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...
Kansas State Suddenly Has A Big 12 Problem It Can't Ignore
The loss to Cincinnati left Kansas State with more than just a mark in the standings. Collin Klein made it clear afterward that the Wildcats have a run-defense issue to clean up, after the Bearcats rolled up 271 rushing yards on 38 carries and controlled enough of the game to leave Manhattan with a 31-26 win. Gi'Bran and Cole Tabb fueled that ground attack, giving Kansas State a long afternoon trying to slow things down at the line of scrimmage.
Klein also pointed to the offense's stalled drives as part of why the Wildcats came up short, which only adds to the pressure heading into the stretch ahead. For a team with Big 12 aspirations, getting pushed around on the ground is the kind of problem that can follow you if it is not corrected quickly, especially when the margin for error is already getting thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Wasted A Huge Day With One Crushing Mistake
Derrick Salley Jr. gave Kansas State plenty to build on with a huge afternoon against Cincinnati, piling up seven catches for 140 yards and a touchdown in a game that had the Wildcats in position to make a statement. For most of the day, he looked like the kind of difference-maker who can tilt a close Big 12 matchup, giving the passing game a needed spark and keeping Kansas State within reach.
Collin Klein, though, knows the Wildcats were left to rue one costly sequence. Salleys fumble on the first play of the second half swung the momentum toward Cincinnati and helped turn a promising spot into a 31-26 loss. It was the kind of mistake that can erase a big individual performance in a hurry, and Kansas State now has to sort out how to pair production with cleaner execution when the margin is this thin. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Bye Week Leaves One Big Availability Question Ahead
Kansas States bye week gave Collin Klein a little breathing room to sort through a few injury situations before the next game, and the picture is getting clearer on some key depth pieces. Backup quarterbacks Dillon Duff and Jacob Knuth are both expected to be closer to full strength coming out of the break, while wide receiver Jaron Tibbs should recover after taking a hard hit in the previous game.
The more immediate concern is senior tight end Will Anciaux, who will miss time because of a foot injury, leaving the Wildcats to adjust their rotation there. Klein also pointed to a possible return for offensive lineman Oliver Miller in two weeks, which would be another welcome reinforcement if his recovery stays on track. [Read more 🡒]