Despite a solid defensive showing, the Cincinnati Bearcats fell short in a 20-6 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners in the Big 12 debut on Saturday afternoon.
Following a frustrating loss last week, Cincinnati was hoping to get back on track but the offense continued to struggle in the red zone today.
It appeared the Bearcats were going to cut into the 10-3 deficit heading into halftime but quarterback Emory Jones was intercepted in the end zone.
Scott Satterfield’s team couldn’t find success in the red zone for a second week in a row and Oklahoma was able to eventually pull away in the second half.
#Bearcats fail to find the end zone and eventually fall short in a 20-6 loss to Oklahoma in the Big 12 opener.https://t.co/PZ93vIpl8j pic.twitter.com/JM3trsB2fq
— Cincy on the Prowl (@CincyOnTheProwl) September 23, 2023
Cincinnati Football: Bearcats fall short in 20-6 loss against Oklahoma to open Big 12 play
Bryan Brown’s defense played well enough to keep the Bearcats within striking distance but the offense was just never able to make a real dent in the deficit.
Even though it was another disappointing outcome, Cincinnati linebacker Dorian Jones showcased his ability with a career-high 13 tackles and one sack.
Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel compiled 322 passing yards and two total touchdowns, and wide receiver Andrel Anthony posted 117 receiving yards.
The Bearcats will attempt to bounce back and snap the losing streak next week but a matchup against the BYU Cougars is going to be a serious challenge.
Scott Satterfield discussed the #Bearcats loss to Big 12 opponent Oklahoma in the postgame press conference.https://t.co/tNgVYc1QVd pic.twitter.com/YbjzGGk7dw
— Cincy on the Prowl (@CincyOnTheProwl) September 23, 2023
Cincinnati Football: Scott Satterfield reacts to Oklahoma loss in postgame press conference
Both teams moved the ball effectively and finished with 21 first downs but the Sooners were able to covert in the red zone and Cincinnati failed to do so.
During the postgame press conference, Satterfield discussed the loss against Oklahoma and looked ahead to a road trip to BYU per Cincinnati Athletics.
"“This outcome is not what we wanted but we are striving towards that. If you have a team full of guys that will fight then we’ll get there. We’re going to continue to work hard. I was very proud of our defense today. They held a high-powered offense to 20 points and not a lot of help from our offense. I was proud of our guys on that side of the ball. They played good enough for us to win. We have a short week and go on the road in the Big 12. We need to live in the training room this week to get our bodies and minds right, and be ready to go.”"