CFB Best Bets, Picks and Analysis For Cincinnati vs. Arkansas on September 3, 2022

The Arkansas Razorbacks enter the season as one of the many teams competing for that third spot in the SEC behind the Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Georgia Bulldogs. The Razorbacks welcome the Cincinnati Bearcats into Fayetteville in Week 1. Cincinnati, led by Luke Fickell, made the College Football Playoff last season. This game will kick off at 3:30PM ET on Saturday, September 3. Cincinnati is No. 23 in the AP Poll, while Arkansas is No. 19.

With that said, this is a big match-up so make sure you keep reading for our Cincinnati vs. Arkansas betting preview. 

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For the most up to date CFB computer picks, check out our interactive predictions for Cincinnati vs. Arkansas. It's constantly updating based on hundreds of different data points.

Cincinnati vs. Arkansas Best Bets, Predictions and Analysis

Spread Breakdown

Cincinnati is a relatively inexperienced team despite playing in some big games last season. The Bearcats had nine players drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft, so Fickell has his work cut out for him. There is no doubt that Fickell is one of the best coaches at developing players in the country. There are some players that the casual college football crowd has never heard of before, but they will soon know them. 

The Bearcats return some veterans along the offensive line. At least they will have continuity there. Josh Whyle is one of the top tight ends in the country. He will be a big-time target for Eastern Michigan transfer quarterback Ben Bryant or Evan Prater to find. Fickell has been keeping the quarterback battle a secret. Cincinnati lost a lot of players on defense, but it still has talent all across the field. 

MORE: CFB Futures Probabilities

Just like Cincinnati, Arkansas is a well-coached team. Sam Pittman has turned around this team quicker than a lot of people expected. Quarterback KJ Jefferson is back. At 6-foot-3 and 242 pounds, he is hard to bring down. Arkansas has a reliable group of receivers even without first-round pick Treylon Burks, who was drafted by the Tennessee Titans. This defense is rock solid as well, especially at the linebacker position. Bumper Pool and Drew Sanders are two guys to watch out for. 

The spread in this game is at -6.5 in favor of Arkansas. Both teams match up well at the line of scrimmage. But Cincinnati has more question marks than definitive answers at almost every position on the field. It’s not a question of if the unproven players are good or not, it’s a question of how good they are. The DimersBOT really likes Arkansas against the spread, giving the Razorbacks a 58% chance to cover. We agree with the model and we will go ahead and lock in Arkansas -6.5 points due to its proven team.

Over/Under Breakdown

This early in the season, the defenses are typically ahead of the offenses. This is especially going to be the case for Cincinnati. The Bearcats might take a quarter or so to find its rhythm on offense in a hostile environment. It doesn’t help that Arkansas has a lot of talented players on that defense. 

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The same could very well be the case for Arkansas’ offense. Cincinnati still has a really good defense. Luke Fickell knows how to coach a defense. We like the Under 52 points here. Both offenses could start slow given that the defenses are solid across the board. The DimersBOT agrees, as it gives the Under a 55 percent chance of hitting.

Best Bet: Bearcats vs. Razorbacks

We are confident in Arkansas covering the spread, but also the Under hitting. However, if we had to pick one best bet, we are the most confident in Arkansas -6.5. The Razorbacks have less question marks than the Bearcats right now. They also have the home-field advantage. It is a tall task for an unproven Cincinnati team to travel to Fayetteville and cover the spread, let alone win.

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Best Player Props for Week 1

The team at Prop or Chop have found two player props they love in this weekend, so check them out on this week's episode below. And remember to bet them with DraftKings Sportsbook, where new customers can throw down $5 and score an instant $200 in bonuses - even if your ticket doesn't cash!

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