Arizona vs. Cincinnati betting odds, point spread and over/under for Week 5
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Brent Brennan and the Arizona Wildcats polished off the non-conference portion of the season with a 3-0 record, after taking down Washington State in Pullman last Saturday.
Now attention fully turns toward Big 12 play, where Arizona is already behind the sticks with a 0-1 record after losing to BYU in Provo back in Week 2. The Wildcats will hope to avoid their first 0-2 start in league play since 2021, and standing in their way is an undefeated Cincinnati Bearcats club making its first-ever trip to Tucson.
In fact, Arizona and Cincinnati have only played once before, and that was in Cincinnati last year when the Wildcats picked up a 30-24 win. Noah Fifita threw for 294 yards and a touchdown, while Kedrick Reescano rushed 13 times for 94 yards and a score on the ground.
What to know about Cincinnati
This year's Cincinnati team is absolutely dominant on the ground, with an astonishing 270 rushing yards per game - seventh in the entire country and third among power conference teams behind West Virginia and UCLA.
Gi'Bran Payne - a transfer from Notre Dame - has 368 rushing yards through four games this season, and will present a major test for an Arizona run defense that has shown some holes up front.
If the Bearcats can effectively move the chains with Payne and Cole Tabb, it could be a long, long night for the Arizona defense - especially since Cincinnati only has two turnovers on the year, both lost fumbles.
The good news for Arizona is that Cincinnati has yet to play a road game this year, and a late, late kickoff time and a hostile road crowd could throw Bearcats quarterback JC French - who transferred over from Georgia State in the Sun Belt - off his game.
It's also worth noting that Cincinnati is one of the most penalized teams in the entire country, while Arizona is a veteran, disciplined team under coach Brennan. That could be a difference-maker on Saturday night in what is expected to be a very close contest.
Below is a look at the point spread, betting odds, and tv info for Arizona's first Big 12 home game of the season:
Arizona vs. Cincinnati odds, spread, game time and TV channel
Spread: Arizona -6.5 (at FanDuel Sportsbook)
Moneyline: Arizona -250, Cincinnati +202
Over/under: 56.5 points
Records against the spread: Arizona 0-4, Cincinnati 3-1
Game time: 8:00 p.m. Pacific time | Saturday, Oct. 3
Location: Casino Del Sol Stadium | Tucson, Arizona
TV channel: FOX
Odds are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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Andy Patton is a college basketball writer with deep ties to both Gonzaga and Arizona. A Gonzaga alumnus who graduated in 2013, he has hosted the Locked On Zags podcast covering Gonzaga basketball since 2021 and has co-hosted the Locked On College Basketball podcast since 2022. His years covering the Bulldogs have also given him extensive familiarity with Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd, who spent more than two decades on Mark Few’s staff at Gonzaga before taking over the Wildcats in 2021. Andy has worked in sports media since 2017, with experience covering nearly every major sport. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for USA TODAY from 2017–21, where he also spent time covering the USC Trojans and Oregon Ducks, and previously served as lead writer for College Sports Wire. He has also covered the NBA, NHL and MLB for various TEGNA outlets, including KREM in Spokane, 12News in Phoenix and KING 5 in Seattle. Andy now lives in Spokane, Washington, with his wife, daughter and dog.
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