Two of the best teams in the Big 12 meet in Cincinnati this Saturday, and one of them still has plenty of College Football Playoff hopes. The Cincinnati Bearcats host the No. 11 BYU Cougars, who would currently be the first team left out of the 12 team field. Ultimately, the Cougars likely need a Big 12 Championship victory in order to break into the coveted postseason. But after their loss to Texas Tech, they’ll still need to handle business to get there, and they control their own destiny. Can they get a much needed win on the road? Let’s find out with our expert’s picks below.
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Go check out what else I’ve got on the slate for Week 13, and view the latest odds at the best online sportsbooks.
#11 BYU Cougars vs. Cincinnati Bearcats NCAA Football Insights
Bear Bachmeier is on the verge of a 10 win season as a true freshman
Cincinnati has played very well all season long. They lost their opener to Nebraska but still covered the spread in what was basically a home game at Arrowhead for the Huskers. Then they went on a seven game winning streak, propelling themselves to the top of the conference. However, they had to come back down to Earth, as they were lit up in their trip to Utah by the Utes, losing 45-14, and they lost to Arizona last week after a bye, giving up 30 points at home. Perhaps they were looking ahead?
The Cougars are a rock solid football team. After losing their potential quarterback pretty late in the offseason, true freshman Bear Bachmeier has BYU sitting at 9-1 on the season, only losing to No. 8 Texas Tech in Lubbock last week. This will be a tough spot for the Cougars to bounce back with a second straight long road trip, but if they want a shot at the CFP, they need to win the Big 12 Championship. All they have to do is win their next two games to get there.
Matchup Information – BYU vs. Cincinnati – November 22
- Venue & Location: Nippert Stadium (Cincinnati, OH)
- Date: Saturday, November 22, 2025
- Kick Off: 8:00 p.m. Eastern
- Broadcast: FOX
BYU vs. Cincinnati Betting Odds
Odds are courtesy of BetOnline, one of our favorite online sportsbooks, as of November 19, 2025 at 6:04 p.m. eastern. Sign up today with Promo Code BNBOL55 for a 55% deposit bonus. BetOnline offers a wide variety of unique markets across nearly every sport imaginable.
Spread
- BYU -2.5 (-116)
- Cincinnati +2.5 (-104)
Moneyline
- BYU -140
- Cincinnati +120
Total
- Over 55 (+100)
- Under 55 (-120)
Trends could favor either team in this match. The hosts are 2-1 against the spread as an underdog, and 4-1 ATS in one possession spreads. BYU is even better, with a 5-1 record against one possession spreads. My mind says BYU is the better team, but my gut always reminds me that the Big 12 loves to beat up on each other. And this would be the perfect opportunity for the Bearcats to spoil their visitor’s season.
#11 BYU vs. Cincinnati NCAA Football Picks and Predictions
Evan Pryor has three touchdowns on 66 carries for 478 rushing yards
BYU vs. Cincinnati Prediction: Cincinnati Wins Outright, Over 55
Best Bet: Cincinnati 1H Team Total Over 13.5 (-120) BetOnline
The Bearcats might be worth a stab on the moneyline for the full game, but all we need is two touchdowns in the first half. It’s absolutely more than doable, and the Bearcats have been doing it all year long. In Big 12 games, the Bearcats have scored at least 14 points in the first half in six of seven contests and all four at home. They are averaging 21.5 points per first half in conference games at Nippert Stadium, scoring three more points at home than overall this season before the break, ranking top 20 in the country.
On the road, BYU has started slow and struggled to slow teams down. Their defense gives up eight extra points per first half on the road than at home, and they’ve allowed 14 points before halftime in three of four road games already. Colorado scored 14, Arizona and Iowa both scored 17 and Texas Tech scored 13. Even though the Red Raiders did not clear this line with the most potent offense, they still scored three separate times.
Cincinnati’s offense ranks top 15 in yards and points per play, they are top eight in yards per carry and top 11 in red zone scoring, punching the ball into the end zone over 94% of the time when they get within 20 yards. Give me the Bearcats to start off strong in their home environment against a tough opponent whom they have probably had circled on the calendar.
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