Cincinnati vs Miami-OH 9/4/21 College Football Picks, Odds, Predictions

The Cincinnati Bearcats meet the Miami (OH) RedHawks Saturday in week 1 college football action at Nippert Stadium. Miami (OH) finished 2-1 last season and will enter an eighth season under coach Chuck Martin. Cincinnati produced an impressive 9-1 record last year and has won 71.4 percent of its games under coach Luke Fickell.

The Miami (OH) RedHawks averaged 28.7 points and 365.3 yards per game last season. Miami (OH) allowed an average of 26.7 points and 393.7 yards per game last season. Brett Gabbert returns at quarterback after throwing for nearly 400 yards and four touchdowns. Kevin Davis should get more touches after 22 carries last season as a freshman. Jack Sorenson and Mac Hippenhammer is a returning receiving duo that combined for 400 yards and four touchdowns. Defensively, Ryan McWood returns after leading the RedHawks with 34 tackles, Kameron Butler had 2.5 sacks and Sterling Weatherford had four pass deflections. Miami (OH) returns a good portion of last years squad and should be greatly improved defensively. The MAC can often be a weird conference and hard to predict, bu the RedHawks have enough in place to give the rest of the pack a run for its money.

The Cincinnati Bearcats averaged 37.5 points and 451 yards per game last season. Cincinnati allowed an average of 16.8 points and 324.6 yards per game last season. Desmond Ridder returns at quarterback after throwing for 2,200 yards and 19 touchdowns. Ridder was also the second-leading rusher with nearly 600 yards and 12 touchdowns. Josh Whyle and Michael Young Jr. is a receiving duo that combined for 600 yards and nine touchdowns. Defensively, Darrian Beavers returns to Cincinnati after 58 tackles, Myjai Sanders had seven sacks and Coby Bryant had four interceptions. Cincinnati had one of its most successful seasons last year and returns more than enough production to make another run at an AAC title. Ridder is a dark horse Heisman contender based on how he played last season.

The RedHawks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall. The Bearcats are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games and 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games overall. The under is 8-2 in RedHawks last 10 games overall. The under is 11-5 in Bearcats last 16 games overall. The RedHawks are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 meetings in Cincinnati.

The Miami (OH) RedHawks aren’t a pushover and has pieces on offense to make this game competitive. However, the Cincinnati Bearcats are probably the team to beat in the AAC and don’t have time to play around with lesser competition. If Cincinnati is going to get the respect it deserves in the polls, it needs to shine in games like this. Don’t play with your food. Cincinnati should cruise in this contest, as Ridder makes an early statement to the Heisman committee.