TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati football team was ranked No. 10 in the preseason USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll, the team's best preseason rank.
Picked to repeat as American Athletic Conference Champions last week, Cincinnati is coming off a 9-1 campaign in 2020, winning the AAC title and playing in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, a New Year's Six game.
From USATODAY.com …
No. 10 Cincinnati (9-1)
Points: 979. Previous ranking: 8. Opens: Sept. 4 vs. Miami (Ohio).
Outlook: Matching last season's perfect regular season and major bowl appearance will be a challenge for the Bearcats, who have a lot of returning talent but also some question marks. The headliner again will be dynamic QB Desmond Ridder, who'll be rejoined by primary targets WR Michael Young Jr. and TE Josh Whyle. RB Gerrid Doaks is gone, so Jerome Ford will become the main ball carrier behind a line that must replace both starting tackles. The defensive backfield, featuring CBs Coby Bryant and Ahmad Gardner, will be solid. Road wins against Indiana and Notre Dame could put this team in the playoff picture come December.
UC has won 31 games over the last three seasons, including back-to-back 11-win campaigns in 2018 and 2019 and three-consecutive bowl games. The Bearcats have a school-record 20-game winning streak at Nippert Stadium and have forced a turnover in 20-straight games, the longest active streak in the NCAA FBS.
The Bearcats return 16 starters from last season's squad, including Ridder, the 2020 AAC Player of the Year and Gardmer. a seven-time All-America selection. All-AAC selections Darrian Beavers, Marcus Brown, Bryant, Myjai Sanders, Tre Tucker, Whyle and Young also return. The 2021 roster projects to have nearly 40 local players who grew up and played high-school football in the tri-state area.
Cincinnati opens the 2021 season on Saturday, Sept. 4, against Miami in the 125th Battle for the Victory Bell at 3:30 p.m. ET inside Nippert Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and fans are encouraged to sign up for the digital platform online.
Visit the football tickets page to reserve your season tickets now!
BUY TICKETS NOW • SUBSCRIBE TO ESPN+
LET IT FLY
The University of Cincinnati football team's 2021 preseason will be featured in a six-part miniseries titled LET IT FLY, airing weekly at 7 p.m. ET on YouTube and GoBEARCATS.com, starting July 29 and running through September 2.
Learn more online.
FILL-IT-UP FRIDAYS
New season ticket holders who make their purchases on a Friday between 9 a.m. and noon ET will be entered in a drawing to win various Bearcats prizes. Fans should follow @GoBEARCATS on social media and tune in each Thursday this summer for weekly prize announcements.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati football, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow Cincinnati football (@GoBearcatsFB) and Coach Fickell (@CoachFick) on Twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Instagram and Facebook.
Picked to repeat as American Athletic Conference Champions last week, Cincinnati is coming off a 9-1 campaign in 2020, winning the AAC title and playing in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, a New Year's Six game.
From USATODAY.com …
No. 10 Cincinnati (9-1)
Points: 979. Previous ranking: 8. Opens: Sept. 4 vs. Miami (Ohio).
Outlook: Matching last season's perfect regular season and major bowl appearance will be a challenge for the Bearcats, who have a lot of returning talent but also some question marks. The headliner again will be dynamic QB Desmond Ridder, who'll be rejoined by primary targets WR Michael Young Jr. and TE Josh Whyle. RB Gerrid Doaks is gone, so Jerome Ford will become the main ball carrier behind a line that must replace both starting tackles. The defensive backfield, featuring CBs Coby Bryant and Ahmad Gardner, will be solid. Road wins against Indiana and Notre Dame could put this team in the playoff picture come December.
UC has won 31 games over the last three seasons, including back-to-back 11-win campaigns in 2018 and 2019 and three-consecutive bowl games. The Bearcats have a school-record 20-game winning streak at Nippert Stadium and have forced a turnover in 20-straight games, the longest active streak in the NCAA FBS.
The Bearcats return 16 starters from last season's squad, including Ridder, the 2020 AAC Player of the Year and Gardmer. a seven-time All-America selection. All-AAC selections Darrian Beavers, Marcus Brown, Bryant, Myjai Sanders, Tre Tucker, Whyle and Young also return. The 2021 roster projects to have nearly 40 local players who grew up and played high-school football in the tri-state area.
Cincinnati opens the 2021 season on Saturday, Sept. 4, against Miami in the 125th Battle for the Victory Bell at 3:30 p.m. ET inside Nippert Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and fans are encouraged to sign up for the digital platform online.
Visit the football tickets page to reserve your season tickets now!
BUY TICKETS NOW • SUBSCRIBE TO ESPN+
LET IT FLY
The University of Cincinnati football team's 2021 preseason will be featured in a six-part miniseries titled LET IT FLY, airing weekly at 7 p.m. ET on YouTube and GoBEARCATS.com, starting July 29 and running through September 2.
Learn more online.
FILL-IT-UP FRIDAYS
New season ticket holders who make their purchases on a Friday between 9 a.m. and noon ET will be entered in a drawing to win various Bearcats prizes. Fans should follow @GoBEARCATS on social media and tune in each Thursday this summer for weekly prize announcements.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati football, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow Cincinnati football (@GoBearcatsFB) and Coach Fickell (@CoachFick) on Twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Instagram and Facebook.