Regardless of the Cincinnati Bearcats being on a bye week this weekend, they move up three spots in the AP Top 25 from No. 25 to No. 22 after several ranked teams lost this weekend.
The Bearcats are ranked ahead of South Florida, James Madison, and Pittsburgh, and ranked behind Tennessee, Virginia, and Louisville. The Bearcats are the fourth-highest-ranked Big 12 team behind No. 8 Texas Tech, No. 13 BYU, and No. 15 Utah.
The Bearcats are currently tied for second in the Big 12 behind BYU, both teams having a 5-1 conference record. If the Bearcats win out, beating Arizona this weekend, BYU Thanksgiving weekend, and TCU on the road to end the season, they would have cemented themself a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game with a spot in the College Football Playoff on the line.
The Bearcats host the 6-3 Arizona Wildcats this Saturday and are currently a 6.5-point favorite.
🏈 #22 — The Cincinnati Bearcats move up to 22nd in the AP Top 25 Poll from #25 despite being on a BYE and will be ranked for this Saturdays showdown vs. the 6-3 Arizona Wildcats pic.twitter.com/RMENpS4RKh
— The Bearcat Bunch (@bearcatbunch) November 9, 2025