AAC Championship Game Prediction
No. 23 Tulsa will take on No. 9 Cincinnati in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. ET. With the Bearcats laying 14 points as a favorite and the total sitting at 45, what’s the best play for bettors when it comes to this matchup?
Game Snapshot
237 Tulsa Golden Hurricane (+14) vs. 238 Cincinnati Bearcats (-14); o/u 45
Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
8:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, December 19, 2020
TV: ABC
Tulsa Golden Hurricane Game Notes
Tulsa redshirt senior RB Corey Taylor II carried the ball 19 times for 69 yards in Saturday’s 19-6 win over Navy. Taylor II dealt with an undisclosed injury earlier this year that cost him two full games. He returned to run for 132 yards on 19 carries in a 30-24 win over Tulane on Nov. 19. Due to a cancelation against Houston, that was the last time that Tulsa had played prior to today. Tulsa needed him Taylor to handle heavy usage again because TK Wilkerson got injured early in this game and Deneric Prince didn’t play at all. Tulsa, a team with a shaky passing offense, has a huge game next week against Cincinnati, a team that boasts the G5’s best defense. The health status of the Golden Hurricane’s running back room will be something to monitor next week.
Cincinnati Bearcats Game Notes
Cincinnati redshirt junior QB Desmond Ridder completed 21-of-32 passes for 338 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in Saturday’s 36-33 win at UCF. Ridder (6’4/215) also rushed 14 times for 57 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including the go-ahead 1-yard score early in the fourth quarter. He added a 7-yard scoring strike to Leonard Taylor, and the unbeaten Bearcats escaped the Bounce House with a victory, erasing an early 11-point deficit. The Bearcats won by just three, but they dominated the game, posting 482 total yards to just 359 for the Knights. UC will look to keep their record unblemished in next Saturday’s scheduled road game against Temple.
Tulsa vs. Cincinnati Betting Prediction
The under has cashed in 13 of the Golden Hurricane’s last 19 road games, is 5-2 in their last seven games overall and has cashed in 16 of their last 22 games as an underdog. The under is also 4-0 in Tulsa’s last four games versus a team with a winning record and is 15-5-1 in its last 21 games after allowing less than 275 total yards in its previous game.
On the other side, the under is 10-3 in the Bearcats’ last 13 home games, is 9-3 in their last 12 games as a home favorite and is 8-3 in their last 11 conference games. The under is 10-4 in Cincinnati’s last 14 games overall and 18-7-1 in its last 26 games following an ATS loss as well.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: TULSA/CINCINNATI UNDER 45