Cincinnati has another pair of preseason honors to hang its hat on. Offensive lineman Evan Tengesdahl and punter Max Fletcher were both named to Pro Football Network’s 2026 Preseason All-America College Football Team on Monday, with Tengesdahl landing on the Second Team along the offensive line and Fletcher earning Third-Team recognition at punter.
Tengesdahl heads into 2026 with plenty of momentum. After starting every game at guard in 2025, he finished the year as Pro Football Focus’ top-rated interior lineman in the Big 12. He was a key part of a Bearcats front that gave up only eight sacks last season, and this latest nod is his fifth Preseason All-America honor of the summer.
Fletcher’s rise has been just as notable. Back in action for the first time since 2023, the Melbourne, Australia native and son of Australian Football League legend Dustin Fletcher turned in an All-Big 12 season in 2025.
He averaged 45.4 yards on 41 punts, booted 14 punts of 50-plus yards and placed 18 inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. That efficiency helped Cincinnati finish 21st nationally in net punting at 41.71 and earned Fletcher Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors after the UCF game.
His impact extended beyond the field, too. Fletcher donated $360 to Cincinnati’s Save the Animals Foundation, pledging $20 for every punt that landed inside the 20-yard line.
Cincinnati’s returning specialist group also includes sixth-year kicker Stephen Rusnak, who went 13-of-17 on field goals and was a perfect 47-of-47 on PATs in 2025, along with PFF All-Big 12 long snapper Eli Stein, who recorded four punt coverage tackles.
In Other News...
GiBran Payne Is Giving Cincinnati A New Backfield Question
Thunderstorms pushed Cincinnatis fifth preseason practice indoors, but the change of scenery did nothing to dull the intrigue around the Bearcats backfield. Fifth-year transfer GiBran Payne stood out during the session, flashing the kind of quickness and burst that made him one of the more interesting additions to the roster, while also talking about his recovery from injury and how much it means to be playing closer to home.
For Scott Satterfield, Paynes arrival only adds to what is shaping up as a real competition in the running back room. The Bearcats coach had a positive read on Paynes work, and with several backs in the mix, Cincinnati appears headed toward a fall camp battle that could stretch well into the preseason. [Read more 🡒]
Cincinnatis Offensive Line Is Earning National Respect Again
The Bearcats offensive line is starting to look like one of the programs clearest calling cards again, and The Athletics annual list of college footballs 101 freak athletes only reinforced that. Evan Tengesdahl landed at No. 87, with the recognition tied to his strong PFF grade and raw power, while Taran Tyo and CJ Crite also drew mention as Cincinnati heads into the new season with a front five that has more than a little buzz around it.
For a line that was already a finalist for the Joe Moore Award last season, the national attention feels like a continuation rather than a surprise. The bigger question now is whether Cincinnati can turn that respect into the kind of dominant play that makes the rest of the roster easier to trust, because a group with this much size, strength and preseason credibility is expected to do more than just hold its own. [Read more 🡒]
Bearcats Fans Have Another Reason To Watch Minnesota This Season
Former Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday is already giving Bearcats fans a new NFL subplot to follow this fall. Drafted by the Vikings in the 2025 NFL Draft, Golday has landed in a Minnesota defense that also features another familiar name from Cincinnati in Ivan Pace Jr., the undrafted free agent who has already carved out a major role for himself and was a finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023.
For Bearcats supporters, the appeal goes beyond just seeing two alumni on the same roster. Minnesota has reason to lean on both players in key spots this season, and Goldays early camp work has only added to the intrigue around how quickly he can fit in at the pro level. It is the kind of cross-conference storyline that gives Cincinnati fans an extra reason to keep one eye on the Vikings all year. [Read more 🡒]