Kansas St vs. Cincinnati Recap: Cole Tabb's Three Scores Flip It

Cincinnati beat Kansas State 31-26, and the game turned in the first eight minutes of the third quarter. K-State led 17-10 at halftime after a 4-yard touchdown pass from Avery Johnson to Derrick Salley Jr. with 15 seconds left. On the first snap of the second half, Salley caught a 34-yard pass and fumbled, and Cincinnati recovered. Cole Tabb scored from 5 yards out to tie it, and after a K-State three-and-out and a 36-yard punt return by Malachi Henry, Tabb scored again from 30 yards. Cincinnati ran for 271 yards on 38 carries, and Tabb finished with three rushing touchdowns. Two DARIMARKET plays cashed on this game, both posted before kickoff.

What cashed

ALT: Gi'Bran Payne 45+ rushing yards (alt, targeted -170 to -200): CASHED

• Our read: Payne was averaging 80.7 rushing yards per game as Cincinnati's lead back.
• What happened: He ran 16 times for 126 yards with a long of 53, clearing 44.5 by 81.5 yards. He didn't score, but he and Tabb combined for 250 rushing yards on 27 carries.
• Worth watching: He got the lead-back volume we expected, and the alt left a huge margin. With that workload, his main rushing line is worth a look next time too.

ALT: Over 48.5 (alt, targeted -170 to -200): CASHED

• Our read: K-State averaged 45.3 points and Cincinnati 43.7, and Cincinnati's games had gone 49, 72 and 66 total points. The main total was 55.5, so this was seven points of cushion.
• What happened: The teams scored 57, clearing 48.5 by 8.5. The alt was safe once Tabb's 14-yard touchdown made it 31-20 with 3:28 left. The main 55.5 only went over on K-State's late touchdown at 1:15.
• Worth watching: The main number needed a touchdown with 1:15 left, while the alt was safe with more than three minutes to go. Both offenses moved the ball, with K-State at 447 total yards and Cincinnati at 436.

How the game played out

K-State outgained Cincinnati, held the ball for 33:18 and went 10 of 17 on third down, but it could not slow the Cincinnati run game. Johnson threw 50 passes for 292 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions, and Salley caught 7 of them for 140 yards. K-State put together a 17-play drive that ended in a 36-yard field goal, and Cincinnati answered with a 75-yard touchdown drive.

JC French IV only threw 13 passes, completing 8 of them for 165 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown to Henry and a 64-yard catch by JV Gibson. Tabb ran 11 times for 124 yards. Cincinnati's only turnover was a fumble at the K-State 17 late in the third quarter, ending a 71-yard drive.

Trends to watch

• Cincinnati's run game is real. Payne and Tabb combined for 250 yards on 27 carries, so their rushing props are worth a look any week.
• Cincinnati's games have now totaled 49, 72, 66 and 57 points. Alt overs with a touchdown of cushion remain a fit.
• K-State leaned on the pass, with Johnson throwing 50 times. That volume makes Salley's receiving lines worth watching.

Stats are from the ESPN box score. New to these terms? Read up on the total, the alt line and the player prop, or head back to the college football hub.