June Jones â W45-10 in bowl game last year as +10.5 point dog over Nevada.
They have hada more challenging schedule featuring TX Tech, Wash St TCU and Navy, compared to UCFâs NC St SDC(fcs) Buff and Kansst. This defense is better because of those games when they faced 16, 7, 36th ranked offenses Overall their defense has faced 44th average offense compared to UCF at 58. SMU and UCF had 6 common opponents though UCF has the easier route with 2 games on road vs. SMUâs 4 on the road they still both came out with the same +/- yards at +52 combined. SMU only gave up 155 pts while UCF at 117. SMU defense does not get enough credit.
Only similar game in terms of home/away was that both teams had a home game against UAB. SMU won 28-7 +16 total yards while UAB won 42-7 and was +13.
June Jones run and shoot offense is not so one dimensional as many think. They have a 1,000 yard rusher in 2 years in a row in 6-1 235lb Zach Line league best 1,297 yards 10 TDâs and then you have kyle Padron out of the shoot at QB. UCF is quick at LB, but they are not as big as Line this is where the game will be won or loss for SMU.
Donât sleep on line or this SMU team, they led TCU in the 3rd quarter 17-14 this year where Line rushed for 139 yards on 17 carries TCU has the nationâs BEST defense and are #3 against the run. Team had more than 100 yards over TCUâs average yardage given up so this offense can go back and forth with any team.
UCF Big questin mark with Jeff Godfrey can the freshmen perform in the biggest game of his life? Is this defense as good as advertised? They gave up 99 pts combined in three weeks straight to similar type offenses to the one SMU has.
Luckily SMU isnât just offense as I mentioned they got LB JaâGared Davis he is young, but athletic and has 77 tackles 15 tackles for loss with 9 sacks. He can help contain a dangerous Godfrey who can be one dimensional against a good defense which is what happened when UCF hosted Southern Miss as they beat them 31-21.
PITT â revenge for last yearâs loss @Heinz field and there are no sr. starters on this bad defense for cinci to take a stand and hope they can stop Pittâs offense. Cinci doesnât have much to play for here at 4-7 they had a very disappointing season.
Pitt on the other hand should have a hang over here right they lost the Big East Championship with poor play vs. West Virginia. Well the final score was closer than it indicated and Pitt technically still has a shot and if they lose there is no guarantee they get into a bowl game even at 6-6. They can still win Big East with a win and Wvirg/CT lose which could happen inside the Big East.
The strength of Cinci on defense had been their run defense ranked #21 but then Uconn ran all over them with their physical line. I think Pitt can do that too with Graham and Lewis and one of the biggest offensive lines in the country. But I wonât be shocked to see them take shots down the field with Jon Baldwin. Baldwin is a superior WR that should have his day with the Cinci secondary that is ranked 95th in the country. Cinci is giving up 34.8ppg in Big East play.
The blocking for Zach Collaros was awful last week and Isiah Pead had no room to run now they face the 2nd best defense in the Big East in Pitt. Who is better? West Virginia who beat this team 37-10. West Virginia too had been struggling on offense then they played Cincinatti and that changed everything. Cinci doesnât seem to be very confident either as their QB Collaros stated, âevery time you lose you die a little.â Itâs not just the defense, but the inconsistency of the offense and the turnovers and penalties and lack of red zone efficiency that this team has that shocks me that they are small favorites here on Saturday.
Lastly both teams had 6 common opponents with 3 of them on the road. Pitt scored 161 while Cinci scored 168 and Pitt gave up just 113 while Cinci gave up 236.
Lots going here for Pitt â revenge, chance at a bowl and Big East Championship and a Cinci team that looked like they quit last week against Uconn.
