Blake Kemp and the East Carolina Pirates battle Gunner Kiel and the Cincinnati Bearcats in a game that will feature two of the best players in the AAC. Things don’t seem likely to get better any time soon for struggling East Carolina (5-6), as it has lost three of its last four. The game kicks off Saturday, Nov 28 at 12:00 p.m. ET and will be shown on CBSS.
In last week’s matchup, East Carolina dominated UCF 44-7. Blake Kemp had a great game through the air in the victory, connecting on 35 of 50 pass attempts for 465 yards and four TDs. Isaiah Jones had a great game as well, adding 181 receiving yards and two TDs on 14 catches. Cincinnati is hoping for a different outcome after losing big against South Florida 65-27. Chris Moore had a huge game for the Bearcats, pulling in six receptions for 131 yards and one TD. Tion Green had 51 rushing yards and two TDs on 10 carries.
The Over/Under (O/U) for the Pirates-Bearcats game this week is currently not available, and Cincinnati is a small three-point favorite.
With a 5-6 record both Straight Up (SU) and Against The Spread (ATS), the Pirates will look to improve as they head into Week 13. In their five most recent matchups, the Pirates went 2-3 SU and 1-4 ATS. The Pirates throw the ball often. Their 38.4 passing attempts per game are 21st-highest in the country. During their last five games, the Pirates have improved their pass coverage, giving up an average of 210.6 passing yards. If the Pirates want to win this game, they could try to strip Cincinnati’s players of the football. The Bearcats are one of the worst teams when it comes to fumbles lost with one per game. The Pirates hope to continue the trend of torching Cincinnati’s defense during the first quarter, when they allow 8.4 points per game.
In the other locker room, the Bearcats head into Week 13 with records of 5-6 ATS and 6-5 SU. Over their last five games, the Bearcats have a SU and ATS record of 3-2 for those betting with them. Chances are Cincinnati will continue to rely on its passing attack, where its 382.4 passing yards per game ranks fourth in the nation. Moving on to the Cincinnati defense, it has some favorable matchups that it may be able to take advantage of. The Pirates are matching up with Cincinnati’s defense at an inopportune time. Over the last five games, Cincinnati’s opponents have only averaged 193.4 yards through the air. Teams need to stay focused in the first quarter against the fast-starting Bearcats, who average 9.4 points in the first 15 minutes.
Predictions: SU Winner – Cincinnati, ATS Winner – Cincinnati
Notes
East Carolina is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games.
East Carolina is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of East Carolina’s last 5 games.
East Carolina is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home.
East Carolina is 12-3 SU in its last 15 games at home.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of East Carolina’s last 5 games at home.
East Carolina is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Cincinnati.
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of East Carolina’s last 9 games when playing Cincinnati.
Both teams are 5-2 SU when leading after three quarters.
East Carolina is only 2-5) SU in games where it comes out ahead in the turnover battle, yet 3-1 SU when losing the turnover battle.
The Cincinnati rushing attack is ranked 47th in the nation this year, compared to the 77th-ranked run defense of East Carolina.
