Cincinnati opened the 2026 season with a 34-15 win over Boston College, and the Bearcats never let the Eagles settle in. The defense set the tone from the start, blanking BC in the first half and turning the afternoon into a showcase for Nate Woody’s new-look 3-4 blitzing scheme.
That unit was relentless. Boston College quarterback Mason McKenzie, a DII transfer, spent most of the game under siege and rarely got a clean look downfield.
Cincinnati finished with four sacks, and the pressure kept the Eagles from finding the end zone before halftime. In the secondary, Antwan Peek Jr., MJ Cannon and Kenny Worthy each helped shut things down with key pass breakups.
Peek Jr. stood out in his new role at CAT near the line of scrimmage after moving over from safety. He logged an early tackle for loss, saved a touchdown late in the first half and kept flashing the speed and football I.Q. that made him such a disruptive piece throughout the day. Cannon also made his presence felt, piling up multiple PBUs before picking off a pass in the fourth quarter.
Boston College did move the ball to the tune of 389 total yards, but the Eagles never found a rhythm on the ground. Nate Dickens, who carried 12 times for 51 yards, was held to 4.1 yards per carry, and without a reliable rushing attack the offense had nowhere to go.
Cincinnati’s offense wasn’t perfect, but it did enough. The Bearcats even leaned on a fourth-down fake-punt-pass to Mason Fletcher to keep things moving.
JC French IV completed 10 of 14 passes for 77 yards and a touchdown, while also doing real damage as a runner with 10 carries for 52 yards and three scores. He still has room to grow in this passing game, but he got the start he needed against a manageable opponent.
The ground game gave Cincinnati another edge. The Bearcats’ three-man rushing approach was led by Payne, who carried 14 times for 108 yards.
He didn’t score, but he kept drives alive, protected the ball and helped Cincinnati stay out of the turnover column. That steady work on the ground was enough to keep the home opener from slipping away.
The win moved Cincinnati to 1-0 and gave the Bearcats a 5-4 all-time lead over Boston College. It also extended their run to 25 straight home-opening wins at Nippert Stadium.
Next up is Western Carolina, with Cincinnati set for a 2-0 start opportunity in Nipp @ Nite next week. Kickoff is 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+ Saturday night.
In Other News...
Cincinnati Just Made Its Jizzle James Split Even Messier
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James answered on social media with vulgar language rejecting those restrictions, turning what might have been a routine post-dismissal separation into something far messier. For Cincinnati, the issue is no longer just a roster change, but a brand and message question, and it remains to be seen how far the school will go to enforce the line it has drawn. [Read more 🡒]
Cincinnatis Nippert Edge Still Looks Real After Opening Statement Win
Nippert Stadium again looked like a place where Cincinnati can set the tone early. The Bearcats opened the season with a 34-15 win over Boston College in front of an energized crowd of alumni and fans, and the victory carried the kind of balance that usually travels well into the rest of the fall. First-start quarterback JC French IV gave the offense a spark, while new defensive coordinator Nate Woodys group kept Boston College off the board in the first half and helped Cincinnati protect its home field.
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Cincinnati Just Got An Early Glimpse Of What This Team Could Be
Cincinnatis opener offered a tidy first look at what this team might become under the lights, and the 34-15 win over Boston College gave the Bearcats more than just a good start. The offense moved with a confidence that had been missing in too many recent openers, and the tone was set early by a group that looked comfortable playing downhill and dictating the game.
A big part of that came from the ground game, where Notre Dame transfer GiBran Payne gave Cincinnati a burst it can build around. He found space repeatedly and gave the Bearcats a physical edge that traveled well into the second half, the kind of performance that hints at a deeper identity if this group can keep stacking weeks like this. [Read more 🡒]