Friday Night ESPN College Football Central Florida @ BYU Odds, Free Picks and Predictions – Week 4 NCAA Football Spreads and Odds

Week 4 Free College Football Picks and Spreads: Central Florida Golden Knights @ BYU Cougars 2011 NCAA Football Vegas Odds, Free Picks, and Expert Predictions on ESPN 9/23/11: Entering the season, both Central Florida and BYU had visions of cracking the top 25 despite not being members of major conferences. However, surprising losses for both the Knights (2-1) and the Cougars (1-2) have left both teams reeling entering Friday night’s showdown in Provo. Another loss for either side would be devastating for each team’s chance of making a prestigious bowl game, and the intensity that comes with a must-win atmosphere should be in effect. Playing in front of their home crowd, the Cougars enter the meeting as three-point favorites.

BYU is coming off an ugly 54-10 loss to rival Utah in the Holy War that included seven turnovers, and with a heartbreaking defeat at Texas the week before, any momentum the Cougars built after knocking off Ole Miss in the opener has been long destroyed. The two-game slide is eerily reminiscent of the Cougars’ early season struggles last season that saw the team drop four straight at one point. BYU returned a ton of talent in 2011, and with a seemingly manageable schedule, the ultimate goal for this group was an undefeated season. That clearly isn’t happening, and it is up to Bronco Mendenhall to make sure his team stays focused and doesn’t completely give up on the season.

For Central Florida, Friday’s game will be all about bouncing back from a stunning loss to Florida International. The Knights were cruising coming into the matchup, winning their first two games easily, including a 27-point blowout of Boston College. Maybe they got overconfident, but a 17-10 defeat to the Panthers likely shattered that and then some. The good news for UCF is that its defense continued to impress even in the loss, and the unit should continue to a force throughout the remainder of the 2011 season. Take away a defensive touchdown that the Panthers scored, and the Knights’ defense has surrendered just 13 points through three games.

BYU will try to solve the Knights’ defense Friday night but will do so with an offense that has struggled this season. Sophomore quarterback Jake Heaps has managed just three touchdowns through three games, while throwing four interceptions. Meanwhile, the Cougars’ rushing attack is currently among the five worst in the country. A one-dimensional, pass-first offense led by a struggling quarterback isn’t exactly the ideal recipe for picking apart a strong defense. Unless the running game suddenly comes to life, the Knights will likely bring plenty of heat on Heaps, trying to force the QB to add to his growing list of mistakes in 2011.

Meanwhile, the Cougars defense could have trouble slowing down UCF quarterback Jeff Godfrey. The dual-threat has been efficient in the passing game, and although he has yet to throw a touchdown pass, he does have six rushing scores. Godfrey’s production helps an already capable ground game, which loves to eat up the clock and keep the stout defense well rested. It is somewhat of an old school approach, but a good running game and a strong defense is still a recipe for winning football games.

In the end, the UCF defense should rule the night. The Cougars are nowhere close to living up to expectations or playing up to their potential, and the team’s offensive woes likely won’t be solved by a visit from the Knights. The conservative UCF offense won’t put up the crazy numbers that Utah managed against BYU, but the Knights should score enough to allow their defense to stay aggressive and do its thing. With UCF getting points in this matchup, it is an easy decision to back the Knights.

Prediction: Central Florida Knights (+2.5) Cover the Spread

Free College Football Picks and NCAAF Predictions: Central Florida +2.5 to cover the spread

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