Cincinnati vs. Miami (OH): Prediction, Preview, and Betting Odds
Week 3 of the college football season is here. Cincinnati plays Miami (OH), and Heartland College Sports has your game prediction, preview, and betting odds ahead of the matchup.
GAME INFO
Saturday, Sept. 14; 11:00 a.m. (CT); Yager Stadium; Oxford, OH
TV: ESPNU
Records: Cincinnati (1-1); Miami, OH (0-1)
Last Week: Pitt 28, Cincinnati 27; Northwestern 13, Miami (OH) 6
Series History: Series tied, 60-60-7
Last Meeting: Miami (OH) 31, Cincinnati 24 (2023)
Fun Fact: Known simply as the “Victory Bell,” the rivalry between Cincinnati and Miami (OH) is the oldest current non-conference rivalry game in college football and the most tightly contested. The series is tied at 60 wins for each program after Miami (OH) upset the Bearcats last year to end the longest win streak for either team in series history at 16 games (2006-2022).
Cincinnati vs. Miami (OH) Betting Lines and Odds
Opening Line: Cincinnati (-3.5)
Over/Under: 46.5
Key Players
Cincinnati Bearcats
QB Brendan Sorsby
Last season, Cincinnati’s offense lived and died by Emory Jones’ ability to take care of the football, and more often than not, it didn’t go in their favor. Through two games in 2024, Brendan Sorsby has taken excellent care of the football and has accounted for six total touchdowns (four passing, two rushing), while throwing for 681 yards and no interceptions. Last week, Pitt was able to pressure the young signal-caller and force him to miss on more throws, so keeping him clean will be pivotal for the Bearcats this week.
DT Dontay Corleone
After being diagnosed with blood clots this offseason, Dontay Corleone made his return to the field against Pitt last week and made his presence felt, notching six tackles and a sack against the Panthers. This week, Corleone will be back on the field after a disappointing loss and will be a key player to watch as the Bearcats not only try to get back to their winning ways but also avenge an upset loss from last season.
Miami RedHawks
QB Brett Gabbert
Sixth-year quarterback Brett Gabbert is back for one last run with the RedHawks after helping lead Miami to two MAC Championships during his career thus far. Gabbert is a rarity in today’s game, having spent all six years at one program and will be looking to close out his career on a winning streak against the Bearcats. While he struggled last week against Northwestern (227 yards, 2 INTs), Gabbert has accounted for over 8,500 yards and 67 touchdowns in his career. He serves as a major threat to the Cincinnati defense on Saturday.
LB Matt Salopek
The reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Year, Miami (OH) linebacker Matt Salopek, also returns from last year’s title-winning squad to run it back one more time. Another sixth-year senior for the RedHawks, Salopek is coming off a whale of a 2023 season, finishing with 143 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and an interception. Salopek recorded a career-high 18 tackles in last year’s victory over Cincinnati and will look to play a major role in this matchup as well.
KEY STORYLINES
Cincinnati Bearcats
Can Cincinnati bounce back after giving the game away vs. Pitt? Last week, Cincinnati appear well on its way to starting off the 2024 season with a 2-0 record. The Bearcats held a 27-6 lead with less than a minute to go in the third quarter, but Pitt would go on to score the final 22 points of the game to steal the victory. Losses like that tend to sting for a while, especially against a rival. Can Cincy avoid disappointment in consecutive rivalry games?
Miami RedHawks
Can lightning strike twice for the RedHawks? Before last season, it had been 16 years since Miami had gotten the better of Cincinnati, but after winning the Victory Bell last season, a veteran-laden RedHawks squad is looking to end their careers on a win streak against their in-state rivals. With key players back on both sides of the ball, Miami has the experience it takes to win this game and make a statement about their place in the MAC title race once again in 2024.
PREDICTION: Miami (OH) 24, Cincinnati 21
Sometimes, keeping one disappointing loss from turning into two is the hardest thing for a football team to do, and I get a sense that that is where Cincinnati is at right now. The Bearcats had Pitt dead to rights and on the ropes but failed to slam the door, and it cost them. Now, they’ll have to regroup and head to Oxford to face a ball club that is used to winning and has all the pieces back to make another MAC title run. If this game were in Nippert Stadium, I’d probably side with Cincinnati to get back on track, but since its on the road and Miami has the edge at experience, I’ll take the RedHawks to pull off the improbable and make it back-to-back wins against the Bearcats.
