TicketsCINCINNATI – Cincinnati football head coach Luke Fickell captured the Stallings Award given to the National Coach of the Year on Wednesday.
Named in honor of Gene Stallings, this unique award is presented annually to an exceptional NCAA Division I college head football coach in recognition of humanitarian contributions in addition to achievements on the field.
The Stallings Award marks the eighth national coach of the year given to Fickell following the remarkable 2021 season that saw the Bearcats win a school-record 13 games and a second straight American Athletic Conference Championship en route to the College Football Playoff Semifinals.
UC secured a No. 2 ranking early in the fall in the Associated Press Poll – its highest ranking in school history. Cincinnati defeated No. 9 Notre Dame, 24-13, in South Bend, Ind., for its first-ever road victory over a Top 10 team, before rattling off back-to-back 50-point games for the first time in school history in dominant wins over Temple (52-3) and UCF (56-21). The Bearcats' capped the regular season by defeating No. 16 Houston, 35-20, for their second consecutive AAC Championship title.
Cincinnati set school records for points (516) and touchdowns (70) in 2021 and extended the nation's second-longest home winning streak to 27-straight at Nippert Stadium.
FICKELL NAMED 'BEST HIRE' OF LAST FIVE YEARS BY ESPN
Luke Fickell was named the "best hire" in college football over the last five years by ESPN.
Said ESPN Senior Writer Adam Rittenberg: "Cincinnati had great teams before Fickell … But the program has reached new heights."
SPRING GAME TO BE HELD SATURDAY, APRIL 9
The annual Spring Game will be held on Saturday, April 9, at 1 p.m. Admission is free to fans.
RESERVE YOUR 2022 SEASON TICKETS NOW
The Bearcats Ticket Office is also accepting deposits for new football season tickets here. There are less than 500 deposits available.
THE BEARCATS ARE READY TO RELOAD
Led by the reigning consensus National Coach of the Year Luke Fickell and 12 returning starters, the Bearcats are the two-time defending AAC Champions and are coming off of a 13-1 season that culminated in a trip to the 2021 College Football Playoff. With a 44-7 mark since the start of 2018, Cincinnati's 86% winning percentage ranks among the nation's Top 5 winning percentages over the last four years.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati Athletics, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow Cincinnati Athletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Named in honor of Gene Stallings, this unique award is presented annually to an exceptional NCAA Division I college head football coach in recognition of humanitarian contributions in addition to achievements on the field.
The Stallings Award marks the eighth national coach of the year given to Fickell following the remarkable 2021 season that saw the Bearcats win a school-record 13 games and a second straight American Athletic Conference Championship en route to the College Football Playoff Semifinals.
UC secured a No. 2 ranking early in the fall in the Associated Press Poll – its highest ranking in school history. Cincinnati defeated No. 9 Notre Dame, 24-13, in South Bend, Ind., for its first-ever road victory over a Top 10 team, before rattling off back-to-back 50-point games for the first time in school history in dominant wins over Temple (52-3) and UCF (56-21). The Bearcats' capped the regular season by defeating No. 16 Houston, 35-20, for their second consecutive AAC Championship title.
Cincinnati set school records for points (516) and touchdowns (70) in 2021 and extended the nation's second-longest home winning streak to 27-straight at Nippert Stadium.
FICKELL NAMED 'BEST HIRE' OF LAST FIVE YEARS BY ESPN
Luke Fickell was named the "best hire" in college football over the last five years by ESPN.
Said ESPN Senior Writer Adam Rittenberg: "Cincinnati had great teams before Fickell … But the program has reached new heights."
SPRING GAME TO BE HELD SATURDAY, APRIL 9
The annual Spring Game will be held on Saturday, April 9, at 1 p.m. Admission is free to fans.
RESERVE YOUR 2022 SEASON TICKETS NOW
The Bearcats Ticket Office is also accepting deposits for new football season tickets here. There are less than 500 deposits available.
THE BEARCATS ARE READY TO RELOAD
Led by the reigning consensus National Coach of the Year Luke Fickell and 12 returning starters, the Bearcats are the two-time defending AAC Champions and are coming off of a 13-1 season that culminated in a trip to the 2021 College Football Playoff. With a 44-7 mark since the start of 2018, Cincinnati's 86% winning percentage ranks among the nation's Top 5 winning percentages over the last four years.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati Athletics, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow Cincinnati Athletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.