Cincinnati Football: 5 Reasons Why Bearcats Will Go Undefeated in Non-Conference

With the start of the college football season only six weeks away, the Cincinnati Bearcats are ready to get rid of the sour taste left in their mouth from last season. 

That all starts off with the Sept. 3 season opener against Austin Peay. 

With the non-conference schedule not as challenging as last season, Cincinnati will have a chance to run the table in the early portion of their schedule and head into Big East play 5-0. 

Here are five reasons why that will happen. 

Cincinnati returns a large portion of their squad from last season, particularly on defense. With all 11 starters returning, Cincinnati will be much more prepared heading into this season. 

On offense, All-Big East performers Zach Collaros and Isaiah Pead are back, along with wide receiver D.J. Woods.

Cincinnati had the most explosive offense in the Big East last season, and with the talent they have coming back, they will have no problem duplicating and exceeding the numbers they put up last season. 

Last season was clearly a learning experience for Cincinnati under first year head coach Butch Jones.

The Bearcats finished 4-8 and now having had a chance to learn under the Butch Jones system, the Bearcats will be better prepared this season. 

There were no major coaching changes in the offseason, and a second year in the program for most of these kids will have them ready for the early season schedule. 

The Bearcats only game outside of Ohio in their non-conference schedule is a trip to Knoxville, Tennessee to take on the Volunteers. 

This is clearly the toughest game on their non-conference schedule, but the much maligned Tennessee program will certainly not be too much for Cincinnati to handle even on the road. 

Three homes games and a trip to Oxford, 35 miles northwest of Cincinnati, make for a long few months in Ohio for the Bearcats to begin the season. 

Last season, Cincinnati had non-conference games against Oklahoma and on the road against NC State. 

This season, there is no Oklahoma on the schedule. 

After beginning at home with Austin Peay and then traveling to Tennessee, Cincinnati returns home for games against Akron and NC State, who is without star quarterback Russell Wilson.  Wilson transferred to Wisconsin in the offseason. 

Cincinnati finishes up non-conference play against local rival Miami before entering Big East play. 

This certainly makes for an easy slate in the non-conference. 

Quarterback Zach Collaros and running back Isaiah Pead give Cincinnati one of the best quarterback-running back combinations in America.

Both will be experienced seniors who have been through a lot over the past few seasons. 

After starting 11 games last year, Collaros gained valuable experience, and that will certainly help limit his turnovers in 2011. 

Pead will garner more carries this year and another 1,000 yard season at over six yards per carry is almost a certainty. 

These two stars will be the backbone of the Cincinnati offense and help lead them in 2011.