In week six of the college football season, the Cincinnati Bearcats host the University of Central Florida Knights on October 11 at Nippert Stadium.
These two teams last faced off on October 12, 2024, at FBC Mortgage stadium where the Bearcats won 19-13.
The Knights finished with a record of 4-8 overall and a 2-7 record in the Big 12, finishing 14. The Bearcats finished 5-7, with a record of 3-6 in the Big 12, good enough for 11 in the conference.
Both teams ended the season on a low note, the Knights losing 4 of their final 5 games while the Bearcats lost their final five games.
The Bearcats return some key players from last year's game, where Brendan Sorsby passed for 241 yards,1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions, and Joe Royer caught 8 passes for 84 yards.
Johnny Richardson, who caught one pass and had one rush, fumbled twice in this game, losing both, which ultimately won the Bearcats the game.
If the Bearcats want to win for the second year in a row, turnovers need to be cleaned up, which I expect Sorsby to do, going into his second year as a full-time starter.
The Knights had key departures like RJ Harvey, who ran for 94 yards against the Bearcats last season, as well as Kobe Hudson who had 114 yards and 1 touchdown
Their offense will have a new spark at quarterback next season, with redshirt freshman Dylan Rizk being the likely starter next year. Rizk passed for 904 yards, 5 touchdowns and 2 interceptions last season and was a small bright spot in a dissapointing season.
With the Bearcats and Knights going through several changes this offseason, the game is truly up for grabs, with the Bearcats having a great chance to get in the win column.