TicketsCINCINNATI – The Cincinnati football team opens America Athletic Conference play on the road at Tulsa on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.
The Bearcats are the two-time defending AAC Champions, and the Golden Hurricane has given UC all it could handle in the last two meetings between the teams. The 2020 and 2021 matchups came down to the final play with Cincinnati winning both.
Led by AAC Players of the Week Tyler Scott and Ivan Pace Jr., UC is coming off a 45-24 win at Indiana in which the Bearcats led 38-10 at halftime.
Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell looked back at the Indiana matchup and previewed the AAC opener at his weekly press conference on Tuesday.
1. Indiana Win Means More
Cincinnati's victory over Indiana meant a little more for the Bearcats on Saturday. Not just because it's a Big Ten team, but also because it's a regional opponent who entered Nippert Stadium undefeated and with a bitter taste its it mouth after the Bearcats defeated the Hoosiers, 38-24, in Bloomington, Ind. last season.
Still, Cincinnati never trailed and opened up a commanding lead at halftime before ultimately winning by three touchdowns.
"It was a big win last week," Fickell said on Tuesday. "It was obviously great, everybody always kind of says it is a big win when you beat a team from the Big Ten and other conferences. I don't think that our program and our team looks at it like that. It was obviously a 3-0 opponent that came in here, that had been playing well, and regardless of what conference they are from, and I thought that our guys looked at it as a challenge. Any win is a big win, but I think when you when you are playing a 3-0 team, I think it's great win. I also love the fact that when you are playing teams within your region it even means a little bit more because 81% of our guys are from a 300-mile radius so they know a lot about you know those teams within that that region."
2. What's Cincinnati Football's One Goal?
Fickell, now in his sixth year and just two wins from tying Rick Minter as the winningest coach in school history, drives home to the Bearcats that they do not have any goals – just objectives – except one:
To play for a championship.
"That's the only goal we have," Fickell said. "We don't talk a lot about goals. We talk about objectives within our program, but we have one goal. Every year the goal is to play for a championship and the only way you do that is by winning whatever conference you're in. It won't change next year when we're in a different conference. The number one objective will be to play for a championship, and you've got to win in your conference to do that. We walk into camp; we talk about goals on the very first day and that's it. Our guys understand that. The first four games are not preseason like they are in the NFL. In some ways, for who we are and what we want, they are a little bit more of a preseason situation.
"Obviously, we've changed because we've been fortunate enough to be in the mix because of the way our guys have played in the last three years. Those games before the league start mean a little bit more. It hasn't changed the way we've attacked this thing. The conference is the most important thing that we do."
Cincinnati has made playing for the American Athletic Conference Championship its one goal each year. UC has met that goal three straight seasons. After falling to Memphis in the AAC Championship in 2019, the Bearcats have won back-to-back conference crowns, beating Tulsa in 2020 and Houston in 2021.
UC begins its title defense on Saturday in Tulsa.
3. Pace Jr. Can Get Even Better
Linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. continues to stack phenomenal peformances together, peaking with a 15-tackle, 4.5 TFL, 2.5 sack game against Indiana in which he was named the Bednarik National Player of the Week and the AAC Defensive Player of the Week.
The instinctual wrecking ball has made play after play since he stepped on campus last winter after transferring from Miami (Ohio) to play with his brother Deshawn.
He leads the nation in TFLs (11.0) and ranks in the Top 10 in tackles (46) and sacks (4.5).
Still, Fickell thinks the Cincinnati native, who he dubbed a 'fireball,' can get even better this season.
"I think the crazy thing is that there's still a lot more for him to grow to do," Fickell said. "That's what's still exciting about what is it that's going on. He understands what it is that we're doing. I think each and every week, he's grasping a little bit more of what it is that's around him. He's a great player, he's very instinctual. He's going to make a lot of plays for us. Our job is to continue to do what we've done and find a way to get better but also have him grow in what he does.
"We have to have a balance to continue to push him to challenge him, to grow him, and to make him do some other things."
4. Golden Hurricane Has Presented Some of the Toughest Challenges Last Three Seasons
Cincinnati need a goal-line stand, including three straight stops at the 1-yard line, to hold on to beat Tulsa in 2021 in the nightcap of UC's College Gameday-meets-homecoming extravaganza last season.
The Bearcats used a field goal as time expired to win the 2020 AAC Championships against the Golden Hurricane, and Cincinnati narrowly defeated Tulsa, 24-13, in 2019.
Recent proof states Saturday's matchup with be a tough test. That's what Fickell expects.
"I know the last three games have been as tough of football games as we have had in the last three years," Fickell said. "I think these games were ones where you at look how they played three years ago, look how they played two years ago, look how they played last year, they are obviously a very good football team, but they're obviously even different when they've played us."
Tulsa enters the game averaging more than 350 yards passing per game. The Hurricane rushed for 262 yards last week in a close loss at Ole Miss, too.
"Regardless of what the history is, we haven't played them on the road [since 2016], and that is a big deal as well."
5. Eric Phillips Provides Tremendous Example for Younger Teammates
Redshirt junior Eric Phillips expected to have a major role this season as a rotational defensive end, but he had only seen spot duty since he arrived to Clifton in 2019 from Colerain High School.
Entering this season, the 6-3, 260-pounder had played in 10 games with 10 tackles. He bided his time, learned from upperclassmen and his coaches and is making an impact in 2022.
Thrust into a starting role and contributing even more than his coaches predicted, Phillips has been one of the Bearcats' top defensive players with 12 tackles three QB hurries and two pass breakups from his defensive end spot. He had 2.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble against Indiana and also recovered a fumble at Arkansas.
"It's about those guys who have stuck it out," Fickell said. "Nowadays, there are a lot more opportunities for guys to see where the grass may be greener. I think it's a great example too of our program that a guy has fought and fought, and now it's earned, and those who do that will have good things happen."
Watch WR Tyler Scott and LB Wil Huber Discuss Tulsa, Recap Indiana
The Bearcats are the two-time defending AAC Champions, and the Golden Hurricane has given UC all it could handle in the last two meetings between the teams. The 2020 and 2021 matchups came down to the final play with Cincinnati winning both.
Led by AAC Players of the Week Tyler Scott and Ivan Pace Jr., UC is coming off a 45-24 win at Indiana in which the Bearcats led 38-10 at halftime.
Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell looked back at the Indiana matchup and previewed the AAC opener at his weekly press conference on Tuesday.
1. Indiana Win Means More
Cincinnati's victory over Indiana meant a little more for the Bearcats on Saturday. Not just because it's a Big Ten team, but also because it's a regional opponent who entered Nippert Stadium undefeated and with a bitter taste its it mouth after the Bearcats defeated the Hoosiers, 38-24, in Bloomington, Ind. last season.
Still, Cincinnati never trailed and opened up a commanding lead at halftime before ultimately winning by three touchdowns.
"It was a big win last week," Fickell said on Tuesday. "It was obviously great, everybody always kind of says it is a big win when you beat a team from the Big Ten and other conferences. I don't think that our program and our team looks at it like that. It was obviously a 3-0 opponent that came in here, that had been playing well, and regardless of what conference they are from, and I thought that our guys looked at it as a challenge. Any win is a big win, but I think when you when you are playing a 3-0 team, I think it's great win. I also love the fact that when you are playing teams within your region it even means a little bit more because 81% of our guys are from a 300-mile radius so they know a lot about you know those teams within that that region."
2. What's Cincinnati Football's One Goal?
Fickell, now in his sixth year and just two wins from tying Rick Minter as the winningest coach in school history, drives home to the Bearcats that they do not have any goals – just objectives – except one:
To play for a championship.
"That's the only goal we have," Fickell said. "We don't talk a lot about goals. We talk about objectives within our program, but we have one goal. Every year the goal is to play for a championship and the only way you do that is by winning whatever conference you're in. It won't change next year when we're in a different conference. The number one objective will be to play for a championship, and you've got to win in your conference to do that. We walk into camp; we talk about goals on the very first day and that's it. Our guys understand that. The first four games are not preseason like they are in the NFL. In some ways, for who we are and what we want, they are a little bit more of a preseason situation.
"Obviously, we've changed because we've been fortunate enough to be in the mix because of the way our guys have played in the last three years. Those games before the league start mean a little bit more. It hasn't changed the way we've attacked this thing. The conference is the most important thing that we do."
Cincinnati has made playing for the American Athletic Conference Championship its one goal each year. UC has met that goal three straight seasons. After falling to Memphis in the AAC Championship in 2019, the Bearcats have won back-to-back conference crowns, beating Tulsa in 2020 and Houston in 2021.
UC begins its title defense on Saturday in Tulsa.
3. Pace Jr. Can Get Even Better
Linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. continues to stack phenomenal peformances together, peaking with a 15-tackle, 4.5 TFL, 2.5 sack game against Indiana in which he was named the Bednarik National Player of the Week and the AAC Defensive Player of the Week.
The instinctual wrecking ball has made play after play since he stepped on campus last winter after transferring from Miami (Ohio) to play with his brother Deshawn.
He leads the nation in TFLs (11.0) and ranks in the Top 10 in tackles (46) and sacks (4.5).
Still, Fickell thinks the Cincinnati native, who he dubbed a 'fireball,' can get even better this season.
"I think the crazy thing is that there's still a lot more for him to grow to do," Fickell said. "That's what's still exciting about what is it that's going on. He understands what it is that we're doing. I think each and every week, he's grasping a little bit more of what it is that's around him. He's a great player, he's very instinctual. He's going to make a lot of plays for us. Our job is to continue to do what we've done and find a way to get better but also have him grow in what he does.
"We have to have a balance to continue to push him to challenge him, to grow him, and to make him do some other things."
4. Golden Hurricane Has Presented Some of the Toughest Challenges Last Three Seasons
Cincinnati need a goal-line stand, including three straight stops at the 1-yard line, to hold on to beat Tulsa in 2021 in the nightcap of UC's College Gameday-meets-homecoming extravaganza last season.
The Bearcats used a field goal as time expired to win the 2020 AAC Championships against the Golden Hurricane, and Cincinnati narrowly defeated Tulsa, 24-13, in 2019.
Recent proof states Saturday's matchup with be a tough test. That's what Fickell expects.
"I know the last three games have been as tough of football games as we have had in the last three years," Fickell said. "I think these games were ones where you at look how they played three years ago, look how they played two years ago, look how they played last year, they are obviously a very good football team, but they're obviously even different when they've played us."
Tulsa enters the game averaging more than 350 yards passing per game. The Hurricane rushed for 262 yards last week in a close loss at Ole Miss, too.
"Regardless of what the history is, we haven't played them on the road [since 2016], and that is a big deal as well."
5. Eric Phillips Provides Tremendous Example for Younger Teammates
Redshirt junior Eric Phillips expected to have a major role this season as a rotational defensive end, but he had only seen spot duty since he arrived to Clifton in 2019 from Colerain High School.
Entering this season, the 6-3, 260-pounder had played in 10 games with 10 tackles. He bided his time, learned from upperclassmen and his coaches and is making an impact in 2022.
Thrust into a starting role and contributing even more than his coaches predicted, Phillips has been one of the Bearcats' top defensive players with 12 tackles three QB hurries and two pass breakups from his defensive end spot. He had 2.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble against Indiana and also recovered a fumble at Arkansas.
"It's about those guys who have stuck it out," Fickell said. "Nowadays, there are a lot more opportunities for guys to see where the grass may be greener. I think it's a great example too of our program that a guy has fought and fought, and now it's earned, and those who do that will have good things happen."
Watch WR Tyler Scott and LB Wil Huber Discuss Tulsa, Recap Indiana