Tag: Bearcats

Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Brendan Sorsby (2) dives for a touchdown as Arizona State Sun Devils defensive back Xavion Alford (2) and Arizona State Sun Devils linebacker Keyshaun Elliott (44) attempt to stop him in the first quarter of the College Football game at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024.

First-half scoring burst carries Cincinnati past Arizona State 24-14

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Brendan Sorsby had a pair of rushing touchdowns as Cincinnati scored 24 unanswered first-half points in a 24-14 win over visiting Arizona State in a Big 12 matchup Saturday afternoon at Cincinnati, Ohio.

Sorsby, was 23-of-31 passing for 206 yards with an interception for the Bearcats (5-2, 2-1 Big 12), while also rushing seven times for 26 yards.

Corey Kiner rushed 22 times for 99 yards for Cincinnati and eclipsed 2,000 rushing yards for his career. Xzavier Henderson caught eight passes for 67 yards.

Cam Skattebo carried 17 times for 75 yards with two TD for the Sun Devils (5-2, 2-2), who are in their debut Big 12 season and saw their two-game conference winning streak come to an end.

Arizona State quarterback Jeff Sims was 12 of 23 for 155 yards, while Jordyn Tyson had six receptions for 108 yards.

The Sun Devils put together an impressive six-play, 66-yard drive on their first series after forcing a Cincinnati punt. Sims led the offense to the 2-yard line before Skattebo took a pitch, danced by a defender and cashed in with the first score at 10:35.

The defense did its part again on the next series as Keith Abney II picked off Sorsby, but the Bearcats’ Kameron Wilson recovered a Skattebo fumble. Sorsby then dashed 14 yards to tie the score 7-all.

Nathan Hawks’ 46-yard field goal with 2:18 remaining in the first quarter gave Cincinnati its first lead.

Less than four minutes into the second quarter, Evan Pryor pushed the advantage to 17-7 by blazing away on a 55-yard TD run as Cincinnati. Sorsby rounded out the first-half scoring on a TD run from 1 yard out for a 24-7 lead with just under two minutes remaining before the half.

The Bearcats led 274-138 in total first-half yardage and had 148-56 advantage in yards passing.

The Sun Devils went 74 yards in eight plays late in the third quarter to get a 1-yard TD run from Skattebo, cutting the deficit to 24-14.

Arizona State attempted to make it a one-score game inside the final six minutes, but Ian Hershey missed field goals from 48 and 41 yards.

–Field Level Media

Sep 28, 2024; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders running back Tahj Brooks (28) hurdles Cincinnati Bearcats defensive safety Trevon Gola-Callard (6) for a touchdown in the first half at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

Texas Tech outlasts Cincinnati in 44-41 shootout

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Two teams with high-powered offenses and shaky defenses got together Saturday in Lubbock, Texas, and the back-and-forth result was predictable.

Texas Tech outlasted Cincinnati 44-41, with some fourth-quarter breathing room created by a defensive touchdown proving to be just enough.

After forcing the first Red Raiders punt of the game, the Bearcats took possession with 1:50 to go in the fourth quarter. Cincinnati drove to the Texas Tech 32-yard line, but Nathan Hawks was wide right on a 51-yard field goal as time expired.

The Red Raiders (4-1, 2-0 Big 12) scored on all but two offensive possessions and stole a touchdown on A.J. McCarty’s 51-yard pick-six for a 41-27 cushion with 12:40 to play.

The Bearcats (3-2, 1-1) answered quickly when Manny Covey, in the game after injuries to Cincinnati’s first two running backs, grabbed a screen pass and wiggled loose for a 71-yard touchdown.

Texas Tech pushed the lead to 44-34 on Gino Garcia’s 27-yard field goal at the 7:50 mark. But the Bearcats responded with a 10-play, 75-yard drive that Covey capped with a 3-yard touchdown catch from Brendan Sorsby with 3:24 on the clock.

Prior to the game-changing defensive score, the teams went back-and-forth in a game that was tied 24-24 at halftime.

The Red Raiders converted a Cincinnati fumble into a 31-24 before seizing its first two-score cushion on McCarty’s interception.

Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks dissected the Bearcats’ defense for 172 yards on 32 carries and reached the end zone twice, part of a 482-total yard night for the Red Raiders. Quarterback Behren Morton completed 19 of 29 throws for 251 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Sorsby shined in defeat with 426 yards and four touchdowns on 31-of-45 passing. His interception to McCarty was his first this season.

Sorsby also led Cincinnati with 52 rushing yards to help the Bearcats rack up 555 yards.

–Field Level Media

Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Brendan Sorsby (2) throws a touchdown pass in the first quarter of the College Football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Towson Tigers at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024.

Miami (OH) out to retain upper hand vs. rival Cincinnati

Posted on | by Field Level Media

For the first time since 2006, Miami (OH) enters its rivalry game against visiting Cincinnati with the Victory Bell in their possession.

The Redhawks (0-1) will try to hold onto the prized trophy over consecutive seasons for the first time since 2003 when they won their third straight over the Bearcats (1-1).

The series is deadlocked, with each team holding 60 wins and seven ties heading into Saturday’s game at Oxford, Ohio.

The long, storied rivalry that dates to 1888 could end with the 2026 game, as both schools canceled all future games on campus, including 2025 at Cincinnati. The 2026 contest is scheduled for Paycor Stadium, home of the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals, and this week’s game is the final matchup scheduled for Miami’s campus.

Last year, the Redhawks rallied to tie the game at 24-all, then won 31-24 in overtime after ending regulation with a block on a 35-yard field goal attempt from Bearcats kicker Carter Brown. The win snapped Cincinnati’s 16-game win streak in the matchup.

This year, both teams enter the game off losses. Miami fell at Northwestern 13-6 on Aug. 31. Cincinnati opened with a 38-20 home win over Towson before blowing a 27-6 third-quarter lead and losing 28-27 to visiting Pitt last Saturday.

“Right after the game, there was so much positivity up there already, even after a hard loss like that,” Bearcats center Gavin Gerhardt said. “And I think myself and a lot of guys have taken pride in and not allowing what happened last year in our program, the poutiness and whatnot, to happen anymore.

“This is a big rivalry game for us. And I think a lot of us older guys and the guys that have been here and have played Miami before last season even are taking a lot of pride in bringing that Bell back to Cincinnati. So that’s a big game for us. We’re not worried about Houston (next Saturday) at all. We’re worried about Miami.”

Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby, a transfer from Indiana, has thrown five touchdowns and run for two scores in the first two games.

“They’ve got a ton of new players, a ton of new transfers offensively. They rolled up (658) yards against Towson, and the quarterback they’ve got, he’s really athletic,” Miami head coach Chuck Martin said. “He’s got a rifle arm. This guy can throw it, make all the throws. They’ve got a lot of different ways to attack you in the run game and then throw the ball over your head defensively.”

–Field Level Media

Pittsburgh Panthers kicker Ben Sauls hits a field goal to give Pittsburgh Panthers a 1 point lead over Cincinnati Bearcats with less than a minute to play in the fourth quarter of the College Football game against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024.

Pitt storms back to edge Cincinnati

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Ben Sauls converted a 35-yard field goal with 17 seconds left to cap a dramatic 22-point comeback and lift the visiting Pittsburgh Panthers to a stunning 28-27 win over the Cincinnati Bearcats in the “River City Rivalry” on Saturday.

It was Pitt’s largest comeback since Oct. 9, 1971, when they trailed Navy 35-10 at halftime and rallied for a 36-35 win.

The Bearcats (1-1) built a 27-6 lead before a furious fourth-quarter charge from the Panthers (2-0), who were led by Desmond Reid. The running back had 148 yards on 19 carries and six catches for 106 yards, including a 56-yard catch-and-run score over the middle that trimmed the Pitt deficit to 27-25 with 5:40 remaining in regulation.

Pitt quarterback Eli Holstein was 20 of 35 for 302 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He connected with Konata Mumpfield on five receptions for 123 yards and two scores.

Brendan Sorsby threw three touchdown passes and finished 22 of 38 for 298 yards while Corey Kiner ran for 149 yards on 20 carries to lead Cincinnati.

The Bearcats had a chance to seal the game with a defensive stop on third-and-4 from the Pittsburgh 26, but delay of game was called on defensive lineman Kam Wilson, giving the Panthers new life.

Pitt drove to the Cincinnati 17, where Sauls made his third field goal of the game to put the Panthers ahead for the first time with 17 seconds left.

After a touchback on the ensuing kickoff, Sorsby completed one pass for 6 yards, then was sacked by Nate Matlack. On the game’s final play, Sorsby completed a pass to Kiner for eight yards and his fumble was recovered by Javon McIntyre.

The game featured the return of Cincinnati standout nose tackle Dontay Corleone, who was sidelined this summer with blood clots in his lungs. He alternated defensive series in the first half as his snap count and game conditioning was closely monitored.

Corleone made a big stop for no gain on third down in the fourth quarter before Pitt made it a one-score game on the next play, a 38-yard Holstein-to-Mumpfield touchdown strike on fourth-and-3 with 10:41 left in the fourth.

After a Cincinnati punt on the opening series, the Panthers drove down the field to the Cincinnati 26. On second-and-7, Holstein threw a pass down the seam that was picked off in the end zone by Josh Minkins.

Cincinnati stopped Pitt on the opening drive of the second half, allowing Sorsby to march the Bearcats 58 yards in 10 plays, capped off by a 16-yard pass over the middle to Ohio State transfer tight end Joe Royer.

The Bearcats led 24-6 and made it 27-6 with 4:50 left in the third quarter on Carter Brown’s second field goal of the day from 26 yards.

–Field Level Media

Sep 2, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Phil Jurkovec (5) scrambles with the ball against the Wofford Terriers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Pitt hosts Cincinnati as rivalry resumes

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The River City Rivalry is back after an 11-year hiatus.

Cincinnati and Pittsburgh played annually as Big East Conference members from 2005 through 2012, but Saturday’s kickoff between the teams at Pittsburgh will be the first meeting since 2012.

Both teams are coming off lopsided home wins over FCS opponents.

Cincinnati started a new era with a 66-13 win over Eastern Kentucky, which was the debut of head coach Scott Satterfield and a bevy of transfers who are helping fill roles for a Bearcats team that returned one starter on offense and three on defense going into the season.

The most impressive of the newcomers was quarterback Emory Jones, who had stops at Arizona State and Florida.

Jones went 19 of 23 passing for 345 yards and five touchdowns in the win.

However, Satterfield knows offensive production will be harder to come by against Pittsburgh.

“Pitt has a better defense,” said Satterfield, who coached Louisville from 2019-22. “They have a tremendous defense, actually. It will be a lot more of a challenge. But I think whoever they put down in front of us, we have to go out there and try and play our very best.

“I can’t apologize for putting up points and yards, but we are going to try and execute. When you execute, good things happen. It’s going to be hard to execute (against Pitt). We’re going to have to be more sharp.”

The Panthers earned a 45-7 victory over Wofford in their opener, as quarterback Phil Jurkovec led the way by going 17 of 23 passing for 214 yards and a touchdown.

Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi said while preparing for Cincinnati might be difficult given all of its new players, it will be a little easier playing them in the second week of the season as opposed to the first.

“Really good players, but you’ve got at least a game tape on them,” Narduzzi said.

“It would be a lot harder if we opened up with them and didn’t know. You’re going back to watching their old school or old high school tape, but kind of like an opener with a lot of those guys.”

– Field Level Media

Oct 22, 2022; Greenville, North Carolina, USA; East Carolina Pirates quarterback Holton Ahlers (12) gets ready too hand the ball off against the UCF Knights during the second half at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

Cincinnati can extend home dominance vs. streaking East Carolina

Posted on | by Field Level Media

East Carolina will look to extend its winning streak to four games and continue one of its best starts in school history when the Pirates visit two-time defending American Athletic Conference champion Cincinnati on Friday.

The Pirates improved to 6-3 for the first time since 2014 when Andrew Conrad made a 33-yard field goal as time expired in a 27-24 nonconference win at BYU on Oct. 28. The Pirates return to league play, where they are 3-2, against the Bearcats (7-2, 4-1), who are coming off a 20-10 win over Navy on Saturday.

Cincinnati is led by quarterback Ben Bryant, who has completed 63.3 percent of his passes for 2,358 yards with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions. Charles McClelland has rushed for 727 yards and six touchdowns.

Tyler Scott has 42 receptions for a team-high 686 yards and eight scores. Tre Tucker has 45 catches for 530 yards and a score.

East Carolina, which is seeking its best start since finishing the regular season 9-3 in 2013, has dropped four straight games to Cincinnati and 10 of the past 11 meetings.

The Bearcats have won a school-record 31 straight home games and East Carolina hasn’t won there since 2001, when the teams were in Conference USA.

“We’ve got a quick turnaround for a team that is playing really, really well,” Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell said. “I think they’ll have 13 days off before they play us. We’re excited about the opportunity.”

The Pirates are led by Holton Ahlers, who has completed 70.1 percent of his passes for 2,632 yards with 18 touchdowns and five interceptions. Keaton Mitchell has powered the rushing attack with 863 yards and nine touchdowns.

Ahlers’ favorite targets are Isaiah Winstead, who has 64 receptions for 871 yards and three touchdowns, and C.J. Johnson, who has 44 catches for 702 yards and eight touchdowns.

“I think Holton is playing the best ball of his career right now. I think so many of the guys surrounding him are playing the best ball of their careers,” East Carolina coach Mike Houston said. “That’s offensive line, receivers, running backs, tight ends — there are so many guys gelling together.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 29, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; UCF Knights running back RJ Harvey (22) carries the ball during the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bearcats at FBC Mortgage Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

UCF upsets No. 20 Cincinnati, 25-21, on last-minute TD

Posted on | by Field Level Media

RJ Harvey scored two touchdowns, including the go-ahead 17-yard TD run with 48 seconds remaining as host UCF beat No. 20 Cincinnati 25-21 Saturday.

The lead changed hands three times in the fourth quarter and Harvey put the Knights ahead (6-2, 3-1 AAC) again when he impressively converted a 2-and-7.

Harvey ran up the middle, eluded three tackles and easily scored to give UCF a 24-21 lead. After the Knights easily made the extra point, their defense sealed it as KD McDaniel forced a fumble that pushed Cincinnati back to its own 5. Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste then broke up a pass by Ben Bryant on 3rd-and-30, and Bryant’s 4th-and-30 pass went for only 9 yards.

UCF’s final drive ended a six-game winning streak and a 19-game conference winning streak for the Bearcats (6-2, 3-1).

Harvey’s TD capped a big performance on the ground for UCF, which entered the game ranked sixth nationally in rushing. The Knights outgained Cincinnati by a commanding 258-35 margin, enabling them to secure 30 first downs and control possession for 37:05.

Harvey led all rushers with 84 yards on 18 attempts, including a 26-yard TD that gave UCF a 10-0 lead through the opening quarter.

UCF lost starting quarterback John Rhys-Plumlee midway through the second quarter. Plumlee absorbed a hit to the head by Cincinnati’s Arquon Bush with about seven minutes left and stumbled walking back to the huddle.

After Plumlee completed 7-of-11 passes for 71 yards, Mike Keane finished 15 of 21 for 176 yards. He also directed a 13-play drive that gave UCF an 18-13 lead with 4:36 remaining on Isiah Bowser’s 3-yard run out of the wildcat formation.

Following Bowser’s score, UCF missed the two-point conversion and Cincinnati went up 19-18 when Ryan Montgomery easily scored on a 39-yard run with 3:04 left. The Bearcats converted the two-point conversion when Tyler Scott made a leaping one-handed catch for a 21-18 lead.

Before UCF scored twice in the fourth, the Bearcats rallied from a 12-6 deficit to take a 13-12 lead on Josh Whyle’s 14-yard TD catch with seven seconds left in the third.

Cincinnati quarterback Ben Bryant completed 25 of 45 passes for 298 yards but also absorbed four sacks.

After UCF took a 10-0 lead late in the first, Cincinnati settled for two 33-yard field goals by Ryan Coe to get within 10-6 by halftime. After the Bearcats recovered a fumble by Bowser midway through the third, Bryant was sacked in the end zone for a safety with 7:52 left.

–Field Level Media

Cincinnati Bearcats quarterbacks Evan Prater (3) and Ben Bryant (6) finish a session during a spring practice at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Thursday, March 24, 2022. Cincinnati Bearcats Spring Practice

Report: Cincinnati to start QB Ben Bryant at Arkansas

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Redshirt senior Ben Bryant will start at quarterback for No. 23 Cincinnati on Saturday at No. 19 Arkansas, ESPN reported.

Bearcats coach Luke Fickell previously declined to name a replacement for the departed Desmond Ridder, now a rookie with the Atlanta Falcons.

Bryant competed with redshirt sophomore Evan Prater for the QB1 job throughout the offseason.

Bryant backed up Ridder from 2018-20 before transferring to Eastern Michigan, where he passed for 3,121 yards with 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 13 games last season. He transferred back to Cincinnati in January.

The Bearcats are putting a 20-game regular-season winning streak on the line against the Razorbacks.

–Field Level Media

Oct 23, 2021; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; LSU Tigers running back Corey Kiner (21) carries the ball during the second half against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

Former LSU RB Corey Kiner transfers to Cincinnati

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Not long after he entered the NCAA transfer portal on Monday, former LSU running back Corey Kiner chose to transfer to Cincinnati.

A Cincinnati native, Kiner revealed the decision to join his hometown Bearcats on social media.

Kiner was a four-star recruit and the nation’s No. 10 RB prospect in the Class of 2021 by the 247 Sports composite. He ranked second on the Tigers with 324 rushing yards as a freshman last season.

He added two rushing touchdowns and caught two passes for 10 yards in 11 games in 2021.

Kiner joins a Cincinnati team that will need to replace Jerome Ford, its leading rusher in 2021 who declared for the NFL draft. Last year the Bearcats went 13-1 and became the first team from outside the Power Five conferences to make the College Football Playoff.

–Field Level Media

Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Luke Fickell paces the sideline in the second quarter during the College Football Playoff semifinal game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at the 86th Cotton Bowl Classic, Friday, Dec. 31, 2021, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell gets extension, raise

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell received a two-year extension and a salary boost to $5 million Tuesday after leading the Bearcats to the College Football Playoff.

The university’s board of trustees approved the extension through 2028 and also increased the salary pool for his coaching staff to $5.2 million per year.

“Completing a contract extension for Coach Fickell was a top priority for our athletic department and university, and shows our commitment to growing this football program and taking it to the next level,” athletic director John Cunningham said in a news release.

“We believe we have the best coach in the country and certainly the best leader for our Cincinnati football program. He has proven that day in and day out by building a culture that consistently wins and breaks records, but most importantly develops men of great character, setting them up to succeed in life. I can’t thank President Neville Pinto enough for his leadership and work on getting this contract completed.”

Cincinnati won its first 13 games last season before losing to Alabama in the CFP semifinal at the Cotton Bowl. The Bearcats finished No. 4 in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll.

Fickell, 48, has a 48-15 record with four bowl appearances in five seasons. He was the consensus national Coach of the Year in 2021 after leading Cincinnati to a second straight American Athletic Conference championship.

“I appreciate the support of the leadership at the University of Cincinnati, including Director of Athletics John Cunningham and President Neville Pinto, as well as the Board of Trustees, our fans and our whole university and Cincinnati community,” Fickell said. “John and President Pinto share my vision for how we want to grow this program and take it to the next level, and that’s by investing in people — not just the head coach — and providing the necessary resources to prepare student-athletes to be at their best on and off the field.

“I’m truly honored to be the head coach of the University of Cincinnati and excited to keep working with our phenomenal student-athletes and administration to continue to develop our program. Now, it’s time to get to work!”

Fickell needs just six more wins to surpass Rick Minter (53-63-1, 1994-2003) as the winningest coach in school history.

–Field Level Media