It feels like deja vu for the Cincinnati Bearcats, and not in a good way, as they head into their regular-season finale Saturday against TCU in Fort Worth, Texas.
Following a 7-1 start this season with a peak AP ranking at No. 17, the Bearcats have dropped their last three games to fall out of the polls as well as the Big 12 Championship race (5-3). They lost their last five games in 2024 after a 5-2 start.
Cincinnati, though, will still be bowl eligible for the first time in head coach Scott Satterfield’s three seasons and since joining the Big 12 in 2023.
“Eight (wins) sounds a lot better than seven,” Satterfield said. “Especially heading into Signing Day next week, then portal season. … Playing on the road against a really good TCU team is a great opportunity for us as a program.”
Brendan Sorsby will look to finish the regular season on a high note. Sorsby has thrown for 2,518 yards with 24 touchdowns against just five interceptions. Four of those picks have come in his last three games.
Wide receiver Cyrus Allen has caught 11 of Sorsby’s touchdown passes.
TCU (7-4, 4-4) is coming off a hard-fought 17-14 win at then-No. 23 Houston that snapped a two-game losing streak.
Horned Frogs quarterback Josh Hoover is averaging 287.8 passing yards per game and completing 64.7% of his passes with 25 touchdowns. Eric McAlister has 1,020 yards on 56 receptions, averaging 18.2 yards per catch, and nine TDs. Jordan Dwyer has 51 receptions for 646 yards and five touchdowns.
The Horned Frogs, though, will be without leading rusher Kevorian Barnes (443 yards) on Saturday.
TCU has an opportunistic defense, with 12 interceptions and six fumble recoveries. The Horned Frogs have 21 sacks and 60 tackles for loss.
“We practice every day to minimize big plays, explosive plays,” TCU cornerback Vernon Glover Jr. said. “If we take that away, we got a big chance to win football games.”
Cincinnati is looking for its first eight-win season since 2022, its final year before joining the Big 12.
TCU is looking for its third eight-win season in four years under head coach Sonny Dykes.
