Collaborative Predictions for Cincinnati v. Memphis

For all our talk, most of us were eating crow after last week’s predictions.  We have yet to see the team that we were promised this year, meanwhile we’re entering a second conference game of the year (and month of September) on a short week.  Things aren’t looking great right now.  Last season Cincinnati entered the Memphis game recovering from a very ugly defensive performance at Ohio State.  This year, Cincinnati skids into the game with one of the worst turnover margins in the country and looking like a team that can barely do anything right.  Here is how your Cincy on the Prowl writers think things will shake out:

Chris Bains (@CinBinBains)

For whatever reason I can’t get away from it; Cincinnati is limping through games while the Memphis Tigers are rolling. UC may or may not have a healthy Gunner Kiel on Thursday night, a defense that’s still a liability at times, and are playing a team whose offense ranks better than the likes of Oregon and TCU. Oh, and the Bearcats are on the road. I truly hope UC can pull this out against pretty much insurmountable odds but I’m not sure if they’ll be able to pull it off.

Memphis 38, Cincinnati 31

Ben Levin (@levinmachine)

This Memphis defense is very vulnerable – the Tigers gave up 579 yards and 41 points to Bowling Green last week.  If Gunner Kiel is healthy and can finish the game, UC has more than a fighting chance in a shootout.  I don’t have a good feeling about this game, but I want to believe that this is the week that UC decides to actually capitalize on a 500-yard day, rather than fail to protect the football and lose to and/or struggle with a team they vastly outgain and otherwise dominate.  If Gunner plays and UC wins the turnover battle, the ‘Cats can and should win this game – that’s what I’m going to base this prediction on.  If it’s Hayden Moore taking snaps for UC, I see Memphis rolling the Bearcats for a second year in a row.  Gunner plays, and Mike Boone scores out of the Wildcat formation in the game’s final minute to win it for the Red and Black.

Cincinnati 44, Memphis 42*

* With #11 at QB

Travis Holmes (@TravisBHolmes)

I hate to admit it, but by nature I am a pessimist and Devil’s Advocate when it comes to being a sports fan.  It’s just in my nature, so take this prediction for what its worth from the source.

I have several questions and the answer to each question needs to be yes for Cincinnati to win.  Can they play physically in the trenches?  Can they protect the football?  Can the defense get off the field on third down?  For that matter will Steve Clinkscale actually blitz the Quarterback?  Can the defense force a turnover or two?  Will Gunner Kiel play and if so will he be effective?  Will Eddie Gran call the Annexation of Puerto Rico?

I cannot definitively answer yes to all of these questions (especially the last one) therefore my prediction is:

Memphis 41 Cincinnati 23

Alex Thomas (@GATHOMAS33)

After the near-disaster that was the Miami game, my prediction has definitely changed for Memphis. Initially, I thought that this would be a loss, but the Tigers defense is very porous. This game could resemble the East Carolina shoot out from last year. If Gunner is playing, I think we win this game. In the case that Moore starts, I’m not too sure. For either quarterback, possession is key. We have to keep the ball away from the Tigers offense as much as possible. I’ll assume Kiel plays and the boys get an emotional win for Adrian Witty.

Cincinnati 38, Memphis: 35

Mike Jorgensen (@sincehewillwin)

If I didn’t have to predict a score then I would flip a coin.  Both of these teams had nailbiter games against MAC opponents last week.  We’re probably both pretty bad right now, it’s just a matter of who is worse.  I don’t think the Memphis defense can stop Cincinnati’s offense although Cincinnati’s offense has been stopping itself for the last two weeks.  I think Cincinnati’s defense can do more against Memphis than Bowling Green’s did.  Everything rests in the hands of Eddie Gran.  If our team looks unmotivated, receivers don’t catch, turn the ball over, and lose the  time of possession battle (thus leaving our defense on the field for way too long) then it will look the same as last year.  If we could only get our 7 wide receivers to hold onto the ball then the offense would magically look a lot better.  Eddie Gran has some background as a WR coach and should be able to whip them into shape, then again I thought that after training camp.  I think Cincy will eliminate enough errors to win this one and expose Memphis as being a just-above-average team.  Hopefully, the momentum from this game will give us the motivation to fire on all cylinders next Thursday.

Cincinnati 34, Memphis 28

There you have it!  If the cynics are right then this could be an ugly game.  If it is an ugly game then be sure to follow all of us on Twitter (we are highly entertaining during the games).