Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information.

You would have been called nuts if you predicted before the season that College GameDaywould be in Salt Lake City for a November battle between Cincinnati and Utah, but this sport has gone off the rails.

The No. 17 Bearcats (7-1, 5-0) have not lost since Week 1 against Nebraska and control their own destiny to make the College Football Playoff, while No. 24 Utah’s (6-2, 3-2) hopes to get to Arlington for the Big 12 Championship are dangling by a thread.

A win over Cincinnati in front of a big crowd at Rice-Eccles Stadium would keep Utah’s season alive.

The Utes have some questions to answer for this game at quarterback. Devon Dampier has been terrific this season, but he was held out of Utah’s throttling of Colorado with an ankle injury and is a game-time decision for Saturday. True freshman Byrd Ficklin filled in admirably against the Buffaloes, but this is quite a step up for the dual-threat QB.

Whether it’s Dampier, Ficklin, or a combination of both, staying with Brendan Sorsby won’t be an easy task.

Sorsby has been sensational in 2025, completing 133-of-204 attempts for 1,843 yards and touchdowns. He has thrown just one pick all year.

The junior from Texas is also a decent runner, adding seven touchdowns on the ground on top of 425 yards.

Sorsby will likely be without star running back Evan Pryor, which will put more pressure on him to be the difference-maker in this contest.

The only problem is that Utah’s defense is stellar.

The Utes are terrific at getting to the quarterback, but they’re more than just a terrific pass rush. According to SP+, Utah boasts the seventh-best defense in the country.

It may seem a bit bonkers that Utah is a 10-point favorite against a team as hot as Cincinnati, but the stylistic matchup really helps the Utes here.

Aided by one of the best home-field advantages in college football, Utah should be in a position to end Cincinnati’s fairytale, while getting itself back on track for a crack at the Big 12 Championship.

The Play: Utah -10 (-110, DraftKings)

Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.