Undefeated Cincinnati Bearcats Favored Over Pitt For Big East Title

Sports News - December 3rd, 2009 - Written by John

Though the Big East Conference doesn't officially have a conference title game, this weekends' matchup between the Cincinnati Bearcats and Pitt Panthers will decide the outright Big East title as well as an automatic bid to a BCS bowl game.

There is little doubt that either team would love claim Big East Champions, but for Cincinnati there is much more on the line. Should Cincinnati win this game, and if other pieces fall in place, the Bearcats could possibly have a shot of playing in the BCS National Title game.

The Cincinnati Bearcats come into this game undefeated with the fifth ranking in the country, riding high with their starting quarterback Tony Pike back from injury. Last week, Pike had a 399-yard, 6-touchdown performance against Big Ten foe Illinois.

Pike made his return last week after injuring his arm earlier in the year causing him to miss several weeks before making his return for Illinois game.

Pittsburgh senior QB Bill Stull has had a great year throwing for 19 touchdowns with a passer rating of 153.0 Stull's numbers are good enough to place him at 2nd in the conference behind Cincinnati QB Tony Pike.

As for the Panthers, Pittsburgh is reeling from a heartbreaking overtime loss in the “backyard brawl” to arch rival West Virginia. The Panthers had trouble with the West Virginia defense as Stull threw two crucial interceptions en route to the loss.

Despite the loss, the Panthers still controlled their own destiny and now have their shot at Cincinnati with the privilege of Big East Champions, and a possible berth to the Orange Bowl on the line.

The Panthers (9-2) are looking to win 10 games for the first time since 1981 when they finished 11-1 captained by then Junior QB Dan Marino. Pitt won the Big East crown in 2004 after finishing in a four-way-tie, and went on to play in the Fiesta bowl against Utah.

BetUS Sportsbook has Cincinnati as a two point favorite to beat the Panthers this week with the over/under currently at 58 according to the current College Football Betting Lines.

Both teams have had some of the most potent offenses in College Football this year. While Cincinnati has receiving more attention on a national scale, Pittsburgh feels as though they are up to the challenge of hanging with the explosive Bearcat offense.

"If it comes to a shootout, we think we can hang with anybody," Pittsburgh Panther tight end Nate Byham told ESPN.

One most important match ups is going to be how Cincinnati’s offensive line handles Pittsburgh’s front four. The Panthers come into this game leading the country in sacks with 43, while the Bearcats have surrendered only nine, which is third fewest in FBS, the classic case of the irresistible force vs. the immovable object.

While Cincinnati boasts an unblemished record at 11-0, according to BetUs Sportsbook the Bearcats are 6-5 ATS this year. Other betting trends show that the total has gone under in six of Pittsburgh’s last seven games.

If the game itself wasn't big enough, the Bearcats have had to quell speculation amid rumors that Notre Dame is considering head coach Brian Kelly for its coaching vacancy. Kelly has neither confirmed nor denied the possibility of leaving, but remains focused solely on the task before them; winning the Big East Championship.

"It’s championship week, As a coach, it doesn't get any better than this, when you're playing for a championship,” said Kelly at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon. “There's nothing that gets you more excited than being in this kind of environment, with a championship this week."

Pittsburgh won the first three meetings against the Bearcats in this series, before Cincinnati broke through and won last year 28-21.