The Bearcats kept their unbeaten start alive Saturday night with a 31-26 comeback win over Kansas State, moving to 4-0 for the first time since 2021. It was also a milestone night for Scott Satterfield, who is 4-0 for the first time in his career.
It did not begin cleanly for Cincinnati, but the second half changed everything. The Bearcats found enough rhythm on both sides of the ball to knock off the undefeated Wildcats and give themselves plenty to build on as they continue to sort out who they are.
The biggest offensive theme was familiar: run first, then make defenses pay. Cincinnati piled up 271 rushing yards and scored three touchdowns on the ground.
That ground-heavy approach opened the door for quarterback JC French, who connected on the Bearcats’ lone passing touchdown, a 39-yard strike to fourth-year wide receiver Malachi Henry. When opponents load up to stop the run, Cincinnati can use that pressure against them with play action and a shot downfield.
Third-year running back Cole Tabb has become one of the clearest answers in that backfield. He scored three touchdowns for the second straight game and finished with 124 yards on 11 carries, averaging 11.3 yards per rush. With the Bearcats’ running back room full of talent, Tabb has separated himself as a player who keeps finding the end zone.
The defense did its part, too, especially when it came to creating mistakes. Fourth-year linebacker Antwaan Peek Jr. forced another fumble against Kansas State, giving him three forced fumbles this season and nine for his career.
That puts him second in program history, behind his father, Antwaan Peek Sr. Peek also leads the team with 30 tackles, and his presence has been part of a defense that has leaned into hitting hard and making offenses uncomfortable.
Even in a win, Cincinnati still had some mess to clean up. The Bearcats were flagged eight times for 80 yards, with issues like false starts and pass interference standing out as the kind of penalties that can be fixed.
They have not been a major problem for most of the season, but this game was a rougher night than usual. Cincinnati now ranks 58th nationally with 6.3 penalties per game.
And the atmosphere matched the moment. This was Cincinnati’s second “Nipp at Night” game, and the crowd made its presence felt throughout the night. The noise disrupted multiple Kansas State plays, and fourth-year running back Gi’Bran Payne gave the fans credit afterward.
“It was amazing coming out here, this atmosphere, Nippert at Night, the second one, it was amazing,” Payne said. “I can't thank the fans enough for coming out here and supporting us.”
In Other News...
Bearcats Undefeated Start Faces Its Strangest Test Yet In Arizona
Cincinnatis unbeaten start has given Scott Satterfield something he has not had before in his head-coaching career, and it has the Bearcats back in familiar territory as a program too, sitting 4-0 for the first time since 2021. The early-season momentum has been built on steady play and a clean start, but Week 5 sends them into a far less ordinary setting: a late-night trip to Arizona, where the usual rhythm of a Saturday game will look and feel different from what Cincinnati has handled so far.
The test comes with an 11 p.m. ET kickoff on FOX, which means the Bearcats have to deal with both the time change and the demands of a long road trip before they even settle in for the matchup. JC French IV will be one of the central figures for Cincinnati, while Arizona brings Noah Fifita into the spotlight on its side of the ball, giving this one the feel of a midseason measuring stick as much as a search for win No. 5. [Read more 🡒]
Cincinnati Might Be More Dangerous Than Big 12 Fans Realize
Cincinnatis win over Kansas State offered another reminder that this team can make life uncomfortable for Big 12 opponents in more than one way. The Bearcats leaned on a strong rushing attack to control the game, and while the attention in the league has often gone to teams like Utah and Oklahoma State after their recent performances, Cincinnatis physical approach is starting to look like something conference foes will have to prepare for every week.
The question now is whether that offensive balance can hold up if the defense continues to lag behind. Cincinnati has shown enough on the ground to believe it can hang around against quality Big 12 competition, but the next step is making sure those offensive bursts are not forced to do too much. If the Bearcats can tighten things up on the other side of the ball, the rest of the league may be overlooking a team that is more dangerous than it first appeared. [Read more 🡒]