BIG EAST FOOTBALL PREVIEW: WEEK #2 CINCINNATI

September 5, 2008


Brian Kelly's Cincinnati Bearcats got off on the right foot this season by opening with a 40-7 romp over Eastern Kentucky. Dustin Grutza picked up where Ben Mauk left off, completing 21 of 28 passes for 296 yards and three touchdowns as he directed the offense as it piled up 557 total yards. In week #2, the competition is tougher, much tougher.

The Bearcats will hit the road and meet the Oklahoma Sooners out in Norman (OK). The Sooners are coming off an 11-3 season where they earned a BCS bid and opened their 2008 season with a 57-2 drubbing of Chattanooga in a game that was 50-0 at halftime! OU outgained the Chattanooga 487-36 and allowed just ONE first down in the contest.

Sports Betting houses have installed Oklahoma as a 21-point favorite in this contest and they definitely look like the better team by quite a bit. It is really hard to guage how good either team is after the competition they faced in their opening week wins, but the home team figures to have a distinct advantage in this set-up.


This is a great test for Cincinnati to see where they stack up nationally. However, this game was seemingly scheduled more for financial gain rather than a learning tool, so I do expect the Sooners to lay it on pretty good in this one with an explosive offense and dominating defense.

Prediction:

Oklahoma 45
Cincinnati 20