(Photo Credit: Mike Zarrilli – Getty Images/AFP)
Key Players Returning:
QB Desmond Ridder, RB Jerome Ford, WR Alec Pierce, WR/KR Tre Tucker, WR Michael Young, TE Josh Whyle, OC Jake Renfro, OG Vincent McConnell, OT Dylan O’Quinn, DE Myjai Sanders, DE Malik Vann, LB Darrian Beavers, LB Joel Dublanko, LB Ty Van Fossen, CB Coby Bryant, CB Ahmad Gardner, PR Ryan Montgomery, and PK Cole Smith.
Key Players Departing:
RB Gerrid Doaks, WR Jayshon Jackson, OT James Hudson, OT Darius Harper, DE Elijah Ponder, Jarell White, FS James Wiggins, SS Darrick Forrest, and PT James Smith.
2020 Top Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: ATH Chamon Metayer (Miami, Florida), ATH Bryon Threats (Dublin, Ohio), LB Jack Dingle (Louisville, Kentucky), DE Zeiqui Lawton (Charleston, West Virginia), DT Robert Jackson (Warminster, Pennsylvania), LB Devin Hightower (Michigan State transfer), OT Luke Collinsworth (Brookville, Indiana), OG Mao Glynn (Cincinnati, Ohio), CB Lesa Jarmon (Cincinnati, Ohio), and S Armorion Smith (River Rouge, Michigan).
2020 Results:
G01 AUSTIN-PEAY W 55-20
G02 #22 ARMY W 24-10
G03 USF W 28-7
G04 at #16 SMU W 42-13
G05 MEMPHIS W 49-10
G06 HOUSTON W 38-10
G07 EAST CAROLINA W 55-17
G08 at UCF W 36-33
AAC #20 TULSA W 27-24
BOWL vs. #11 Georgia L 21-24
Team Info:
2020 Record: 9-1 (AAC Champions)
Home: 7-0
Away: 2-0
Neutral: 0-1
AAC: 6-0
Non-AAC: 3-1
Head Coach: Luke Fickell
Cincinnati: 35-14
Career: 41-21
Bowls: 2-2
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Desmond Ridder (186-281, 2296 yards, 66.2%, 8.2 avg., 19 TD, 6 INT)
Rushing: Jerome Ford (73 car., 483 yards, 6.6 avg., 8 TD)
Receiving: Josh Whyle (28 rec., 353 yards, 12.6 avg., 6 TD)
TDs Scored: Desmond Ridder (12)
Sacks: Myjai Sanders (7)
Tackles: Myjai Sanders (31)
Tackles For Loss: Myjai Sanders (10.5)
Interceptions: Ahmad Gardenr (3)
Pass Deflections: Ahmad Gardenr (6)
Forced Fumbles: Ja’Von Hicks/Deshawn Pace/Michaels Pitts (1)
Kick Returns: Tre Tucker (13 ret., 389 yards, 29.9 avg., 1 TD)
Punt Returns: Ryan Montgomery (14 ret., 110 yards, 7.9 avg., 0 TD)
Kickers: Cole Smith (7-10 fg/fga., 70%, 48-50 xp/xpa.,69 pts.)
Punters: None
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 9 Desmond Ridder (RS SR)
RB: 24 Jerome Ford (RS SO/TR)
WR: 12 Alec Pierce (SR)
WR: 7 Tre Tucker (JR)
WR: 8 Michael Young (GR/TR)
TE: 81 Josh Whyle (RS JR)
LT: 75 John Williams (SO)
LG: 74 Jeremy Cooper (RS JR)
OC: 56 Jake Renfro (SO)
RG: 77 Vincent McConnell (RS SR)
RT: 50 Dylan O’Quinn (RS JR)
KR: 7 Tre Tucker (JR)
PK: 17 Cole Smith (SR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 21 Myjai Sanders (SR)
DT: 92 Curtis Brooks (GR)
DE: 42 Malik Vann (SR)
LB: 00 Darrian Beavers (GR/TR)
LB: 41 Joel Dublanko (GR)
LB: 13 Ty Van Fossen (RS JR)
NB: 9 Arsuon Bush (SR JR)
CB: 12 Ahmad Gardner (JR)
CB: 6 Coby Bryant (GR)
FS: 6 Bryan Cook (SR SR/TR)
SS: 3 Ja’Von Hicks (SR)
PR: 22 Ryan Montgomery (JR)
PT: 31 Mason Fletcher (FR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: B
Punters: C
Schedule:
09/04 MIAMI (OH) RedHawks | Cincinnati trails the series 58-59-7. The Bearcats are 9-0 since 2011, and their last series loss (16-44) was in 2005.
09/11 MURRAY STATE RACERS | First meeting between schools.
09/18 at Indiana Hoosiers | Cincinnati trails the series 3-9. The Bearcats lost (6-42) the last meeting between schools on 2000, and their last series win (21-0) was in 1957.
10/02 at Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Cincinnati lost (0-58) the only prior meeting between schools in 1900.
10/08 TEMPLE OWLS | Cincinnati trails the series 8-13. The Bearcats are 4-4 since renewing the series in 2012, and their last series loss (17-24 OT) was in 2018.
10/16 UCF KNIGHTS | The series is tied 3-3. The Bearcats won (36-33) last season’s meeting between schools, and their last series loss (13-38) was in 2018.
10/23 at Navy Midshipmen | Cincinnati trails the series 1-3. The Bearcats won (42-0) the last meeting between schools in 2018, and their last series loss (32-42) was in 2017.
10/30 at Tulane Green Wave | Cincinnati trails the series 6-11. The Bearcats won (37-21) the last meeting between schools in 2018, and their last series loss (17-35) was in 2002.
11/06 TULSA GOLDEN HURRICANE | Cincinnati trails the series 16-17-2. The Bearcats are 3-1 since renewing the series in 2015, and their last series loss (37-40 OT) was in 2016.
11/12 at USF Bulls | Cincinnati leads the series 11-7. The Bearcats are 6-4 since 2011, and their last series loss (3-33) was in 2017.
11/20 SMU MUSTANGS | Cincinnati leads the series 4-1. The Bearcats won (42-13) last season’s meeting between schools, and their only series loss (28-31 OT) was in 2017.
11/27 at East Carolina Pirates | Cincinnati trails the series 11-13. The Bearcats are 6-1 since renewing the series in 2014, and their last series loss (20-48) was in 2017.
Predictions:
Home: 6-0
Away: 3-3
Neutral: 0-1
AAC: 7-1
Non-AAC: 2-3
Overall: 9-4 (2nd in AAC)
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