Cincinnati Bearcats (3-1, American) vs Tulsa Golden Hurricane (2-2, American)

Time and Date: 7:00 PM ET, October 1

Broadcast Network: ESPNU

Location: H.A. Chapman Stadium - Tulsa, OK

ESPN FPI: Cincinnati 75.8%

Line: Cincinnati -9.5*

Point Total: 60*

All-Time Series: The all-time series between Tulsa and Cincinnati is tied at 17-17-2.

Last Meeting: Cincinnati 28 Tulsa 20 - November 6, 2021

Current Streak: Cincinnati, 3

*Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

Preview

While it is hard to take moral victories from a tough loss, Phillip Montgomery will be extremely proud of how the Golden Hurricane played on the road against Ole Miss. Despite being 20-point underdogs, Tulsa lost by a touchdown, 35-27. However, Senior QB Davis Brin may steal the headlines for the wrong reasons.

Brin, who was leading the NCAA in passing prior to the game, continued his hot start as Tulsa scored a touchdown on their first two drives to take a 14-7 lead. The second TD was a beautiful 20-yard pitch and catch to cap off a 75-yard drive. Brin had that look in his eye and a the crowd was stunned silent in Oxford.

That momentum grinded to a halt as Brin was injured on the following drive. After he was replaced by RS Freshmen Braylon Braxton, Braxton threw an interception on his first drive. Ole Miss would score on every possession remaining in the half and go into the break up 35-17. With a backup quarterback and a defense who gave up 35 points in the first half, many assumed the game was over.

However, Tulsa’s defense did not allow the Rebels to score the entire second half in an inspiring performance. Tulsa would force four punts and a fumble while holding the Rebels 145 total yards in the second half. Unfortunately, even though Braxton played well for a RS Freshmen on the road in the SEC environment, the Golden Hurricane came up short. Had Brin played, the Golden Hurricane could have very well walked away with a win in Oxford.

Now, all eyes are on the injury report to see if Brin will return. Coach Montgomery indicated in his weekly press conference that Brin was “day-to-day” and would not state whether or not he would play against Cincinnati. While speculation is rampant, we may not know until warm-ups on Saturday whether or not Brin will be good to go.

Meanwhile, the Bearcats have bounced back with three straight wins since their opening week loss to Arkansas. Their most recent victim, Indiana, was blown out 45-27. During their streak, the defense is holding teams to 17 points per game while the offense is scoring 49 points per game.

While everything is going well for the Bearcats on offense, Junior WR Tyler Scott stands out above his teammates. Scott is ascending to superstar status and is taking Cincinnati’s offense to the next level. Scott followed up his first 100-yard receiving performance against Miami-Ohio with 185 yards and three TDs against Indiana. The speedster displayed his 4.3 40-yard dash speed on the Hoosiers DB’s all day long including a 75-yard sprint to the end zone.

The Bearcats also remain stout on the defensive side of the ball. The Bearcats held their Power 5 opponents Arkansas and Indiana to 24 points. Overall, they are only giving up 19 points per game on the season. They are receiving a much needed boost from All-MAC 1st Team transfer Ivan Pace Jr. The Senior LB is everywhere on the field for the Bearcats with 46 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and a forced fumble.

Prediction

This game is hard to pick without knowing whether or not Brin will be in the lineup for the Golden Hurricane. If Brin doesn’t play, look for a Bearcat blowout. If Brin plays, he does so banged up so I give the edge to Luke Fickell’s squad. Cincinnati gets a road win 34 - 24.