Cincinnati vs Purdue College Football Handicapping
A pair of new head coaches will get their first opportunity to impress their respective fan bases as Tommy Tuberville and Darrell Hazell make their debuts with Cincinnati and Purdue, respectively.
Cincinnati Bearcats (10-3) vs. Purdue Boilermakers (6-7)
Date: Saturday, August 31, 2013
Time: 12:00 PM ET
Venue: Nippert Stadium
City: Cincinnati, Ohio
O/U Odds: 50
Spread: Cincinnati -10.5
Money Line: Cincinnati -400, Purdue +330
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This game marks another first for Cincinnati as they’ll be playing their first game as a member of the newly formed American Athletic Conference after eight seasons in the Big East.
For coach Tuberville, he’s still yet to make what is often the toughest decision for a head coach – choosing a starting quarterback. The Bearcats will employ a two-quarterback system in the opener, with seniors Brendon Kay and Munchie Legaux both set to see time under center.
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Kay is a sixth-year senior who went 4-1 as a starter last season and was named MVP of the Belk Bowl after he replaced Legaux. Whoever does end up taking control of the offense will be without the team’s leading rusher and two top receivers from a year ago, but they’ll be able to operate behind a top-flight offensive line. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Defensively, the Bearcats will have some big holes to fill after losing some key contributors to graduation, but that’s the same situation they were in a year ago and things worked out just fine. This year, the team went the transfer route, bringing in players from other FBS programs and junior college.
Linebacker Jeff Luc is the prized acquisition of the bunch. He comes over from Florida State after he was one of the nation’s top recruits out of high school in 2010. The team will be hoping that Luc offers up the same pleasant surprise that the team received from Greg Blair a year ago.
Senior Rob Henry will start at quarterback for the Boilermakers, but it will be nearly three years between starts for him after spending time at running back and wide receiver. He’ll lead Hazell’s pro-style offense, which, if you remember, wasn’t all that great at Kent State.
Henry’s main mission will likely be to avoid turnovers while the team’s ground game does most of the heavy lifting. On the flip side of the ball, there isn’t a whole lot to be excited about as far as the defense is concerned.
Ryan Russell could be the lone bright spot as a pass rusher, but he’ll have little help around him – getting to the quarterback was a major weak spot for the Boilermakers a year ago.
Cincinnati is coming off back-to-back 10-win seasons and scored more than twice as many touchdowns as they allowed last season. They face a tall order this season in trying to unseat Louisville, but Purdue is no Louisville.
The Bearcats are 6-1 ATS in their last seven non-conference games.
The play: Cincinnati -10.5
