Cincinnati heads into this week looking for a reset, and the timing of the bye couldn’t have been much better after a rough 34-7 loss at Arizona.
Now the Bearcats are back in work mode with Saturday’s rivalry game at West Virginia up next, and the stretch ahead does not leave much margin for error. Cincinnati still has its goals intact, but the path gets much tighter if the losses in conference play keep piling up. Four teams in Big 12 play are still unbeaten: Texas Tech, BYU, Utah, and Baylor.
Scott Satterfield said the off week gave his group a chance to regroup after the trip to Arizona, and he liked the way the team responded in practice.
"Bye comes at a good time. You didn't play well.
Say, look, we got to regroup right here, and also, it's such a long trip. So, I thought they did a great job in practice last week," Satterfield said about how his group responded to the loss.
"They attacked it better than last year's team on the two bye weeks that we had. Looking at the Catapult numbers from last year to this year, better, more intensity, power output.
Then just mentally, I thought they were better. So, yeah, I mean we're disappointed in that one, but I think the guys bounced back and came back strong."
The Bearcats are also entering the hardest part of the season with a healthy roster. Three of their next five games are on the road, and three of the next four come against teams ranked in the AP Poll.
That makes this stretch a real measuring stick for Cincinnati in the Big 12, and protecting the football will matter every bit as much as anything else. JC French IV has done that better than anyone in the league so far; he is the only Big 12 starting quarterback who has yet to throw an interception this season.
French said Tuesday the focus has to be on getting past the last game and moving forward.
"I think it just starts with coming back with a level head, kind of flushing it almost. Obviously, you've got to learn from the film, and kind of watch it and see what you can get better at.
But after that, you just got to flush it. As hard as it was, you just got to move on and get ready for this next week," French said on Tuesday.
Kickoff is set for noon ET at West Virginia, with the game airing on TNT.
In Other News...
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The Bearcats had plenty to like in their exhibition win over Ohio State at the Lindner Tennis Center in Mason, especially the way they controlled the glass and turned defense into offense. Cincinnati outrebounded the Buckeyes 45-35 and forced nine steals, while Tylen Riley and Tyler Tejada supplied the scoring punch that kept the home side within striking distance and then helped it seize control.
Jerrod Calhoun still had one clear area that left him wanting more: the free-throw line. Even with the comeback win in hand, the Bearcats' coach made it clear afterward that the fouling situation was not where he wanted it, a reminder that exhibition success can still come with a warning label as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
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Ohios latest move could end up mattering in a big way for the Bearcats, and it arrives at a time when roster planning already feels more delicate than usual. Governor Mike DeWine issued an executive order saying student-athletes from the Class of 2022 at Ohio colleges and universities can participate in intercollegiate athletics during the 2026-27 academic year, even if NCAA eligibility rules say otherwise. For Cincinnati, that puts MJ Collins back into the conversation as the program looks ahead, especially after his eligibility status has bounced around over the past year.
The order directs Ohio institutions to let those athletes compete, which gives the Bearcats a clear state-level path to keep Collins available if the directive holds up. What still lingers is the practical question of whether the order will stand up to further challenge, leaving Cincinnati with a notable piece of future planning and a little less certainty than the new language might suggest. [Read more 🡒]
Bearcats Showed Something Real In Rally Past Ohio State
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Tylen Riley and Tyler Tejada were central to the comeback, giving Cincinnati the kind of late-game production that can travel once the games count for real. After halftime, the Bearcats played with more force and more purpose, outscoring Ohio State 49-33 and turning what had been a test into a useful early statement. For a team still taking shape, it was the sort of outing that hinted at depth, toughness and a ceiling worth watching. [Read more 🡒]