Cincinnati has filled another spot on its 2030 football calendar, and this one brings Murray State back to Nippert Stadium.
The Bearcats announced a non-conference matchup with the Racers for 2030, adding another game to a schedule that already includes a 2030-31 home-and-home series with Michigan State. That series will send Michigan State to Nippert Stadium in 2030 before the Bearcats travel to Spartan Stadium in 2031.
Cincinnati and Murray State have met before, most recently on Sept. 11, 2021, when the Bearcats rolled to a 42-7 win at Nippert Stadium. Cincinnati entered that game ranked No. 8 in the AP Poll and moved to 2-0 with the victory.
Desmond Ridder led the way with 243 passing yards on 16 of 26 completions, two passing touchdowns, 58 rushing yards and a rushing score. Jerome Ford added 79 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while Alec Peirce finished with five catches for 81 yards and Tre Tucker had three receptions for 62 yards and two touchdowns.
Murray State is coming off a 1-11 season and went 1-7 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Its only win came against Indiana State in the final game of the season on Nov. 22, 2025, a 31-17 road victory that kept the Racers from finishing 0-12. Murray State scored 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to build a 24-3 lead.
The Racers should be better than they were a year ago, but with 28 new players arriving from high school and the transfer portal, there’s still plenty of uncertainty around what to expect from a smaller-conference roster.
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