Cincinnati’s 37-24 upset of No. 8 Texas Tech came with a clear message: when the Bearcats get chances, they cash them in.
That was the difference in a game that could have slipped away in a hurry. The Bearcats reached the red zone four times and turned every trip into a passing touchdown, never wasting an opening.
Texas Tech also got inside the red zone four times, but came away with only 12 points. In a matchup like this, that kind of edge can decide everything.
JC French IV was sharp when the throws were quick and controlled. He completed 11 of 12 passes in short-yardage situations of less than five yards.
Beyond that, though, the day got a lot tougher. French finished 7 of 16 on deeper attempts, a reminder that Cincinnati’s passing game leaned heavily on the short stuff.
Even so, the Bearcats had enough firepower on the ground to keep the Red Raiders on their heels. Cincinnati averaged 6.5 yards per carry, a number that stands out against any opponent and looks even better against one of the few undefeated teams left in the nation.
Cole Tabb led the way with 173 rushing yards and a touchdown, ripping off 10.8 yards per carry. That production gave Cincinnati the balance it needed and helped the Bearcats keep pouring it on.
The win also fits the larger pattern around Scott Satterfield’s Cincinnati tenure, where hot starts have sometimes fizzled before this group can finish the job. Last season, the Bearcats opened 7-1 before dropping five straight to close at 7-6. This year began with a 4-0 start, followed by back-to-back losses, which made this reset against Texas Tech especially significant.
Now Cincinnati has opened a brutal three-game stretch the right way. In the Big 12, nothing stays steady for long, but the Bearcats have given themselves a strong response after the skid.
In Other News...
Cincinnati Made Texas Tech Regret All That Offseason Talk
Texas Tech spent most of the afternoon in control, but Cincinnati had the final say in a 37-24 win that left the visitors in no mood to celebrate. The Bearcats waited out the closing minutes and walked off with a result that landed hard in Lubbock, especially after an offseason full of big talk around the Red Raiders.
The reaction only sharpened the sting. Billionaire booster Cody Campbell criticized the loss publicly, and Texas Tech officials were seen at the postgame news conference with somber expressions. It was more than a bad setback in one game, too, because the loss leaves Texas Tech needing to run the table from here to keep its College Football Playoff hopes on solid ground. [Read more 🡒]
Bearcats Just Changed The Feel Around Scott Satterfield's Team
A week that could have drifted into the usual Big 12 grind instead turned into the kind of result that can change the mood around a program. Cincinnati handled No. 8 Texas Tech 37-24, a win built on defense, takeaways and a poised performance from the offense that gave Scott Satterfields group a much-needed jolt. The Bearcats improved to 5-2 overall and evened their league mark at 2-2, giving them something concrete to point to as the schedule tightens.
JC French IV was at the center of it, leading an attack that found the end zone repeatedly while Cincinnatis defense forced three turnovers and kept Texas Tech from settling in. The upset does more than add a ranked scalp to the rsum. It also changes the conversation around a Bearcats team that had been looking for a breakthrough moment, and now has one heading deeper into conference play. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona State Just Got A Fresh Boost In A Tight Bowl Race
ESPNs updated FPI numbers after Week 8 put a fresh spotlight on the middle of the Big 12 race, where bowl position and postseason survival can change quickly from one result to the next. Cincinnati was among the teams whose outlook shifted, alongside programs such as Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Texas Tech, as the model recalibrated after another busy weekend of conference play and the leagues ever-shifting pecking order.
For the Bearcats, the larger takeaway is that their path is still very much in motion, with every October result now carrying real weight in the projections. A strong recent showing helped move the needle in a way Cincinnati needed, and with the FPI board now updated, the pressure only grows as the next round of games will say even more about where the Bearcats fit in the postseason picture. [Read more 🡒]