Connecticut vs. UCF Total Pick
Will No. 14 Central Florida put up enough points on Connecticut to hit the over, when the two meet up on Saturday at Noon ET?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, UCF is the clear favorite at home, as the Golden Knights are getting odds of -38.5 points against Connecticut. The over/under total for the contest has been set at 64 points. These two have split their last four meetings and they have hit the over in three of the last four encounters. The public is currently putting 51 percent of the wagers on UCF at home. Saturday’s game takes place from Spectrum Stadium in Orlando, Florida and the contest will air live on ESPNU.
Connecticut is coming off a 37-20 loss at home to South Florida to fall to 3-6 on the season and 2-4 in the AAC. The Huskies are 3-6 against the spread on the year, covering in three of their last four games. UConn has struggled on defense, allowing 38.3 points and 554.3 yards per game this season. Their pass defense is one of the worst in the nation, allowing 378.6 yards per game in the air. Offensively, Connecticut is putting up 24.7 points and 412 yards per game. QB Bryant Shirreffs has thrown for 2,287 yards and 14 touchdowns this year, but he is out for Saturday with a concussion. Backup David Pindell is also questionable to play due to a concussion. Hergy Mayala is the leading receiver with 32 catches for 503 yards and five touchdowns while Nate Hopkins has run for 301 yards and seven scores. However, he is listed as questionable for this game as well with a shoulder injury.
Central Florida is coming off a 31-24 win at SMU to improve to 8-0 on the season and 5-0 in the AAC. The Knights are 5-2-1 against the spread on the season but 0-2-1 ATS in their last three games. UCF has one of the best offensive units in football, averaging 48.5 points and 540.4 yards per game. QB McKenzie Milton has thrown for 2,409 yards and 20 touchdowns to lead the team while also rushing for 298 yards and three scores. Adrian Killins Jr. is the leading rusher with 575 yards and seven touchdowns while Tre’Quan Smith has 33 receptions for 641 yards and nine touchdowns.
Bet on Connecticut vs. Central Florida
Central Florida should continue to pile up the points on Saturday, but the problem is likely to come from Connecticut. The Huskies could be down to a third-string QB and without its leading rusher. That’s not likely to lead to a lot of offense on the road against this unbeaten UCF team. The total is too high for UCF to get on its own and I just don’t see the Huskies contributing enough points to the total.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREDICTION: CONNECTICUT/UCF UNDER 64