Arizona’s first Big 12 home game of the season comes with a clear assignment: slow down Cincinnati’s ground game.
The Wildcats return to Casino Del Sol Stadium on Saturday night to host the Bearcats, who arrive in Tucson at 4-0 after opening conference play with a 31-26 win over Kansas State. Arizona is 3-1 overall and 0-1 in Big 12 play after surviving a 34-24 road win at Washington State, a game in which the Wildcats dug out of an early 14-0 hole before closing out the non-conference slate unbeaten.
Cincinnati has put together a strong start across the board. The Bearcats opened with a 34-15 win over Boston College, edged Miami OH 35-31, then rolled Western Carolina 62-10 before handling Kansas State.
They are one of three 4-0 teams in the Big 12, along with Texas Tech and Utah, though the national perception hasn’t quite matched the record. Cincinnati picked up just 20 votes in this week’s AP top 25, while Texas Tech and Utah landed at No. 12 and No. 13 with 1,053 and 903 votes, respectively.
The biggest issue for Arizona on Saturday is obvious. Cincinnati has piled up 1,080 rushing yards already, an average of 270 per game that ranks seventh in college football and third among high-major teams behind West Virginia and UCLA. That production has been driven by a trio that has been impossible to ignore.
Notre Dame transfer Gi'Bran Payne leads the way with 368 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while Cole Tabb has been even more efficient on a per-carry basis with 311 yards on 28 carries, an eye-popping 11.1 yards per attempt. Zylan Perry has added 97 yards on just 12 carries, giving Cincinnati a backfield that has punished defenses at every level. Payne’s 7.2 yards per carry is already strong, but it still ranks third on the team.
The Bearcats did a lot of damage against a weak Western Carolina team, piling up 418 rushing yards in that game alone. But the ground attack has carried over against better competition too, with 271 rushing yards against Kansas State and 254 against Boston College. That leaves Arizona with no margin for error defensively.
That run game has also made life easier for senior quarterback JC French, who has been sharp in his first season with Cincinnati after three years as a standout at Georgia Southern. French has completed 74.5% of his passes, going 70-for-94 for six touchdowns and no interceptions. He isn’t throwing it all over the yard - his 8.47 yards per attempt ranks 48th among FBS quarterbacks - but he has still been the second most efficient quarterback in the Big 12 behind Noah Fifita.
For Arizona, the path to control Saturday night starts with limiting Cincinnati’s rushing attack and creating mistakes. The Bearcats have only turned it over twice this season, and their offense has been good at dictating pace.
Cincinnati has also been one of the most penalized teams in college football, with 30 penalties and 286 penalty yards through four games. That 286-yard total ranks 111th among 138 FBS teams.
That gives the Wildcats a possible opening. Arizona is described as a disciplined, veteran team, and if Fifita can challenge Cincinnati’s secondary or draw the defensive line offside with a hard count, the Wildcats should have a better chance to sustain drives and finish them with points. The home crowd could matter too.
Arizona and Cincinnati will kick off at 8:00 PM PT on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Casino Del Sol Stadium. FOX will carry the game.
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