Cincinnati didn’t just beat Kansas State on Saturday night. It flipped the whole script.
The Bearcats walked into Nippert Stadium as touchdown underdogs against a Wildcats team that had breezed through its first three games by a combined 136-30. By the time the night was over, Cincinnati had a 31-26 win, a 4-0 start for the first time since 2021, and another Big 12 opener in the win column for the third straight season.
The second half told the story. Cincinnati kept punching after the break and turned a close game into a statement, just as it had done in earlier wins this season.
One thing stood out immediately: the offensive line bullied Kansas State’s front.
Cincinnati already came into the year with serious belief in its line, thanks to returning starters Evan Tengesdahl, Joe Cotton and Taran Tyo. Tengesdahl was an AP All-American at left guard, Cotton earned All-Big 12 honors at left tackle, and Tyo made the move from right guard to center. That group helped power one of the nation’s best rushing attacks last season, and through four games in 2026, the run game looks even more dangerous.
The Bearcats are averaging 270 rushing yards per game, good for seventh in the country, and 6.51 yards per carry, which also ranks seventh in the FBS. Against Kansas State, they piled up 271 yards on the ground at 7.1 a pop.
That mattered because this was not some soft defensive matchup. Kansas State had allowed just 96 rushing yards per game during its 3-0 start and entered the night third in the FBS in tackles for loss.
Cincinnati’s blockers handled that challenge anyway. Right tackle Judea Milton kept building on a strong start, and tight ends Gavin Grover and Lyviel Waters chipped in with important blocks as well.
They helped wall off Wendell Gregory in the second half, turned linebackers around, and opened lanes that kept the Wildcats on their heels.
The backs finished the job. Gi’Bran Payne ran for 126 yards, and Cole Tabb added 124 yards and three touchdowns. Tabb has been on a tear over Cincinnati’s last six quarters, and his 11.1 yards per carry is the best mark in the FBS among players with at least 10 attempts.
Cincinnati’s ability to close has become a real identity shift.
That hasn’t always been the case in the Scott Satterfield era. The Bearcats have often started strong, only to fade later. They’ve now dropped five straight to end each of the last two seasons, and last year’s splits were ugly: plus-100 in first halves, minus-39 in second halves.
This year looks different. Cincinnati has trailed after the first quarter in aggregate, 20-17, and if you take out Western Carolina, it has lost first halves 45-27.
None of that has mattered much because the Bearcats keep taking control after halftime. Their second-half scores this season have been 24-15 against Boston College, 34-0 against Western Carolina, 28-3 against Miami (OH) and 21-9 against Kansas State.
That adds up to a 107-27 edge in second halves.
They’ve also shown they can recover from danger. Cincinnati erased double-digit deficits in back-to-back weeks, coming back from as many as 21 down against Miami and as many as 10 against Kansas State.
There is still a clear area that needs cleaning up: coverage.
For all the good news, Cincinnati’s passing defense remains a concern. The Bearcats are allowing 254 passing yards per game, which ranks 117th nationally. They’ve also given up too many chunk completions, with only 13 FBS teams allowing more 10-yard completions, 10 allowing more 20-yard completions, and 11 allowing more 30-yard completions.
Avery Johnson took advantage of that at times, throwing for 292 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Cincinnati made him work for it - he needed 50 attempts to get there - but there were still too many open receivers, especially in the first half, and too many missed arm tackles that turned routine plays into extra yardage.
There are some positives on that side too. Cincinnati has already picked off three passes after finishing last season with only two, the fewest in the FBS.
But if the Bearcats want to stay in the Big 12 race, they’ll need that coverage to tighten up fast. Next up is Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita, who threw for 294 yards at Cincinnati last November.
And then there was Nippert itself, which once again felt like a real factor.
The place was loud all night for the Big 12 opener, with 37,562 packed in and the blackout theme fully in effect. Cincinnati is now 3-0 at home this season, and if the Bearcats are going to keep building on this start, that environment could matter plenty in upcoming ranked matchups against Texas Tech and Utah.
Chuck Martin already knew what kind of night Nippert can turn into. After Miami (OH) played there last week, he said, “When that thing gets rocking, it gets loud.
I’d like a day game, not a night game, ‘cause it’s a little more rocking at night. It’s all liquored up.
So, rather play them at day because the couple times we’ve played them at day - I’m like, it’s not so bad here.”
On Saturday, it was rocking again. And Cincinnati made sure the noise matched the moment.
In Other News...
Bearcats Finally Look Like Scott Satterfields Team For Real
Cincinnatis 4-0 start has done more than fill up the standings column. It has given Scott Satterfield something every coach wants but does not always get this early in a rebuild: a team identity that is starting to show up every week. The win over Kansas State was the latest sign that the Bearcats are not just surviving early-season games, but leaning into a style that fits the personnel.
The offense has taken on a more physical edge, with Gi'Brian Payne and Cole Tabb helping set the tone on the ground, while the defense has looked more aggressive and willing to dictate the terms. There is still plenty of football ahead, but the early version of this team is looking less like a collection of pieces and more like a roster that understands how Satterfield wants to play. And even as football keeps building momentum, basketball practice under Jerrod Calhoun is already moving toward an upcoming scrimmage, a reminder that there is always another season waiting in the wings. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Defense Faces A Brutal Big 12 Test In Tucson
Arizonas first Big 12 game of the season comes with an immediate measuring-stick challenge, as the Wildcats welcome unbeaten Cincinnati to Casino Del Sol Stadium on Oct. 3. The Bearcats arrive at 4-0 with a ground game that has given opponents problems, with Gi'Bran Payne and quarterback JC French helping drive an offense that can make a defense work from the opening snap.
For Arizona, which sits at 3-1, the matchup is less about the calendar and more about whether its defense can handle a physical conference opener right away. Kickoff is set for 8:00 PM PT on FOX, and even before the league race settles in, this one already has the feel of an early benchmark for how the Wildcats stack up in the Big 12. [Read more 🡒]