Cincinnati hosts Pittsburgh in an exciting Big East battle

The Big East takes center stage tomorrow night when Cincinnati hosts Pittsburgh.

According to the oddsmakers at BetJambo, the Bearcats are 4-point favorites with the total set at 44.  

The Panthers will be eager to get back into action after their stunning 31-17 loss against Youngstown State last Saturday. Pittsburgh's unexpected loss could be attributed to the suspension of six players, although it could be argued that they should have won anyway.

A decision on the availability of the suspended players for this game will be made later in the week but Pittsburgh will need to have their best talent on the field against Cincinnati because they have no room for any more mistakes.

The Bearcats will play their first game of the season as they did not play last week. Cincinnati will have to come into this game anticipating an angry Pittsburgh team ready to make amends.

Munchie Legaux will start the season under center for Cincinnati. The junior quarterback made just three starts last year and he will have to adjust to live action quickly.

This series has been close as of late. Four of the last five meetings have been decided by single digits and that trend should continue in this game. Many teams start off rusty in Week 1 and the Panthers will have the advantage with one game under their belt.

Senior running back Ray Graham returned from an injury last week and despite a fumble, he looked like he had regained his previous form, gaining more than five yards per carry.

The Panthers are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games following a loss and 20-7 ATS in their last 27 conference games. The Bearcats are 5-12 ATS in their last 17 conference games and the Panthers are 6-1 in their last seven games against them.

Nothing motivates a team like an embarrassing loss and it wouldn't surprise me to see Pittsburgh pull off an upset or at least keep this game close.

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