Cincinnati Football Preview 2025: Now The Bearcats Will Play Like a Big 12 Team
There was improvement.How do you convince Cincinnati Bearcat football fans that going from three wins to five is a step forward when they still remember the College Football playoff run of 2021?But that was back in the American Athletic Conference days. That 2021 team played just two Power Five schools - and one was a bad Indiana squad - before reality checked in against Alabama in the CFP. In 2022, the Bearcats played two Power Five schools again - and again, one was Indiana - before losing to Louisville in the Fenway Bowl.
Since making the move up in weight class two years ago, Cincinnati is 5-15 against fellow power conference teams. Two of those wins were against Houston and another was against UCF - two other schools struggling with the adjustment.And out of those five wins, just one was against a team that finished with a winning record. It just so happened to be against eventual Big 12 Champion Arizona State last year. Really, there was improvement. These moves take a little while to work. Now head coach Scott Satterfield has Cincinnati closer to where it should be. It was already one of the most experienced teams in the country, and it still did a great job of upgrading through the transfer portal.Yeah, Cincinnati is in the BIg 12. It is a Power Four program. It'll play like it more this year.
Cincinnati Bearcats College Football Preview 2025
Cincinnati Bearcats Preview 2025: Offense
X CFN, Fiu | CFN Facebook | Bluesky Fiu, CFN- The offense wasn't bad, but it had turnover issues, consistency problems, and there were too many empty drives. What it did do well on a regular basis was run, averaging over five yards per carry. The ground game has even more talent to work with this year.Leading rusher Corey Kiner is gone, but Evan Pryor is a solid veteran and Wisconsin transfer Tawee Walker has the talent to push for the 1,153 yards Kiner put up. It also helps that one the most dangerous runners is …- Brendan Sorsby. A bit under the radar, the junior had a huge season finishing second on the team in rushing yards, first in touchdowns on the ground with nine, and he threw for over 2,800 yards and 18 scores. He has All-Big 12-caliber talent, and he has to play like it with a new group of receivers to work with.
- The corps isn't exactly an X factor or concern; it's just new. Cyrus Allen (Texas A&M), Caleb Goodie (Colorado State), Jeff Caldwell (Lindenwood), and Noah Jennings (Charleston Southern) are taking over. Tight end Joe Royer is back after catching 50 passes, and he'll once again be a key go-to guy.- Depth is the biggest issue on the line, but the starting five should be good with a little time. Joe Cotton is an elite tackle coming in from South Dakota, Ball State's Taran Tyo will start at one guard, and Nolan Latulippe from UAlbany would be the big tackle get if it wasn't for Cotton.
Cincinnati Bearcats Preview 2025: Defense
- The defense wasn't totally horrible, but it didn't do enough. It didn't come up with enough big plays, enough sacks, enough anything to carry the load when the offense struggled. Like the offense, there's a great mix of returning parts to go along with the transfers, mostly at …- Defensive back. Cincinnati isn't exactly starting over in the secondary, but it got a refresh. Matthew McDoom is a wonderful corner get from Coastal Carolina, and safeties Xavier Williams (Middle Tennessee) and Christian Harrison (Tennessee) will be instant difference-makers.- The combination of Jonathan Thomas inside along with Jack Golday and Jack Dingle on the outside should make the linebacking corps one of the team's biggest strengths. This should be one of the nastiest bunches in the Big 12.But the star of the show is on the defensive front. Dontay Corleone is a 6-1, 320-pound wrecking ball with All-America talent on the nose. The pass rush has to come from somewhere - it was okay last season - and the options are coming in from the transfer portal to help there, too.
Cincinnati Bearcats Key to the Season
Keep things moving.The running game really should be strong - averaging over five yards per carry is almost a must - and the passing attack has to do more to take advantage of it. Sorsby is experienced enough now to take more shots down the field, but the offense will be fine as long as he's making his throws.The Bearcats were 5-2 when he completed more than 60% of his passes, and 0-5 when he didn't.
Cincinnati Bearcats Key Player
Cyrus Allen, WR Sr.Again, the receiving corps is almost brand new from the portal, and it's Allen who has to be the game-breaker on the outside for an offense that struggled so much to come up with consistent big shots. He averaged over 18 yards per catch in his combined two seasons at Louisiana Tech and one at Texas A&M.
Cincinnati Bearcats Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss
Top Transfer In: Joe Cotton, OT Jr.The Bearcats have a few tackle options - they're deeper on the outside than in - and if all works well, the improvement up front starts with the 6-7, 315-pound all-star from South Dakota. There's NFL left tackle potential with his game.Top Transfer Out: Tory Johnson, WR Sr.The Bearcats didn't have any irreplaceable losses through the portal, but it would've been nice to have a seasoned veteran like Johnson still around. He only averaged 9.4 yards per catch, but he made 48 grabs with six scores. Now the Florida native will catch passes from Carson Beck at Miami.
Cincinnati Bearcats Key Game
Nebraska, Aug. 28The Bearcats are desperately overdue for a statement moment under Scott Satterfield. The win over Arizona State last year would've been it, but it didn't feel like it at the time, and it was the last win of the season for UC.The Big 12 schedule isn't all that horrible - at least early on - and Bowling Green and Northwestern State should be wins after this. Beat Nebraska in Kansas City, and boom - the Bearcats will be on the national radar.- 2025 Cincinnati Bearcats Schedule Breakdown
Cincinnati Bearcats Top 10 Players
1. Dontay Corleone, DT Sr.2. Brendan Sorsby, QB Jr.3. Jake Golday, LB Sr.4. Joe Royer, TE Sr.5. Tawee Walker, RB Sr.6. Jonathan Thompson, LB Jr.7. Joe Cotton, OT Sr.8. Matthew McDoom, CB Sr.9. Cyrus Allen, WR Sr.10. Nolan Latulippe, OT Jr.
Cincinnati Bearcats 2024 Fun Stats
- Time of Possession: Cincinnati 31:43, Opponents 28:17- Interceptions: Opponents 7 for 149 yards, Cincinnati 5 for one yard - 1st Quarter Scoring: Cincinnati 100, Opponents 61
Cincinnati Bearcats 2025 Season Prediction, Win Total, What Will Happen
Start with this - Cincinnati will go to a bowl game. After the way the last two years have gone, don't blow off how much this will matter.To hammer this home, experience and a mix of upgraded talents won't be a problem. There should be a renewed excitement that things might be in place for a shocker of a run, and again, it all starts against Nebraska.Now here's the good part.
Even though the Big 12 will be a bear each and every week, missing Arizona State, Kansas State and Texas Tech - you really don't want to deal with the Red Raiders this year - is a massive plus. The Bearcats also miss Colorado, Houston, and West Virginia.The concern will be over the games against teams that underperformed last year, but should be great this season - at Oklahoma State, at Utah, Arizona, at Kansas. But again, there are enough wins to go bowling, and don't get into a twist if the Bearcats have a .500 record in the Big 12 - everyone will.Set The Cincinnati Bearcats Win Total At … 6Likely Wins: Bowling Green, Northwestern State50/50 Games: Arizona, Baylor, BYU, Iowa State, at Kansas, Nebraska, at Oklahoma State, at TCU, UCFLikely Losses: at Utah
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This story was originally published May 6, 2025 at 1:48 PM.
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