Cincinnati Hosts Kansas State Under the Lights in Big 12 Opener

Second Nippert at Night contest of the year kicks off at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN2

Cincinnati Hosts Kansas State Under the Lights in Big 12 OpenerCincinnati Hosts Kansas State Under the Lights in Big 12 Opener

CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati football team will bring its 3-0 record into battle this Saturday against Kansas State at Historic Nippert Stadium.

The Bearcats and Wildcats will face off at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN2, the second Nippert at Night game of the year.

The last time UC hosted two Nippert at Night games in a season was 2023. Since 2006, the Bearcats are 40-16 when playing at home under the lights.

Cincinnati is coming off a thrilling 35-31 win against rival Miami (Ohio) at TQL Stadium this past weekend. Trailing 28-7 at halftime, the Bearcats completed their largest second-half comeback of the last 30 years in the Battle for the Victory Bell. Running back Cole Tabb’s electric 53-yard touchdown run provided the game-winning score, and Antwan Peek Jr.’s strip sack in the waning moments of the game sealed the deal.

Following the win, UC has now opened the season with three straight victories and three straight 30-plus point performances for the first time since 2021. Behind the eighth-ranked rushing offense in the nation (269.7) and one of the most precise passers in the country (JC French, 76.5% completion percentage), the Bearcats’ offense has averaged 43.7 points per game through the first three weeks of the year.

On the defensive side of the ball, Peek leads UC in tackles (23) and had two forced fumbles on Saturday against Miami. He now has eight forced fumbles for his career, which are tied for second in school history with Jeff Luc (2013-14) and current defensive line coach Walter Stewart (2009-12). The program’s all-time leader in forced fumbles is Peek’s father, Antwan Peek Sr., who forced 17 fumbles in his career.

Kansas State received votes in both the AP and Coaches Polls this week and also brings a 3-0 record into action. K-State defeated Tulane, 31-20, last weekend and also has wins against Washington State and Nicholls. The Wildcats have allowed just 85.7 passing yards per game, which ranks first nationally, and are the least-penalized team in the country as well (2.67/game). Quarterback Avery Johnson, one of the most experienced signal callers in college football, has thrown for 618 yards and six touchdowns while rushing for 253 yards and three scores through three games.

The Bearcats will travel outside of the city of Cincinnati for the first time next weekend for a Saturday, Oct. 3 battle at Arizona. That game is set for an 11:00 p.m. ET start on FOX.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

The game will be broadcast on ESPN2 with Chuckie Kempf (play-by-play) and Dustin Fox (analyst) on the call. The game will be broadcast on radio via 700 WLW and SiriusXM Channel 176 or 237 with Dan Hoard (pxp) and Tony Pike (analyst) on the call.

 

DOWN THE DRIVE: C-PAW FIRST & 10

  1. Last week’s win over Miami (OH) gave Cincinnati its first 3–0 start since 2021 and just its eighth 3–0 start since the turn of the century. With a win this week vs. Kansas State, Cincinnati would start 4–0 for only the seventh time since the turn of the century (2007, 2009, 2012, 2018, 2020, 2021). It would also mark the first 4–0 start of head coach Scott Satterfield’s career.
  2. Cincinnati retained the Victory Bell last week in the oldest non-conference college football rivalry in the United States. The Bearcats now hold a 62–60–7 edge all-time as the series pauses without future matchups currently scheduled.
  3. With a win Saturday, Cincinnati will complete back-to-back perfect Septembers across the last two seasons (2025: 3–0; 2026: 4–0). Entering this weekend, the Bearcats are one of just 10 FBS programs undefeated in September games over the last two years: 7–0 (1.000): Indiana, Ole Miss, Missouri, Vanderbilt | 6–0 (1.000): Cincinnati, Alabama, BYU, Miami (FL), Texas, Texas Tech.
  4. Last season, Bearcats defensive coordinator Nate Woody directed an Army defense that utterly neutralized Kansas State in a second-half masterclass, holding the Wildcats to just 48 total yards (5 rushing) over the final two quarters and 2-for-9 on third downs as Army defeated Kansas State, 24–21.
  5. Cincinnati leads the all-time series vs. Kansas State, 4–3. Kansas State won the most recent meeting in Manhattan in 2024. Prior to that matchup, the schools last met in 1996, which was also Cincinnati’s last victory over K-State.
  6. Quarterback JC French IV continues to deliver high-efficiency play under center through the first three weeks of the 2026 season. French is one of only three FBS quarterbacks completing at least 75.0% of his passes, throwing for over 600 yards, and yet to throw an interception, joining Miami’s Darian Mensah and Virginia Tech’s Ethan Grunkemeyer.
  7. Junior transfer Cole Tabb has given the Cincinnati offense an elite big-play spark out of the backfield, averaging an astounding 11.0 yards per carry through the first three weeks of the 2026 season. Among all FBS players with at least 15 rushing attempts, Tabb ranks No. 3 nationally and leads all Big 12 running backs in yards per attempt.
  8. Tabb is the only player in the FBS averaging double-digit yards per carry and double-digit yards per catch while logging at least 15 rushing attempts and four receptions. Across 21 total touches, Tabb has accumulated 230 yards from scrimmage (187 rushing, 43 receiving) and four total touchdowns (3 rushing, 1 receiving).
  9. The Bearcats are one of only two FBS programs (alongside Army) with three different players who have recorded at least 140 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns this season: JC French IV (QB), Gi’Bran Payne (RB), and Cole Tabb (RB).
  10. Cincinnati is tied for 12th nationally in turnover margin at +4, forcing five turnovers (3 INTs, 2 FR) while committing only one turnover on offense (fumble).

 

HISTORIC COMEBACK

  • Trailing 28-7 in the third quarter against Miami (OH) last week, Cincinnati engineered a 21-point second-half comeback to secure a 35-31 victory.
  • The rally marks Cincinnati’s largest second-half comeback victory since 1996, surpassing 17-point second-half comebacks against Ohio (2018), No. 24 Southern Miss (2000), and Houston (1998). It also ties for the 5th-largest second-half comeback win in Big 12 conference history.

Cincinnati Largest Second Half Comebacks (Since 1996)

  1. 21 POINTS: SEPT. 19, 2026 VS. MIAMI (OH) — TRAILED 28-7 IN 3RD | W, 35-31
  2. 17 Points: Sept. 22, 2018 vs. Ohio — trailed 24-7 in 3rd | W, 34-30
  3. 17 Points: Nov. 18, 2000 vs. #24 Southern Miss — trailed 24-7 in 4th | W, 27-24
  4. 17 Points: Nov. 14, 1998 vs. Houston — trailed 41-24 in 4th | W, 44-43
  5. 15 Points: Sept. 2, 2002 vs. TCU — trailed 29-14 in 4th | W, 36-29 (OT)

 

TOP 25 OFFENSE

  • Cincinnati ranks in the top 25 in both total offense and scoring offense through three games, scoring 30+ points in all three contests. The Bearcats are one of 19 offenses ranking in the top 25 in each category. Cincinnati is averaging 491.7 yards per game and 43.7 points per game.
  • Furthermore, Cincinnati is one of five teams who feature a top 25 total and scoring offense but also have a top 10 rushing offense along with Army, Tennessee, South Carolina and this week’s opponent Kansas State.
  • The Bearcats are also one of 17 undefeated teams who have scored 30 or more points in each game this season.

 

JC TO JV CONNECTION HEATING UP

  • Wide receiver JV Gibson caught seven passes for 68 yards and a touchdown last week vs. Miami (OH). He’s caught a touchdown in all three games this season, a three-game streak. Last season, wide receivers Cyrus Allen (3x) and Jeff Caldwell had three-game touchdown streaks. With a touchdown this week, he would be the first Bearcat since Tyler Scott (2022) to record a touchdown in four consecutive games.