I expected Cincinnati to take a pretty big step back this year after losing Desmond Ridder, Sauce Gardner and several other starters off last year's College Football Playoff team but the Bearcats still are in the running for the AAC title game and their two losses are only by a combined 11 points. Those were both on the road. UC, which really hasn't missed a beat defensively, has won 31 in a row at home and that should continue -- I just am not sure it covers the 5-point spread against a very solid ECU club.