Cincinnati Bearcats have statement opportunity this weekend at Indiana
CINCINNATI (BVM) — The Cincinnati Bearcats football program has continued its emergence in 2021. Led by Coach Luke Fickell, the Bearcats are currently ranked No. 8 in the nation — the only team in the AP Top 25 from the American Athletic Conference (AAC).
Being ranked towards the top is becoming familiar since Fickell took over the program in 2017. Although the Bearcats went just 4-8 in his first season, the program would turn around completely by going 11-2 in 2018 — just the program’s third 11-win season at the time.
After finishing the season off with a Military Bowl win, 2019 saw similar results as Cincinnati again won 11 games and won the Birmingham Bowl. By 2020, the Bearcats were squarely on the national radar, and they delivered with strong play that led to a 9-0 regular season. Playing in a New Year’s Six bowl game, the team’s only loss came at the hands of SEC power Georgia.
As a result, Cincinnati finished at No. 8 in the AP poll, exactly where they sit two weeks into the 2021 season. This year, the Bearcats opened the season with a home game at Nippert Stadium against Miami (OH), cruising to an easy 49-14 victory. A balanced offensive attack produced 542 total yards in the game, led by 295 yards and four touchdowns from last year’s AAC Player of the Year, Desmond Ridder.
Last week saw more of the same as Fickell’s guys were similarly dominant in a home game against Murray State, coming out on top 42-7. Although the Bearcats’ senior quarterback wasn’t quite as sharp in this one, they were picked up by a second consecutive 100-yard rushing performance from junior Jerome Ford, who also had three scores.
But after two easy matchups comes the team’s first road test of the season, and it’s a big one. The Bearcats will travel to the Big Ten and play against the Indiana Hoosiers, a similarly up-and-coming team. Seemingly coming out of nowhere, Indiana finished 6-2 last season, and were a couple plays away from dethroning Big Ten power Ohio State.
Finishing at No. 13 in last year’s poll, expectations were high for Tom Allen’s Hoosiers entering 2021 as well. However, their Week 1 draw was not as favorable, having to travel on the road to face Big Ten West power Iowa. Although Indiana was the higher-ranked team at the time — ranked at No. 17, which was the highest entering any season since 1969 — a 34-6 thrashing by the Hawkeyes took away plenty of spirit from the Hoosiers.
While Indiana would bounce back in Week 2 against Idaho, the jury is still out on how far the team can go this year. Seen early as a potential dark horse in the Big Ten East, the Hoosiers could be staring at a 1-2 start to the season come later Saturday.
The biggest question mark for Indiana remains Michael Penix, and how quickly he can get back to form following a late-season ACL tear last year. Through two games, he has not done much in the stat column for the Hoosiers. However, his presence on the field certainly makes a difference.
Going into Saturday, Cincinnati should feel they have the advantage at quarterback behind their senior leader in Ridder, and outperforming Penix will be one key to a victory for the Bearcats.
Indiana will also look to continue to lean on running back Stephen Carr, who ran for over 100 yards last week. However, Alabama transfer Ford has been sensational since donning a Bearcats’ uniform and may also give Cincinnati a leg up in the running game.
The other key to victory may well be handling what should be a raucous crowd at Memorial Stadium, one that’s expected to be the biggest for a non-conference game in over three decades.
With an emerging program similar to Fickell’s at Cincinnati, Indiana continues to draw more and more people into their football program. What should help is Fickell’s prior Big Ten experience, as he spent over a decade coaching on Ohio State’s staff, and of course, was a former player there in the 1990s as well.
In these teams’ last matchup in 2000, Indiana dominated 42-6. But over two decades later, the stakes are much higher this time around.
After this one, the Hoosiers get one final non-conference tune up before jumping back into Big Ten play where they face a difficult three-game stretch including a road game at Penn State and a home game against the Buckeyes. A win Saturday would put them in much better position entering the conference schedule.
Meanwhile, Cincinnati will have next week off to recover no matter the result of Saturday’s game. But the following week on Oct. 2, perhaps the program’s biggest matchup of the season occurs when the Bearcats travel to South Bend, Indiana to do battle with former coach Brian Kelly and Notre Dame. Going into that one at 3-0 rather than 2-1 could make a big difference.
Also on the line this week, and eventually when they play Notre Dame, is staying alive for a College Football Playoff berth. Other than the Kelly-coached teams of the late 2000s, the Bearcats have rarely sniffed a chance at a national title. This week’s game against Indiana will be step one in keeping that dream a reality.
