The Baylor Bears and UCF Knights meet Saturday in week 5 college football action at FBC Mortgage Stadium. Let’s preview this game and give out a pick and prediction.
Baylor Bears Betting Preview
The Baylor Bears need a win to rebound from a poor 1-3 start to the season. Baylor has split its last 10 road games. Sawyer Robertson is completing 49.5 percent of his passes for 647 yards, 1 touchdown and 4 interceptions. Ketron Jackson Jr. and Hal Presley have combined for 395 receiving yards on 24 catches, while Drake Dabney has 10 receptions. The Baylor Bears ground game is averaging 139.8 yards per contest, and Dominic Richardson leads the way with 160 yards on 36 carries. Defensively, Baylor is allowing 26.8 points and 376 yards per game. Matt Jones leads the Baylor Bears with 25 tackles, Byron Vaughns has 2 sacks and Kyler Jordan has 1 interception.
Baylor Bears Team Facts
- Baylor has won each of its last four games as an underdog against non-AP-ranked teams.
- Baylor has failed to cover the spread in each of its last eight games.
- Seven of Baylor’s last eight games against non-AP-ranked teams have gone OVER the total points line.
UCF Knights Betting Preview
The UCF Knights look for their third home win to improve to 4-1 on the year. UCF has won 6 of its last 7 home games. Timmy McClain is completing 64.9 percent of his passes for 638 yards, 5 touchdowns and 1 interception. Kobe Hudson and Javon Baker have combined for 682 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns, while RJ Harvey has 7 receptions. The UCF Knights ground game is averaging 260.8 yards per contest, and Johnny Richardson leads the way with 289 yards on 39 carries. Defensively, UCF is allowing 20 points and 347 yards per game. Jason Johnson leads the UCF Knights with 29 tackles, Tre’mon Morris-Brash has 3 sacks and Corey Thornton has 2 interceptions.
UCF Knights Team Facts
- UCF has won 33 of its last 36 home games against non-AP-ranked teams.
- UCF has failed to cover the spread in each of its last four games against conference opponents.
- UCF has lost the first half in three of its last four games against conference opponents.
- Seven of UCF’s last eight home games against conference opponents have gone UNDER the total points line.
Matchup/League Facts
- UCF ranked T8th among FBS teams for Q4 points per game last season (9.9).
- UCF was one of only 17 FBS teams with a better road winning percentage (.800) than home winning percentage (.714) last season (min. 8 games).
- Baylor ranked 12th among FBS teams for Q4 points per game last season (9.4).
- Baylor ranked T12th among FBS teams for Q2 win percentage last season (.692).
Randy’s Pick
The Baylor Bears just aren’t the same team they’ve been in years past, as the offense cant run the ball and they’re 116th in scoring. To make matters worse, all four of Baylor’s games this season came at home, so you’d assume things will be even worse in its first road game. The UCF Knights have been one of the best home teams in CFB over the years, and they have one of the best offenses in the league that’s fourth in total offense and third in rushing offense. For the first time in a while, Baylor doesn’t have the offensive horses to keep up. Give me UCF and the chalk.
