This game looks like it could be a shootout as the Brigham Young Cougars get together with the Memphis Tigers with a chance to finish the season with a Miami Beach Bowl win. Memphis (9-3) is on a six-game winning streak, while Brigham Young (8-4) has gotten the win in its last four. The game will air Monday at 2:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
In its last game, Memphis crushed Connecticut 41-10. Keiwone Malone had a great game in the win, totaling seven catches for 70 yards and two TDs. Paxton Lynch put up 194 yards and four TDs through the air. Brigham Young was victorious their last game as well, defeating California 42-35 in their matchup. Jordan Leslie had a big game for the Cougars, grabbing five balls for 155 yards and two TDs. Christian Stewart also had a big day, contributing 433 yards and five TDs through the air.
Memphis is favored by a slim one-point margin in its matchup against the Cougars. The teams combine to set the Over/Under (O/U) at 56 points. The Tigers enter the game with records of 9-3 Straight Up (SU) and 7-5 Against The Spread (ATS) this season. In the past five games, Memphis is 5-0 SU and 2-3 ATS. The Tigers have an efficient passing attack that has a completion percentage of 64.0%, good enough for 22nd in the country. The Tigers defense has stepped up its play in the past five games. They’ve allowed 14 points during that stretch, down from their season average of 17.1. Expect the Cougars to have a difficult time running the ball against the 24th-best home run defense in the land. The Tigers give up only 105.7 rushing yards per game in their own backyard. If this game is going to be close, the Cougars need to watch out for Memphis’s ball thieves. They average the 13th-most turnovers with 2.2 per game. The Tigers hope to continue the trend of torching Brigham Young’s defense during the second quarter, when they allow 10.3 points per game. Mistakes and focus may be factors that benefit the Tigers in the game. The Cougars are one of America’s most penalized teams on the road with 8.8 flags per game.
As for their opponent, the Cougars have a record of 5-7 ATS and 8-4 SU. Over their last five games, the Cougars have a SU record of 4-1 and a 3-2 record ATS for those betting with them. Odds are Brigham Young will continue to rely on its passing attack, where its 275 passing yards per road game ranks 25th in the nation. Lately, the Cougars have discovered the secret to a better pass defense. They’re allowing only 233.2 passing YPG over their last five matchups. The Tigers need to hold onto the ball if they want a shot against the turnover-minded Cougars. The Brigham Young defense generates 2.3 turnovers per away game, 19th in the country. Memphis will have its work cut out for it when Brigham Young goes to return the ball. The Cougars average the 25th-most return yards when playing on the road with 35.5.
Predictions: SU Winner – MEM, ATS Winner – MEM, O/U – Under
Notes
BYU is 5-11-1 ATS in its last 17 games.
BYU is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games.
The total has gone OVER in 7 of BYU’s last 9 games.
Brigham Young is 7-2 SU when leading at the start of the 4th quarter this season. Memphis is 9-0 SU when leading after three quarters.
Memphis is undefeated 4-1 SU in games where it comes out ahead in the turnover battle, and 2-1 SU in games where it loses the turnover battle.
The Memphis rushing attack is ranked only 41st in the country, while the Brigham Young run defense is ranked 14th. The Cougars run game is ranked just 42nd, compared to the 24th-ranked rush defense of the Tigers.
