Cincinnati had been waiting for a moment like this since the Big 12 move in 2021, and Saturday at Nippert Stadium delivered it in full.
The Bearcats knocked off No. 8 Texas Tech 37-24, ending the Red Raiders’ unbeaten run and claiming their first top 10 victory since 2021.
It was a clean, commanding upset, not a fluky break or a late scramble. Cincinnati controlled the game with offense, defense and a crowd ready for a finish.
JC French IV threw four touchdown passes, while Cole Tabb turned in the kind of breakout workload that bends a game to your will. With Gi’Bran Payne out injured, Tabb carried the load and shredded Texas Tech for a career-best 173 rushing yards. He scored once on the ground and once through the air, then sealed it with a 58-yard touchdown run with 6:06 left to push Cincinnati ahead 37-18.
Texas Tech came in allowing points at a respectable rate, but Cincinnati made the Red Raiders look uncomfortable for most of the afternoon. The Bearcats held Texas Tech out of the end zone for the game’s first 36 minutes and built a 24-6 halftime lead after a huge swing just before the break.
Following a Cincinnati touchdown that made it 17-6, the Red Raiders tried a deep shot and strong safety MJ Cannon answered with a leaping one-handed interception with 31 seconds left in the half. Cincinnati then went 75 yards in five plays, finishing the drive with a Lyviel Waters touchdown catch.
Cannon’s impact went well beyond the highlight play. He finished with eight tackles, a forced fumble and a pass breakup. Jasper Beeler added 11 tackles and a forced fumble, and Antwan Peek Jr. contributed nine stops and one deflection.
The Bearcats’ defense had to answer a serious challenge in the third quarter when the team’s no-interception streak came to an end. JC French IV’s first pick as a Bearcat came after the ball deflected off Isaiah Johnson following a hard hit from Texas Tech cornerback Brice Pollock.
Peyton Morgan grabbed the ricochet and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown. Officials reviewed the play for targeting, but the score stood, drawing a loud reaction from the Nippert Stadium crowd.
French then threw another interception on the next possession, but Cincinnati’s defense steadied quickly. The Bearcats forced Texas Tech into a missed 38-yard field goal attempt, one of several times they made the Red Raiders settle for less than they wanted.
In four red zone trips, Texas Tech came away with three field goals and just one touchdown. That lone offensive touchdown came with 59 seconds remaining and was Texas Tech’s only trip to the end zone all game.
By then, the night had already tilted heavily toward Cincinnati. The crowd of 38,088 was primed for a storm, and when the clock hit zero, the field was soon covered in red. It was the Bearcats’ third field storm since 2010, joining the 2021 American Conference Championship Game and the 2025 win over Iowa State.
Texas Tech fell to 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Big 12, suffering its first loss of the season and its first second-half lead-free game against a Big 12 opponent in 19 such matchups. Cincinnati moved to 5-2 and 2-2 in conference play, improved to 5-0 in the city of Cincinnati this year and 4-0 at Nippert Stadium, and reached at least five wins through seven games for the third straight season under Scott Satterfield.
In Other News...
Texas Tech Has A Stake In The Big 12's Next Decision
After Cincinnatis upset win over Texas Tech, the postgame scene at Nippert Stadium quickly became part of the story as fans poured onto the field. Now the Big 12 is reviewing whether the Bearcats should be hit with a $50,000 fine under its field-storming policy, a familiar conference issue whenever a home crowd rushes the turf after a big win.
For Texas Tech, the result on the scoreboard is already in the books, but the leagues next decision still matters because it will examine whether security created a safe path for the visiting team and officials through the chaos. The Big 12 usually moves quickly on these situations, so a ruling should come within days, and Tech has a clear interest in how the conference judges what happened after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Cody Campbells Texas Tech Blast Says Everything About New Expectations
Texas Techs first loss of the season brought a jolt that went beyond the scoreboard, with the Red Raiders falling 37-24 to Cincinnati after opening 6-0 and climbing to No. 8 in the rankings. The defeat was the kind that tends to reset the tone around a program in a hurry, especially for a team that has spent the fall building belief and drawing attention with its early surge.
Cody Campbells reaction on social media underscored just how much those expectations have changed. The former Red Raiders player and major donor made clear he saw no excuse for the outcome and wanted better from a team that has benefited from significant investment, a reminder that Texas Tech is no longer being viewed through the old lens of simply being happy to contend. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Techs QB Problem Just Changed The Big 12 Picture
The loss to Cincinnati did more than ding Texas Tech in the standings, it exposed just how fragile the Red Raiders offense can look when the quarterback situation is unsettled. Will Hammond threw for 227 yards, but the night also included an interception and a fumble, and too many drives stalled once Texas Tech got near the red zone. Against a Cincinnati team adjusting to its own quarterback situation, the Red Raiders still could not take advantage of the moment.
Defensively, Texas Tech had its own trouble getting the game under control, giving up 257 rushing yards and watching Cole Tabb pile up 173 of them. The larger Big 12 ripple comes from how quickly a single absence can reshape a matchup, with Brendan Sorsby sidelined by eligibility issues tied to gambling allegations and the door opening for a different kind of game than many expected. For Texas Tech, the result was a reminder that the path in this league can change fast, and not always in the way a playoff hopeful wants. [Read more 🡒]