Big 12 football will be at the front and center of the college football universe on Friday as the Cincinnati Bearcats head out west to do battle with the BYU Cougars. Join us for our college football odds series where our Cincinnati-BYU prediction and pick will be made.

Although Cincinnati fell short to Oklahoma last weekend by a score of 20-6, the Bearcats still come into Week 5 of the season with a dead-even 2-2 record with the hopes of reaching bowl eligibility in 2023. With back-to-back losses, can Cincinnati get back on track and find their way to getting above the .500 mark again?

With one of the more underrated home-field advantages in the country, BYU will set the stage on Friday night with a 3-1 record and will look to bounce back after a tough loss coming at the hands of Kansas by a score of 38-27. Will the raucous and rowdy home crowd be enough to help the Cougars get back on track?

Here are the college football odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

College Football Odds: Cincinnati-BYU

Cincinnati: -2.5 (-110)

BYU: +2.5 (-110)

Over: 48.5 (-105)

Under: 48.5 (-115)

How to Watch Cincinnati vs. BYU

TV: ESPN

Stream: ESPN+

Time: 10:15 ET/7:15 PT

*Watch college football LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Cincinnati Will Cover The Spread

After a flawless 2-0 start, the Bearcats have come back down to reality with a pair of humbling losses that have not showcased Cincinnati at their best. Overall, the Bearcats have not gotten off to the greatest of starts in their very first year of being a Big 12 member, but with eight games to go still on the scheduled slate, there is still plenty of time to get the wheels turning in the right direction again.

While winning on the road in any environment is a difficult task on the road, there is no question that the Bearcats will have their hands full against BYU. In order to cover the spread in a difficult fashion on the road, playing stout defense and taking the crowd of things early will prove to be beneficial if they can pull it off. Then again, the Bearcats did play better than expected last weekend against an Oklahoma squad that was lighting up the scoreboard in recent weeks. In fact, the Sooners were averaging 55 points per game and the Bearcats limited them to only 20 points on 12 total possessions. At first glance, this is a BYU offense with nowhere near the offensive firepower that Oklahoma possesses but instead is quite physical within the trenches.

The biggest thing that eluded Cincinnati last Saturday was their inability to finish drives which resulted in only two field goals on the day. Not to mention, but the Bearcats' identity needs to be through their running game. After amassing 141 rushing yards on 37 carries, shoving the rock down BYU's throat all night long will be the key to covering the spread.

Why BYU Will Cover The Spread

Meanwhile, the BYU Cougars are also coming off a loss of their own but are hopeful that they can bounce back quickly based on how they have played so far this season. For starters, it should be expected that LaVell Edwards Stadium will be rocking on Friday night as previously mentioned, but it will also be BYU's Big 12 home opener which will also add to the excitement in the air.

In addition to the fans most likely going berserk a few nights from now, the Cougars will also benefit from having an experienced quarterback under center in Kedon Slovis. With BYU being Slovis' third school in the last few seasons, Slovis provides that steady anchor for this Cougars offense that often struggles running the ball. Through four games, Slovis is lighting up opposing defenses for 1,017 yards and eight passing touchdowns.

Most importantly, it will be an absolute must for BYU to put together a stronger effort on the defensive side of the ball. In the loss to the Jayhawks, BYU surrendered 221 rushing yards and must put a stop to Cincy's rushing attack to gain a firm edge on Friday. Believe it or not, this is a defense that is ranked 30th in the nation in total defense, but their ability to stop the run begs to differ as they often aren't disciplined in their gap schemes which leads to them getting gashed a good amount.

Final Cincinnati-BYU Prediction & Pick

In a battle between first-year Big 12 members, could a future in-conference rivalry be in the making? Only time will tell, but BYU is incredibly difficult to beat at home which should be the ultimate difference in this one.

Final Cincinnati-BYU Prediction & Pick: BYU +2.5 (-110)