Cincinnati Bearcats Football

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Cincinnati Bearcats Football: After Loss to Toledo, Rival Louisville Awaits

Oct 23, 2012

Cincinnati will only have six days to recover from a tough road loss to Toledo as conference-rival Louisville awaits on Friday night on national television.

No. 16 Louisville is undefeated and the team to beat in the Big East. At 7-0, the Cardinals are the most talented team on the Bearcats' schedule and especially tough at home.

The Cardinals are 4-0 at Papa John's Stadium, and while they have not blown many teams out, sophomore quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is one of the best in the country when playing at home.

So far this season, Bridgewater has completed 93-of-113 passes at home with seven touchdowns and no interceptions. Unlike last season, he has stayed in the pocket and beat teams with his arm. 

Even though he can use his feet to escape trouble, Bridgewater has not run much all season, with the exception of last week against South Florida where he carried the ball 10 times for 74 yards.

For Cincinnati to come out with a victory, stopping or at least slowing down Bridgewater will be the key to the game. He is yet to throw an interception at home and the opportune Cincinnati defense will be looking to force the first of the season.

When Louisville has the ball, Cincinnati can expect a balance of the run and pass with both Senorise Perry and Jeremy Wright getting the bulk of the carries.

Perry has carried the ball 107 times for 588 yards and 10 touchdowns on the season, while Wright has rushed 110 times for 477 yards and seven scores.

The Louisville defense has been solid this season, but not quite as good as a year ago. It is allowing just under 22 points a game, and some of the better offenses the Cardinals have played have been able to put some points up.

For Cincinnati, the key will be quarterback Munchie Legaux being able to hit the open receivers. The Bearcats wideouts have no problem getting open, and Legaux needs to be able to hit them in stride for the big plays Cincinnati has been missing in recent weeks.

After a 29-23 loss at Toledo, Cincinnati needs a huge win to not only vault back into the rankings, but to also emerge as a legitimate contender for the Big East title, which would be its fourth in five years. 

To do that, Cincinnati will need to win the turnover battle and find a way to put pressure on Bridgewater with star defensive end Walter Stewart still out with an upper-body injury.

This is a huge game for Cincinnati, and one thing is certain: A win in Louisville will help fans forget about the Toledo loss and look ahead to the possibility of another Big East title and BCS bowl berth.

Cincinnati Bearcats Football: Trip to Toledo Brings About Huge Test

Oct 19, 2012

The 5-0 Cincinnati Bearcats will play their first true road game of the season on Saturday when they travel north to take on Toledo.

Playing a MAC team, whether it is on the road or not, may not seem like a daunting task, but this season is a bit of a different story.

The conference is not as deep as some others, but at the top there are a few talented teams and the Rockets are one of them.

Toledo comes into the game 6-1 with its only loss coming in overtime at Arizona. It is one of four MAC teams with one loss or less. Ohio is 7-0, Kent State is 5-1 and Northern Illinois is 6-1.

These four teams are no pushovers, and the Bearcats can not take the Rockets lightly.

As in years past, Toledo does it with offense, and this season the group ranks 29th in the country, averaging 36.4 points a game.

The Rockets are led on that side of the ball by quarterback Terrance Owens. Owens can do a little bit of everything with the ball in his hands. So far this season the junior has passed for 1,900 yards and 12 touchdowns with only three interceptions. He has not run the ball as much in years past, but has still totaled 192 yards with four touchdowns. 

Also paving the way for the Rockets is running back David Fluellen. The junior has already totaled 792 yards with nine scores, while averaging 5.8 yards per carry.

Cincinnati will need to slow down those two studs, and the rest should take care of itself.

On defense, Toledo has struggled for most of the season, particularly in recent weeks. The Rockets are allowing over 28 points a game and allowed 35 and 47 points in the last two contests respectively. The Bearcats will likely have no problem putting points on the board.

The Cincinnati defense will need to force a few turnovers, which is something it has done for most of the season. The group ranks ninth in the country in average points given up, allowing only 14.4 points a game.

This is a game that will likely be decided by who wins the turnover battle, and both teams excel in that category. The Rockets have forced 14 turnovers in seven games, while Cincinnati has forced 12 in only five games.

For the Bearcats to come out on top on the road, they will need to win the turnover battle. If they can do that then their record will improve to 6-0 heading into their biggest road game of the season at No. 16 Louisville on Friday.

Cincinnati Football: Ohio RB Aregeros Turner Picks the Bearcats

Oct 17, 2012

Aregeros Turner, a 3-star running back from Akron, Ohio, has committed to the Cincinnati Bearcats Wednesday, according to Bill Greene of Scout.com. Turner plays running back and defensive back for Copley Senior High School.

Turner received his scholarship offer from the Bearcats late last month. He also had offers from Illinois, Tennessee, Purdue, Washington and Toledo.

The 5'9" speedster runs a 4.4 40-yard dash. He is considered the 55th-best running back by 247Sports.com and the 57th-best cornerback in the 2013 class by Scout.com.

ESPN says of Turner, "Shorter, muscular frame; looks and runs bigger than advertised. Has very good upper and lower-body strength but this guy is quicker than fast."

Turner is averaging 123 yards rushing yards a game for the Copley Indians. The senior running back has 15 rushing touchdowns, averaging 6.62 yards a carry. In his first three seasons at Copley he has rushed for 3,374 rushing yards, 310 receiving yards, and 58 total touchdowns.

Ron Viscounte, Turners football coach at Copley, told Michael Beaven of the Beacon Journal of his star running back, “When you have a guy like Aregeros on your team, he makes everyone around him better.

Turner is Cincinnati's 17th 2013 commit, he is the Bearcats ninth commit from the state of Ohio.

Cincinnati is off to a 5-0 start this season, ranked 21st in the latest BCS standings. Head coach Butch Jones will take his Bearcats to Toledo this Saturday to take on the 6-1 Rockets.

You can follow Jon on Twitter @JonKYSportsCo

Cincinnati Football: Why Bearcats Should Be on Upset Alert vs. Toledo

Oct 16, 2012

Prepare battle stations Cincinnati, because the upset-alert sirens are sounding.

The Bearcats come into the game with a perfect 5-0 record, which is good enough for a No. 21 ranking in the BCS standings.

Cincinnati themselves haven't done that much to earn this praise. While they have earned their ranking by virtue of maintaining an unbeaten record, the Bearcats have yet to pick up a signature win.

Defeating both Pitt and Virginia Tech might be a great accomplishment in past years, but those wins have a much less impact when you consider that the Panthers and Hokies have a combined 6-7 record.

Cincinnati's biggest test of the season will come in a week, when they travel to Louisville to take on the Cardinals.

As much as coaches can try and preach the importance of every game to their players, it's only natural that some players may lose their focus by looking ahead to a bigger opponent.

As Arkansas can attest, you can't look past anybody. The No. 8 Razorbacks faced top-ranked Alabama in their third game of the year. Unfortunately, they forgot about Louisiana-Monroe in Week 2, and the Warhawks dropped Arkansas in overtime.

Toledo enters the game this week with a very respectable 5-1 record. Their sole loss came in overtime, against Arizona in Tuscon.

It is very easy to dismiss Toledo as just another cupcake feasting on weak opponents. Wins over Coastal Carolina and the directional Michigans (Eastern, Central and Western) certainly don't do much to convince most fans of the Rockets' quality.

On the other hand, Toledo could be a part of something much larger that's brewing in the Midwest.

The Mid-American Conference was hardly ever compared to the WAC or Mountain West when ranking the best non-BCS conferences, but that could very well be changing. Sports Illustrated published an article in last week's issue about how Ohio could become the next Boise State.

Big things are happening in the MAC.

Much of Cincinnati's success this season is down to their very good defense, which ranks 39th in the nation in total defense, and more impressively, 10th in scoring.

The Bearcats are vulnerable through the air, though, and that's where Toledo can take advantage. Cincinnati have struggled against the pass, ranking only 82nd in the nation.

Toledo have two weapons in receivers Bernard Reedy and Alonzo Russell, who can burn the opposition's secondary. They rank 12th and 19th, respectively, in receiving yards. Russell is the downfield threat, averaging 18.1 yards per catch.

Rockets quarterback Terrance Owens has been very good as well. He has thrown 12 touchdowns to only three interceptions. In his previous two seasons, Owens completed 31 touchdowns, getting picked on eight occasions—certainly signs for improvement.

It's been over a decade since Toledo stamped themselves into the national consciousness. In 2001, led by running back Chester Taylor, they finished with a 10-2 record.

Coincidentally, their final win of the season came against the Bearcats in the Motor City Bowl. That was the last time these two schools met.

This week, a win over Cincinnati will propel the Rockets right back into the minds of college football fans.

Cincinnati Football: Bearcats Dominate Miami, Look to Vault into Rankings

Oct 6, 2012

After a dominating 52-14 win in front of a sellout crowd at Nippert Stadium, it is almost a guarantee that the Cincinnati Bearcats will move into the Top 25 Sunday when the AP Poll is released.

While that does not mean much, it is always a good thing to get a little national recognition. The next question for Cincinnati is how long can this continue?

With a game against FCS opponent Fordham coming up on Saturday, and then a road game against a talented Toledo team, there is an excellent chance the Bearcats could go into Louisville on October 26 with an unblemished 6-0 record.

If Louisville can do their part and get by Pittsburgh and South Florida the next two weeks, then that would set up a game between a Top 15 team and a Top 20 team.

While it is not exactly SEC football, that is something positive for the Big East as the conference continues to struggle to gain national notoriety.

The difference in the game against Miami was turnovers, as Cincinnati forced Miami quarterback Zac Dysert into three interceptions.

The Bearcats also recovered a RedHawks fumble.

Even though quarterback Munchie Legaux struggled hitting open receivers, he still finished with two touchdown passes and another on the ground.

Running back George Winn has continued to help Bearcats fans forget about Isaiah Pead as he surpassed the 100-yard mark once again with 128 yards on only 16 carries and two scores.

As the season progresses, the Bearcats clearly have a lot to work on, particularly with their passing attack, but they have exceeded expectations so far.

If Cincinnati can continue to perform like it has been so far, there is a great shot that there could be another double-digit win season, which would be the fifth in the past six years.

For now the Bearcats will concentrate on Fordham, with Louisville certainly on the back of their minds.

Cincinnati Football: Bearcats Look for Seventh Straight Win over Rival Miami

Oct 5, 2012

Tomorrow will mark the 117th meeting between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Miami Redhawks, and of course there is a lot at stake every time these two teams square off.

The Bearcats will be looking to win their seventh straight over Miami and will have a sell-out crowd at Nippert Stadium behind them on Saturday night.

Known as the "Battle for Victory Bell," this annual matchup dates all the way back to 1888 and is the oldest Division I rivalry in college football west of the Allegheny Mountains.

To say Cincinnati has dominated in recent years would be an understatement, as the Bearcats have outscored the Redhawks 225-56 over the last six meetings.

For sixth-year senior Drew Frey, it will be a chance for six wins over Miami, something nobody in the entire history of the series has been able to accomplish.

If Cincinnati is going to come out with a victory, they will need to slow down Miami quarterback Zac Dysert.

Dysert has passed for over 1,400 yards with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions in the first five games of the season.

He is coming off a 516-yard, six-touchdown passing performance last week against Massachusetts, along with 108 yards on the ground.

As one of the most prolific passers college football has to offer, the talented Cincinnati defense will have its hands full on Saturday.

The Bearcats have been doing it with a Top 20 defense, allowing less than 14 points a game.

They also have a solid offense to go along with it.

Senior running back George Winn has been carrying the load, averaging over six yards per carry with 318 yards in the Bearcats first three games.

Quarterback Munchie Legaux continues to improve every game and was very impressive in a win over Virginia Tech last weekend.

Even with a win over the Hokies, the Bearcats failed to climb into the AP poll, coming in at No. 26. A win on Saturday will almost certainly propel them into the Top 25.

As a team looking for some national recognition, the Bearcats can't afford to slip up against a team like Miami, particularly at home. 

After all, none of these players want to be responsible for the Victory Bell leaving Clifton for the first time since 2005.

If Cincinnati plays like it has been during the early part of the season, odds are the Victory Bell will be staying in the Queen City for many years to come.

2012 College Football Week 6 Power Rankings: Cincinnati Joins Top 25

Oct 1, 2012

WhatIfSports.com utilizes its NCAA football simulation to present the most comprehensive and unbiased ranking of all 124 FBS teams. We simulated thousands of games and used those winning percentages to evaluate every team. All 124 teams are ranked below with their average points for and against from the simulated games.

Simulations are based on updated rosters and depth charts, so significant week-to-week changes may occur once the regular season kicks off.

Teams Ranked by Winning Percentage
(everyone plays everyone 100 times)

  Team Change Win Pct PS/G PA/G
1. Alabama Crimson Tide - 85.5 32.4 16.0
2. Georgia Bulldogs - 82.6 31.8 17.0
3. USC Trojans - 82.6 34.7 19.9
4. LSU Tigers - 82.2 29.3 15.8
5. Oregon Ducks - 81.1 31.9 18.8
6. Florida State Seminoles - 77.8 29.5 17.9
7. West Virginia Mountaineers - 76.1 32.4 21.5
8. Ohio State Buckeyes +2 75.1 28.6 19.1
9. South Carolina Gamecocks - 74.6 27.1 17.5
10. Oklahoma Sooners -2 73.1 30.1 20.4
11. Clemson Tigers +1 72.5 29.6 21.3
12. Texas Longhorns -1 72.1 26.9 17.8
13. Notre Dame Fighting Irish +2 71.6 28.7 19.9
14. TCU Horned Frogs -1 71.5 30.2 21.4
15. Michigan Wolverines +3 71.1 27.3 18.7
16. Oklahoma State Cowboys +4 70.4 29.9 21.7
17. Michigan State Spartans - 70.2 26.8 18.8
18. Stanford Cardinal -4 69.4 27.0 19.4
19. Florida Gators -3 67.9 24.8 17.5
20. Texas A&M Aggies +5 67.6 27.3 20.6
  Team Change Win Pct PS/G PA/G
21. Cincinnati Bearcats +28 66.9 26.5 19.9
22. Nebraska Cornhuskers -1 66.4 27.7 21.0
23. Virginia Tech Hokies -4 66.0 26.9 20.7
24. Louisville Cardinals +6 65.9 26.5 20.9
25. Rutgers Scarlet Knights -2 65.6 25.6 19.8
26. Kansas State Wildcats +1 65.3 26.1 20.5
27. Washington Huskies -1 65.2 28.4 22.6
28. Boise State Broncos -4 65.1 28.8 22.8
29. Mississippi State Bulldogs +2 64.5 26.1 20.5
30. North Carolina Tar Heels +8 63.6 27.3 22.0
31. Arizona State Sun Devils +2 63.5 27.5 21.7
32. UCLA Bruins +8 63.3 26.1 21.2
33. Tennessee Volunteers -4 63.2 25.3 20.0
34. Oregon State Beavers -2 62.8 28.1 22.9
35. Missouri Tigers - 62.3 24.8 20.2
36. Texas Tech Red Raiders +6 62.0 30.3 25.3
37. Miami (FL) Hurricanes +18 61.4 26.7 22.4
38. Wisconsin Badgers -1 60.8 26.1 21.7
39. Purdue Boilermakers -5 60.6 25.8 21.6
40. Penn State Nittany Lions +21 60.5 25.1 21.0
  Team Change Win Pct PS/G PA/G
41. Brigham Young Cougars +7 60.3 25.2 21.1
42. Vanderbilt Commodores +1 60.2 23.6 19.9
43. Virginia Cavaliers +10 59.8 25.0 21.7
44. Northwestern Wildcats -3 59.6 26.5 22.5
45. North Carolina State Wolfpack -9 59.4 24.7 21.0
46. Baylor Bears -2 59.3 26.4 22.7
47. Arizona Wildcats -8 58.5 27.5 24.2
48. Iowa State Cyclones -1 58.3 25.1 22.5
49. Auburn Tigers -3 57.9 24.3 21.5
50. Utah Utes - 57.5 23.2 20.3
51. Washington State Cougars +1 57.3 27.3 24.8
52. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets -30 56.6 27.1 24.2
53. Arkansas Razorbacks -25 56.3 26.4 23.7
54. South Florida Bulls - 55.9 25.4 22.6
55. Wake Forest Demon Deacons -4 55.5 25.3 22.9
56. Iowa Hawkeyes +1 55.1 24.9 22.4
57. Pittsburgh Panthers +1 54.8 25.4 23.3
58. Nevada Wolf Pack -2 54.5 25.7 23.8
59. Louisiana Tech Bulldogs +4 54.4 28.3 26.3
60. Syracuse Orange +6 53.3 24.6 23.3
  Team Change Win Pct PS/G PA/G
61. California Golden Bears -16 53.1 23.7 22.4
62. Tulsa Golden Hurricane - 53.1 26.1 25.3
63. UCF Knights -3 52.2 25.3 24.7
64. Toledo Rockets - 51.9 26.4 25.3
65. Fresno State Bulldogs +10 51.6 25.9 25.7
66. Ohio Bobcats -7 50.2 24.4 24.4
67. Connecticut Huskies -2 49.7 21.0 21.1
68. Boston College Eagles +2 49.6 22.6 22.8
69. Maryland Terrapins - 48.0 22.6 23.5
70. Illinois Fighting Illini -2 47.8 21.1 21.9
71. Duke Blue Devils -4 47.3 25.0 25.8
72. Northern Illinois Huskies +6 46.0 23.0 24.7
73. Utah State Aggies +3 45.8 24.2 25.6
74. Marshall Thundering Herd -2 45.5 24.6 26.2
75. Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks +5 45.4 24.7 26.4
76. Western Michigan Broncos +1 45.2 25.2 27.1
77. Minnesota Golden Gophers -3 44.7 22.2 23.7
78. Houston Cougars +3 44.2 24.6 27.2
79. Mississippi Rebels -8 43.3 20.6 22.5
80. Temple Owls -1 43.2 20.9 23.4
  Team Change Win Pct PS/G PA/G
81. Kansas Jayhawks +5 41.9 23.3 26.2
82. Arkansas State Red Wolves -9 41.8 23.6 26.9
83. Southern Methodist Mustangs -1 41.4 23.1 26.3
84. Indiana Hoosiers +3 40.6 22.3 25.3
85. Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns +3 40.5 24.0 27.3
86. Wyoming Cowboys +10 39.6 20.9 25.2
87. Kentucky Wildcats +3 39.3 17.8 21.4
88. San Jose State Spartans +14 39.1 24.3 28.7
89. Colorado Buffaloes - 39.1 21.3 26.0
90. Ball State Cardinals +4 39.0 23.4 27.4
91. Bowling Green Falcons +1 38.6 21.4 25.8
92. Miami (OH) RedHawks -8 38.5 21.5 25.6
93. Air Force Falcons - 38.3 22.7 27.0
94. FIU Golden Panthers -3 36.5 22.1 27.2
95. Rice Owls +3 36.1 23.0 28.4
96. East Carolina Pirates +1 36.1 21.9 27.1
97. Navy Midshipmen -14 35.7 20.8 25.7
98. San Diego State Aztecs -13 35.1 19.9 25.7
99. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers +4 34.9 21.0 26.8
100. Central Michigan Chippewas - 34.1 22.4 28.6
  Team Change Win Pct PS/G PA/G
101. Army Black Knights - 32.7 19.6 26.5
102. Southern Miss Golden Eagles +2 30.7 18.5 25.9
103. Kent State Golden Flashes +4 29.6 15.7 23.5
104. UTEP Miners -5 29.3 19.4 28.0
105. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders +7 28.4 21.8 30.2
106. Troy Trojans +2 28.3 21.4 30.4
107. North Texas Mean Green -2 28.2 19.9 28.7
108. Colorado State Rams -2 27.3 17.5 26.0
109. Hawaii Warriors -14 26.3 18.0 27.5
110. UNLV Rebels - 26.2 18.6 28.3
111. Buffalo Bulls -2 25.8 17.4 27.3
112. UAB Blazers -1 24.4 19.7 30.0
113. New Mexico State Aggies +2 24.2 19.8 30.7
114. Eastern Michigan Eagles - 24.1 16.6 26.6
115. Tulane Green Wave -2 22.3 16.6 28.4
116. Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners +6 20.8 19.1 31.2
117. Florida Atlantic Owls - 19.2 16.2 29.5
118. Akron Zips - 18.6 16.2 29.8
119. Memphis Tigers -3 18.5 16.5 30.3
120. New Mexico Lobos -1 18.3 17.1 30.3
  Team Change Win Pct PS/G PA/G
121. Idaho Vandals -1 17.9 17.0 30.6
122. Texas State Bobcats -1 15.0 16.0 31.5
123. Massachusetts Minutemen +1 13.9 14.6 30.7
124. South Alabama Jaguars -1 11.9 15.2 32.7

Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Cincinnati Bearcats: Betting Odds, Preview and Pick

Sep 5, 2012

How will Pittsburgh respond after the program’s first-ever loss to an FCS school?

That’s the biggest question facing handicappers leading up to Thursday night’s Big East showdown between Pittsburgh and host Cincinnati.

The Panthers were embarrassed in a 31-17 opening home loss to Youngstown State. Quarterback Tino Sunseri was booed by the home crowd, and new coach Paul Chryst suspended six players before the game, including his starting nose tackle.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati was enjoying the Labor Day weekend with an opening bye. The Bearcats have 65 first- or second-year players on the roster, according to Cincinnati.com.

Both teams were picked to finish in the middle of the pack in the Big East.

The Line

The Bearcats opened as three-point favorites, but had been bet up to -4 as of Wednesday afternoon at most online shops tracked by OddsShark.com.

Pittsburgh has covered in five of the last seven games against Cincinnati, but the Bearcats have been tough as chalk, winning 17 of 20 straight up in that role.

"The Bearcats have tallied a 5-9 against-the-spread record against conference foes over the last two years, which makes them vulnerable in this spot, especially due to their 0-2 ATS mark as home favorites of seven points or less in that span," said Jeff Grant of SBRForum.com, pointing to the matchup stats on this game.

The Total

The over/under opened at 50, but had been bet down under seven touchdowns and was sitting at 48.5. The last five meetings between the Bearcats and Panthers have averaged 53.2 points.

Injuries/Suspensions (courtesy OddsShark.com injury reports)

Pittsburgh: An announcement was expected Wednesday regarding the status of the six players who were suspended for the opener.

Keep an eye on injury news on starting corner K’Waun Williams, who left the Youngstown State game and did not return. Starting defensive end T.J. Clemmings also did not play in the opener, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Cincinnati: No significant injuries reported.

Weather

Forecast calls for a 40 percent chance of showers.

Notes

Chryst is the Panthers’ fourth head coach in three seasons and brought in a new offensive and defensive coordinator…Cincinnati coach Butch Jones is entering his third season. He is 1-1 straight up and 0-2 ATS vs. Pittsburgh…Panthers star RB Ray Graham played in his first game since tearing his ACL last season. He received 14 carries, but there are still some doubts about if he’s 100 percent or not.

Head-to-Head

Nov. 5, 2011, at Pittsburgh: Bearcats (-3.5) 26, Panthers 23

Dec. 4, 2010, at Cincinnati: Panthers 28, Bearcats (-1.5) 10

Dec. 5, 2009, at Pittsburgh: Bearcats 45, Panthers (-1.5) 44

Nov. 22, 2008, at Cincinnati: Bearcats (-6) 28, Panthers 21

Oct. 20, 2007, at Pittsburgh: Panthers 24, Bearcats (-10.5) 17

Pick: The Bearcats tend to win as favorites, and with a small spread and home field against a team licking its wounds, we side with the home team.

Pittsburgh vs. Cincinnati: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Radio, Game Time and More

Donald Wood
Sep 4, 2012

Thursday is a great night to watch college football, so when ESPN broadcasts the Big East battle between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Pittsburgh Panthers, you can’t miss it.

As tough as their Week 1 loss was, the Panthers will be looking for redemption against the Bearcats on Cincinnati’s turf. On the other hand, this will be the first game of 2012 for Cincy.

Wherever you are or whatever you’re doing Thursday night, we have all the ways to make sure you don’t miss a second of this college-football action!

Where: Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati

When: Thursday, September 6, at 8 p.m. EDT

Watch: ESPN

Live Stream: Watch ESPN

Radio: Full list of Cincinnati radio networks, full list of Pittsburgh radio networks

Betting Line (via Covers)

Over/Under: Not Open, Spread: Not Open

Betting lines are not open for this matchup, but we will update as soon as that information becomes available.

Injury Report (via USA Today)

Cincinnati

No injuries to report.

Pittsburgh

Juantez Hollins, OL, Out for season

BCS/Top-25 Implications

While there is still hope for the Pitt Panthers in 2012, the Week 1 loss has really dampened the team’s confidence. Any hopes of breaking into the top 25 have been dashed unless the school finishes out the season on a major winning streak.

As for Cincinnati, they will need to prove that their offense can succeed under new quarterback Munchie Legaux before being taken seriously as a BCS contender.

If they play well, though, the Bearcats will be in the top-25 discussion before too long.

Cincinnati Player to Watch: Munchie Legaux, QB

In his first year as the team’s starting quarterback, athletic star Munchie Legaux is ready to prove that he is more than just speed and a huge frame (6’5”, 200 lbs) and that he can be a legitimate starting QB at the collegiate level.

As always, the Big East will be a fight throughout the year, but Cincinnati has the tough defense and stout offense to make a real impact in the conference.

If Legaux can play up to his potential, the Bearcats will be tough to beat.

Pittsburgh Player to Watch: Tino Sunseri, QB

While the team’s loss to relative unknown Youngstown State guts the confidence of the players and fanbase, the stellar play by Pitt quarterback Tino Sunseri has fans believing in the cause.

Sunseri passed for 239 yards and a touchdown, but it was the Panthers defense that blew the chance for a win. If the Pitt senior can keep playing solid football and not turn the ball over, the Panthers could beat the Bearcats Thursday.

Prediction: Cincinnati 24, Pittsburgh 14

With turnover on both rosters, this will be a great test to see which one of these mid-tier teams could be elite and which will struggle. As great as these programs have been in the past, this is a new season, and both teams have serious questions that need to be answered.

The score is close in the prediction, but the Bearcats look to be the much stronger of the two programs right now. This will be their opening game, and we’ll know much more about them after this possible beatdown.

Check back for more on the NCAA Football as it comes, and don’t miss Bleacher Report’s college-football page to get your fill of college football.

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