Cincinnati finished their regular season by winning four of their past five games. However, they were defeated by Tulane in their last game. Nevertheless, the Bearcats are confident heading into this bowl contest.
Louisville dropped three out of their past five games. The Cardinals last played Kentucky in a game they ultimately lost 26-13. It will be interesting to see how Louisville responds against Cincinnati.
Kickoff is scheduled for 11:00 AM EST on Saturday, December 17th at Fenway Park in Boston, MA. Let’s take a look at the trends, odds, and predictions for Saturday.
Cincinnati Bearcats at Louisville Cardinals Facts & Trends
- The Cincinnati Bearcats are 3-8-1 against the spread this year.
- The Louisville Cardinals are 7-5 against the spread this season.
- Cincinnati is 0-1 against the spread when playing at a neutral site.
- Louisville has no record against the spread at neutral sites this season.
- The Bearcats are 0-3 against the spread as an underdog.
- The Cardinals are 4-2 against the spread as a favorite.
The Cardinals were much better than the Bearcats against the spread this season. Although Cincinnati was the better team overall in 2022, bettors will want to make sure they take a look at these spread statistics before placing their final bets.
But can Louisville cover an extremely narrow spread in the Fenway Bowl?
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Cincinnati Bearcats at Louisville Cardinals Matchup Information
Kickoff is scheduled for 11:00 AM EST.
The Fenway Bowl projects to be a thrilling affair. Here is an in-depth look at the odds for the game.
Cincinnati Bearcats at Louisville Cardinals Odds
Cincinnati Bearcats | -1 | -120 | O/39.5 |
Louisville Cardinals | +1 | +100 | U/39.5 |
Cincinnati enters as narrow favorites. But the 1-point spread doesn’t exactly suggest that Louisville is destined to win this game.
The oddsmakers have this contest coming down to the wire. It would not be surprising to see this clash be decided in the final minutes of regulation or possibly even overtime.
Cincinnati Bearcats at Louisville Cardinals Betting Previews
Betting on Cincinnati Bearcats
The Bearcats were not kind to bettors from a spread perspective, as evidenced by their 3-8-1 against the spread record. But they were a moneyline friend for bettors, as they finished 9-3 overall.
COVID has forced the NCAA to cancel the past two Fenway Bowls. But it is finally back with Cincinnati and Louisville prepared to square off. But the Bearcats, who made it all the way to the College Football Playoff a season ago, want to take care of business this weekend.
They will also have added motivation as they look to rebound following their recent heartbreaking 27-24 loss against Tulane. QB Evan Prater struggled mightily for the Bearcats in that game, going just 10-26 through the air with one interception and no passing touchdowns.
However, Ryan Montgomery was able to rush for 95 yards and two touchdowns. Prater added 83 yards on the ground. But Cincinnati’s rushing attack ultimately wasn’t enough to overcome the Green Wave.
QB Ben Bryant, who is injured and will miss the game, led Cincinnati with over 2,700 passing yards and 21 touchdowns on the season.
Nevertheless, the Bearcats will attempt to earn this victory despite being short-handed. But it will not be easy, as Louisville plays a pesky brand of football without question.
Betting on Louisville Cardinals
The Cardinals would love nothing more than to defeat Cincinnati in this bowl game. But they are also short-handed and are fresh off of a troubling performance against Kentucky.
QB Malik Cunningham made just six attempts under center, completing three passes. Brock Domann went 14-21 through the air with a passing TD and interception.
Jawhar Jordan had an incredible game out of the backfield, rushing for 145 yards on 22 touches, but he was unable to find the end zone despite the terrific effort.
Louisville went on to lose 26-13.
Cunningham, who will not be playing Saturday, led Louisville this year with over 1,500 passing yards and 8 passing touchdowns. Jordan led the charge out of the backfield with 700 rushing yards.
The Cardinals will need all hands on deck in order to cover the spread on Saturday. Their favored status does not mean much since a number of players are opting out of the game.
Injury Report
Cincinnati Bearcats
- TE Leonard Taylor opted out of the Fenway Bowl to prepare for the NFL Draft.
- RB Ethan Wright is questionable due to an injury.
- QB Ben Bryant is out due to a foot injury.
Louisville Cardinals
- RB Tiyon Evans is questionable due to an injury.
- QB Malik Cunningham opted out of the Fenway Bowl after declaring for the NFL Draft.
Top Sportsbooks Odds
- Betonline: Louisville -1
- Bovada: Louisville -2
- MyBookie: Louisville -1.5
- BetUS: Louisville -2
- BetNow: Louisville -2
Cincinnati Bearcats at Louisville Cardinals Picks & Predictions
Which team should you place your money on in this game?
After reviewing the odds and trends, both teams have differing advantages, but the neutral site factor helps to even the overall playing field.
Cincinnati’s all-around success in 2022 bodes well for their chances, and, although Louisville was better against the spread, the narrow spread practically makes this a moneyline type of game. As a result, the Bearcats’ spread struggles shouldn’t impact this contest.
In the end, Cincinnati should be able to earn a competitive victory.
The Pick
Take the Cincinnati Bearcats +1 in the Fenway Bowl on Saturday.
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