Cincinnati vs. Memphis Betting Line – Thursday Night College Football
Carrie Stroup here with your Cincinnati vs. Memphis betting line for Thursday Night College Football. Sportsbook.ag Line: Memphis -10.5
CINCINNATI BEARCATS (2-1) at MEMPHIS TIGERS (3-0)
Memphis tries to begin the season 4-0 when it opens conference play Thursday at home versus Cincinnati.
The Bearcats fell to 0-3 ATS last week, but were able to escape at Miami Ohio with a 37-33 victory. The Tigers also struggled with a MAC opponent on the road last week, as they edged Bowling Green in a wild 44-41 affair. Cincinnati is averaging 38.3 PPG this season despite turning the ball over 11 times already. Memphis has displayed an even more explosive offense with 54.0 PPG thanks to zero turnovers in two of the three contests.
These schools are playing for the third straight season as American Athletic Conference foes and the road team has won each of the first two meetings by double-digits. After the Bearcats cruised to a 34-21 away victory in 2013, the Tigers returned the favor last season with a 41-14 trouncing. Part of that was due to Cincy QB Gunner Kiel leaving with a rib injury, and Kiel is listed as questionable for Thursday after suffering a head injury last week.
The Bearcats have usually played well against good teams, going 35-16 ATS (69%) against schools winning by 10+ PPG since 1992. But in this same timeframe, Memphis is a whopping 27-10 ATS (73%) versus great offenses averaging 425+ total YPG.
Cincinnati QB Gunner Kiel has had a pretty strong season with 805 yards on 63% completions, 8.05 YPA and 5 TD throws, but he has also tossed four interceptions. Backup QB Hayden Moore has a similar 8.04 YPA, but has completed only 54% of his throws for 225 yards, 1 TD and 2 INT. Moore had four turnovers in the fourth quarter of last week's game (2 INT, 2 fumbles), but led his team on a game-winning drive capped by his own QB sneak with 1:13 left in regulation. Kiel had decent numbers versus Memphis last year, completing only11-of-27 passes, but totaled 216 yards (8.0 YPA), 1 TD and 1 INT.
Both Bearcats signal callers have done a great job spreading the wealth, as six players have more than 125 receiving yards, but none have more than senior WR Johnny Holton's 167 receiving yards (20.9 avg, 2 TD).
Cincy has also done a great job of keeping its running backs fresh with three players having reached 220 rushing yards so far with junior RB Tion Green producing a team-high 252 yards (5.1 YPC, 3 TD). Sophomore RB Mike Boone has been the standout with 9.6 YPC and 3 TD including a 74-yard run last week against Miami Ohio before he exited with an injured ankle.
The Bearcats defense allowed only 115 passing YPG in the first two contests, but the Redhawks threw for 228 against them last week and also ran for 220. These numbers may not improve, as Memphis had 610 total yards of offense in last year's win at Cincinnati, passing for 311 and rushing for 299.
Memphis QB Paxton Lynch has been on the mark so far this season, completing 77% of his throws for 818 yards (10.6 YPA), 6 TD and 0 INT. His numbers were even more impressive against the Bearcats last year when he connected on 18-of-25 passes for 311 yards (12.4 YPA), 2 TD and 0 INT.
Four Tigers have already topped the 100-yard mark, led by senior WR Mose Frazier, who has 17 grabs for 232 yards and 2 TD. The big-play receiver has been fellow senior WR Tevin Jones, who is averaging 23.8 yards per catch with a pair of touchdowns. Jones caught five passes for 70 yards and a score versus Cincinnati last year.
Memphis has also done a nice job running the football with 251 rushing YPG on 4.6 YPC, and four ball carriers have 135+ yards and 2+ TD already. Sophomore RB Jarvis Cooper is the Tigers leader in rushing attempts (36) and rushing yards (174), while sophomore RB Doroland Dorceus has a team-high four touchdown runs.
Like Cincinnati, the Memphis defense also played well in the first two weeks (242 total YPG), but struggled to stop Bowling Green last Saturday in surrendering 579 total yards. This included a hefty 443 yards through the air. The Tigers have failed to generate any turnovers in the past two contests, but will certainly have their chances on Thursday with the mistake-prone Cincy offense coming to town.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
