Cincinnati Football: Five players to watch as Indiana comes to town

The Cincinnati Bearcats have a chance to take down undefeated Indiana for a second consecutive season and Arquon Bush will be key in doing so. Check out five players to watch from each team prior to kick off!

Since the Hoosiers have a dynamic passing game, Mike Tressel’s defense needs to create pressure without having to send many extra defenders. Jowon Briggs and the entire front will be looking to disrupt Indiana’s offense early on.

In the secondary, Bush will continue to play a significant role matching up against a talented wide receiver duo. The senior cornerback had three tackles, two pass deflections and an interception in the 38-24 win at Indiana last year.

Deshawn Pace was just as impressive that day, racking up a game-high 10 tackles to go with one tackle for loss and the game-sealing interception. I’m expecting Pace to play well again and make a major impact against the Hoosiers.

Offensively, the Bearcats will need Ben Bryant to be aggressive but take care of the ball. Bryant has developed a productive connection with wide receiver Tyler Scott, who leads the team with 15 catches and 238 receiving yards.

Cincinnati Football: Five players to watch as Indiana comes to town

Indiana will lean on Tiawan Mullen and several others to limit the Bearcats from creating big plays through the air. Mullen is one of the Big Ten’s best defenders and should make it difficult on Scott and the other Cincinnati receivers.

UCLA transfer linebacker Myles Jackson is another talented defender to keep an eye on. He has the ability to bully his way into the backfield and create chaos. On the offensive side, Tom Allen is hoping to have starting center Zach Carpenter available.

After hurting his hand last week, it sounds like Carpenter will likely return on Saturday against Cincinnati. The head to head matchup with Briggs up front will be an important battle to watch throughout the game.

If Carpenter is unable to play for a second straight game, third string sophomore Caleb Murphy will take over at center. Connor Bazelak has played well under center this season and will try to test the Bearcats with shots down field.

Even though Cincinnati pulled off an upset at Indiana last year, DJ Matthews found success with a game-high 120 receiving yards on five catches. I’m sure the former Florida State wide receiver is a priority for the Bearcats on Saturday.