BYU vs. UCF Prediction, Odds and Key Players to Watch for College Football Week 8

The BYU Cougars had one of their biggest wins in program history last week when they took down the Notre Dame Fighting Irish by a score of 28-24. As a result of the monumental win, the Cougars have been moved up to the No. 2 spot in the latest AP Poll. It's the highest ranking that BYU has had since winning the 1984 National Championship.

They'll put their 6-0 record on the line in Week 8 when they take on the 3-3 UCF Knights, who have suffered two straight losses.

Let's dive into the odds and my best bet for this Big 12 showdown.

BYU vs. UCF Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via BetMGM Sportsbook

Spread

BYU -6.5 (-112)
UCF +6.5 (-105)

Moneyline

BYU -250
UCF +210

Total

OVER 43.5 (-108)
UNDER 43.5 (-110)

BYU vs. UCF How to Watch

Date: Saturday, October 24
Time: 3:30 pm ET
Venue: Acrisure Bounce House
How to Watch (TV): Fox
BYU record: 6-0 (3-0 in Big 12)
UCF record: 3-3 (1-2 in Big 12)

BYU vs. UCF Betting Trends

BYU is 4-1 against the spread in the last five games between these two teams
The OVER is 4-1 in the last five meetings between these two teams
BYU is 6-0 against the spread this season
UCF is 4-2 against the spread this season

BYU vs. UCF Key Player to Watch

Bear Bachmeier, QB - BYU Cougars

Bear Bachmeier has been fantastic this season and is a big reason why BYU is undefeated this season. He's a dual-threat quarterback, racking up 1,257 passing yards and 284 yards on the ground, making him a nightmare for opposing defenses. He threw for 224 yards and a touchdown and added 45 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in last week's upset win against Notre Dame.

BYU vs. UCF Prediction and Best Bet

In the Week 7 edition of Straight Up Picks for Every Top 25 Game, I broke down why I'm taking UCF to win this game outright:

At some point this season, BYU is going to suffer a loss that's going to surprise a lot of people. I'm willing to bank on it happening this week against a UCF team that's better than its record indicates.

The Cougars are certainly a good team, but they aren't without their flaws. They're outside the top 30 teams in the country in defensive success rate, and they're susceptible to the pass. Their main strength is their ability to run the ball, and if a team can slow them down in that area, they're going to be beatable. Unfortunately for them, run defense is the Knights' biggest strength, ranking 27th in opponent EPA per rush.

Don't underestimate UCF in this game.

Pick: UCF +210 via BetMGM

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