Cincinnati didn’t exactly open the playbook in the air, but it still found a formula that worked against Boston College: lean on the run, squeeze the life out of drives, and let the defense hunt for turnovers.
That was the story Saturday. J.C.
French threw only 14 passes, and the Bearcats were content to make the ground game carry the load. Gi'Bran Payne led the charge with 109 yards on 14 carries, averaging 7.7 yards a pop.
Payne said it was the first time he’s gone over 100 yards since high school after spending years stuck behind multiple first-round picks at Notre Dame.
Cincinnati got useful flashes elsewhere on the ground, too. Zylan Perry managed seven carries for 24 yards, while Zion Johnson showed off his burst without popping a major run.
Cole Tabb also made an impression, with Tony Pike comparing his size and running style to Michael Warren. That fit the way the whole offense looked: built to pound away.
But the passing game left plenty to be desired. French had a clean deep shot down the left sideline for Isaiah Johnson that was dropped, and beyond that and his throw to JV Gibson, Cincinnati rarely pushed the ball more than 10 yards downfield.
The Bearcats completed just one pass of 10 yards or more, a 21-yard connection to Gibson. That came right after Malachi Henry hit Max Fletcher for eight yards on a fake punt, which was tied for the second-longest pass play of the day.
There were also a few moments where French looked unsettled in the pocket or held the ball too long. A drag route to Larenzo Fenner in the first quarter should have produced a chunk gain, but the incompletion forced a punt. Later, on a third down, French had Zylan Parry open in the flat with room to work, but the throw came late and ended up at Perry’s feet.
Afterward, French said he had some butterflies but settled in. He also noted that, while this was his first Power Four game, he has played plenty of football.
If the offense was limited, the defense was not. Cincinnati turned in one of the sharpest defensive performances of the Scott Satterfield era, holding Boston College to eight points through the first 58:58.
The Eagles’ first touchdown came with some controversy, too, as a freshman center snapped the ball over Mason McKenzie’s head, forcing him to race back, recover it, and throw it through the back of the end zone. Replay showed there was no receiver nearby and that he was in the tackle box, but the officials did not flag intentional grounding.
Boston College scored on the next play.
Up front, the Bearcats were disruptive from the start. Jonathan Thompson had two quarterback hits in the first two series and later forced a fumble on a Marquaze Parker sack. Josh Hough, Chidera Otutu, and Elijah Gunn created steady push inside, while DOG Patrick Bauer stood out after a quiet fall camp, finishing with four tackles and a tackle for loss off the edge.
MJ Cannon was the defensive star of the day. He forced a fumble in the first half and later jumped a passing lane for an interception that helped close the door. Cannon said after the game that he had intended to force a turnover on that tackle.
Cincinnati kept threatening to turn the game into a turnover avalanche. Antwan Peek Jr. punched the ball out at the 1-yard line to break up what looked like a touchdown, Cannon also delivered a big end-zone pass breakup in the second quarter, Jasper Beeler dropped a potential interception, and Cannon had another bobble in the end zone. Cannon said the goal for every game is seven turnovers, and on Saturday that didn’t sound completely out of reach.
That kind of defensive chaos may be Cincinnati’s best path when the schedule gets harder. The Bearcats have games they can win by staying stubborn on the ground, including their next two, but the Big 12 stretch will demand more explosiveness through the air. Right now, that part of the offense remains the big question.
The next step is straightforward: keep winning the turnover battle and let the defense tilt games. That’s the path to road wins at Iowa State and West Virginia, and home wins against Kansas State, Colorado, and maybe Utah. If the passing game grows, everything changes.
For now, the expectation has shifted. Cincinnati is supposed to be 3-0 when Kansas State comes to town next, and anything less would count as a major disappointment.
In Other News...
Jizzle James Return Talk Just Took A Troubling Turn
Jizzle James path since leaving the University of Cincinnati has already been messy enough to keep Bearcats fans watching closely. After being removed from the program in 2025 because of personal issues, he later was reinstated and finished the 2025-26 season, then entered the NCAA transfer portal and committed to Charlotte before leaving without playing a game. The back-and-forth has only added to the uncertainty around one of the more complicated recent storylines to touch the program.
The latest wrinkle came when James posted on social media in a way that suggested a return to Cincinnati, a move that prompted the university to send a cease-and-desist letter. His father, Edgerrin James, then said publicly that Jizzle is battling substance abuse and asked for support rather than money or valuables, a reminder that the situation is about much more than roster drama. For Bearcats followers, the lingering question now is how this story settles, and whether any reunion talk ever had real traction in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
Max Fletcher Is Giving Cincinnati A Special Teams Weapon To Watch
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For a program trying to sharpen every edge, that kind of impact matters. Fletchers early pace has him on track to challenge the schools career punting average mark if he keeps delivering like this, and it gives Cincinnati a special teams weapon that can change the feel of a game in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
JC French IV Faces A Big Chance To Silence One Bearcats Concern
A rugged ground game carried the Bearcats through Boston College, but the offense still left the passing attack as the lingering question. Cincinnati rolled up 254 rushing yards on 46 carries, while JC French IV and the air game were asked to do just enough, finishing with 77 passing yards and one touchdown. After the game, French and Scott Satterfield both addressed the need to keep building through the air, a point that matters as the season begins to settle in.
Now the Bearcats turn to a night matchup with Western Carolina and a chance for French to make the passing game look a lot more complete. French said he is optimistic about getting the wide receivers more involved, and that is exactly the sort of development Cincinnati will want to see after leaning so heavily on the run. If the Bearcats can show balance in this one, it would go a long way toward quieting one of the early concerns hanging over the offense. [Read more 🡒]