats enter this one looking to rebound from a loss, something they haven’t done a lot of in the past few seasons. Navy did give them a 27-20 game last year, the closest one they had.
We think the Bearcat offense is rolling, and they will do damage to Navy through the air. We feel comfortable laying the 19 points with the home team in this spot, so stay away from Navy odds.
Fans should expect an entertaining contest between two conference foes. However, one team is definitely on the way up while the other has fallen on hard times.
Except for the Nippert Stadium crowd to provide their team a lift and carry them to victory in the Queen City.
NCAAF Pick: Cincinnati -19.5 (-110)
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