Houston vs. Cincinnati prediction, odds, pick for College Football Week 4

Houston and Cincinnati battle after the Cougars got in the win column in Week 3 after an 0-2 start. Cincinnati is 2-1 after a one-point loss to Pitt in Week 2. It is time to continue our college football odds series with a Houston-Cincinnati prediction and pick.

Houston started their season with a difficult schedule and a two-game losing streak, dropping contests with UNLV and Oklahoma. Their offense scored just 19 points over the first two games but rebounded last week with a 33-7 victory over Rice. Donovan Smith didn't accumulate many yards through the air, but he did account for three touchdowns. Stacy Need had the other score while rushing for 82 yards. It was the first win of the Willie Fritz era for the Cougars. Houston was highly motivated to dominate Rice in this game, as the Owls had the upset loss in last year's meeting.

Cincinnati was one point away from a 3-0 start, but Pitt made a miraculous comeback in their only loss to win 28-27. The other games have been easier for the Bearcats, as they defeated Towson 38-20 and Miami Ohio 27-16. Cincinnati won the Battle of the Victory Bell against Miami Ohio, their seventh consecutive win in the rivalry. Cincinnati's rushing defense controlled the game, holding Miami Ohio to just 24 yards on the ground. Cincinnati totaled 215 yards rushing while generating just 186 through the air.

Here are the College Football odds , courtesy of FanDuel.

College Football Odds: Houston-Cincinnati Odds

Houston: +3.5 (-115)

Moneyline: +130

Cincinnati: -3.5 (-105)

Moneyline: -156

Over: 47.5 (-110)

Under: 47.5 (-110)

How to Watch Houston vs. Cincinnati

Time: noon ET/9 AM PT

Stream: fuboTV ( Free Trial )

Why Houston Could Cover The Spread/Win

All you need to know about Houston's defense is they were able to hold Oklahoma to just 16 points in Week 2. They may have started the year 0-2, but we need them to stay within the number in this game and their defense can do it. The only question is whether their offense will have enough firepower to score enough points.

Why Cincinnati Could Cover The Spread/Win

The spread has come down to a much more manageable -3.5 in this game after being as high as -5.5 at one point this week. The line movement in Cincinnati's direction shows that bettors were backing the Cougars' defense to continue being dominant and keep this game close. However, Cincinnati is a much better team this season and is a 21-point collapse away from being 3-0. Cincinnati learned plenty of lessons in that loss to Pitt, and likely won't make the same mistake twice. If the Bearcats can get out to that kind of lead against Houston, they don't have the offensive ability to rebound like Pitt did. The Bearcats will need a quick start to put the pressure on Houston.

Final Houston-Cincinnati Prediction & Pick

This game can be an ugly, rushing attack game that struggles to generate many points. Both quarterbacks threw for less than 200 yards in their recent victories and found success with running the ball. Houston has been dominant on defense for most of the season and Cincinnati doesn't have close to the same firepower as Oklahoma, who Houston held to 16 points. If you believe this game will be close like the oddsmakers do, the total will likely be quite lower than 46.5. Houston's game against Oklahoma was a 16-12 final, and it wouldn't be surprising if it ends the same here.