Cincinnati Bearcats football | |||
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First season | 1885 | ||
Head coach | Scott Satterfield | ||
2nd year, 3–9 (.250) | |||
Home stadium | Nippert Stadium | ||
Stadium capacity | 40,000[1] | ||
Stadium surface | UBU Sports' Speed Series S5-M | ||
Location | Cincinnati, Ohio | ||
Conference | Big 12 | ||
Past conferences | MVC (1957–1969) Independent (1970–1995) C-USA (1994–2003) Big East (2005-2012) AAC (2013-2022) Big 12 (2023-present) | ||
All-time history | |||
All-time record | 621–589–50 (.513) | ||
Postseason bowl record | 9–9–0 (.500) | ||
Playoff record | 0–1 | ||
Conference titles | 14 (BAA: 2, MAC: 4, MVC: 2, C-USA: 1, Big East: 4, AAC: 1) | ||
Rivalries | Miami (OH) RedHawks (rivalry) Louisville Cardinals (rivalry) Pittsburgh Panthers (rivalry) West Virginia Mountaineers | ||
Consensus All-Americans | Template:American college football All-Americans | ||
Current uniform | |||
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Colors | Red [2] and Black[2]
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Fight song | "Cheer Cincinnati" | ||
Marching band | University of Cincinnati Bearcat Bands | ||
Outfitter | Under Armour | ||
Website | gobearcats.com |
The Cincinnati Bearcats football team represents the University of Cincinnati, located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Bearcats are a member of the NCAA FBS Big 12 Conference and play their home games at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. For the 2014 season, the Bearcats played their home games at Paul Brown Stadium while Nippert Stadium was undergoing renovations. The Bearcats are currently coached by Scott Satterfield.
Affiliations[]
- 2023-present - Big 12 Conference
- 2013-2022 - American Athletic Conference
- 2005-2012 - Big East Conference
- 1996-2004 - Conference USA
- 1970-1995 - NCAA 1-A independent
Seasons[]
2020s[]
Season | Coach | Record |
---|---|---|
2025 | Scott Satterfield | |
2024 | Scott Satterfield | 5-7 |
2023 | Scott Satterfield | 3-9 |
2022 | Luke Fickell; Kerry Coombs | 9-4 |
2021 | Luke Fickell | 13-1 |
2020 | Luke Fickell | 9-1 |
2010s[]
Season | Coach | Record |
---|---|---|
2019 | Luke Fickell | 11-3 |
2018 | Luke Fickell | 11-2 |
2017 | Luke Fickell | 4-8 |
2016 | Tommy Tuberville | 4-8 |
2015 | Tommy Tuberville | 7-6 |
2014 | Tommy Tuberville | 9-4 |
2013 | Tommy Tuberville | 9-4 |
2012 | Butch Jones | 10-3 |
2011 | Butch Jones | 10-3 |
2010 | Butch Jones | 4-8 |
2000s[]
Season | Coach | Record |
---|---|---|
2009 | Brian Kelly; Jeff Quinn | 12-1 |
2008 | Brian Kelly | 11-3 |
2007 | Brian Kelly | 10-3 |
2006 | Mark Dantonio; Brian Kelly | 8-5 |
2005 | Mark Dantonio | 4-7 |
2004 | Mark Dantonio | 7-5 |
2003 | Rick Minter | 5-7 |
2002 | Rick Minter | 7-7 |
2001 | Rick Minter | 7-5 |
2000 | Rick Minter | 7-5 |
1990s[]
Season | Coach | Record |
---|---|---|
1999 | Rick Minter | 3-8 |
1998 | Rick Minter | 2-9 |
1997 | Rick Minter | 8-4 |
1996 | Rick Minter | 6-5 |
1995 | Rick Minter | 6-5 |
1994 | Rick Minter | 2-8-1 |
1993 | Tim Murphy | 8-3 |
1992 | Tim Murphy | |
1991 | Tim Murphy | |
1990 | Tim Murphy | 1-10 |
1980s[]
Season | Coach | Record |
---|---|---|
1989 | Tim Murphy | 1-9-1 |
1988 | ||
1987 | ||
1986 | ||
1985 | ||
1984 | ||
1983 | ||
1982 | ||
1981 | ||
1980 |
History[]
The Bearcats have an all-time record of over .500 as of 2018, having reached their 600th program victory in 2017. The team has had a bit of a resurgence in the past few years, going 98-56 since 2006, along with 9 bowl game appearances, 5 conference titles, two BCS Bowl berths, and 22 NFL Draft selections.
Robert Burch served as Cincinnati's head coach from 1909-1911, compiling a record of 16–8–2.[3] It was during his tenure that Cincinnati joined the Ohio Athletic Conference, where they would remain until 1927.[4]
In March 1927, George Babcock was hired as a professor of athletics and physical training at the University of Cincinnati.[5] From 1927 to 1930, he was the head football coach of the Bearcats football, compiling a 12–21–3 record.[6]
Sid Gillman, a member of the College and National Football League hall of fame shrines, was the architect of one of the top eras of Cincinnati football history. He directed the Bearcats to three conference titles and a pair of bowl game appearances during his six seasons (1949–54) before leaving for the professional ranks. Cincinnati, with Gillman developing the passing offenses which would make him successful in the pro ranks, became known for its aerial attack in the early 1950s.[7]
In 1968, under then head coach Homer Rice, the Bearcats were the nation's top passing team. Quarterback Greg Cook was the NCAA's total offense leader with receiver/kicker Jim O'Brien the national scoring champ. A year later, Cook earned Rookie of the Year honors as a Cincinnati Bengal. Two years later, O'Brien kicked the game-winning field goal for the Baltimore Colts in the Super Bowl.[7]
Affiliations[]
- 2023-present - Big 12 Conference
- 2013-2022 - American Athletic Conference
- 2005-2012 - Big East Conference
- 1996-2004 - Conference USA
- 1970-1995 - NCAA 1-A independent
Championships[]
Conference championships[]
Cincinnati has won 15 conference championships, nine outright and six shared.
Season | Conference | Coach | Overall record | Conference record |
---|---|---|---|---|
1933† | Buckeye Athletic Association | Dana M. King | 7–2 | 3–1 |
1934 | 6–2–1 | 2–0–1 | ||
1947 | Mid-American Conference | Ray Nolting | 7–3 | 3–1 |
1949 | Sid Gillman | 7–4 | 4–0 | |
1951 | 10–1 | 3–0 | ||
1952 | 8–1–1 | 3–0 | ||
1963† | Missouri Valley Conference | Chuck Studley | 6–4 | 3–1 |
1964 | 8–2 | 4–0 | ||
2002† | Conference USA | Rick Minter | 7–7 | 6–2 |
2008 | Big East Conference | Brian Kelly | 11–3 | 6–1 |
2009 | 12–1 | 7–0 | ||
2011† | Butch Jones | 10–3 | 5–2 | |
2012† | 10–3 | 5–2 | ||
2014† | American Athletic Conference | Tommy Tuberville | 9–4 | 7–1 |
2020 | Luke Fickell | 9–1 | 6–0 | |
2021 | 13–1 | 8–0 |
† Co-champions
Division championships[]
Season | Division | Coach | Opponent | CG result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | AAC East | Luke Fickell | Memphis | L 24–29 |
Bowl games[]
The Bearcats have participated in 22 postseason bowl games, with a record of 10–12. The program's first postseason games were by the 1897 Cincinnati football team, which played in two games in New Orleans in January 1898.
Year | Coach | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1946 | Ray Nolting | Sun Bowl | Virginia Tech | W 18–6 |
1949 | Sid Gillman | Glass Bowl† | Toledo | W 33–13 |
1950 | Sun Bowl | West Texas State | L 13–14 | |
1997 | Rick Minter | Humanitarian Bowl | Utah State | W 35–19 |
2000 | Motor City Bowl | Marshall | L 14–25 | |
2001 | Motor City Bowl | Toledo | L 16–23 | |
2002 | New Orleans Bowl | North Texas | L 19–24 | |
2004 | Mark Dantonio | Fort Worth Bowl | Marshall | W 32–14 |
2006 | Brian Kelly | International Bowl | Western Michigan | W 27–24 |
2007 | PapaJohns.com Bowl | Southern Miss | W 31–21 | |
2008 | Orange Bowl | Virginia Tech | L 7–20 | |
2009 | Jeff Quinn (interim) | Sugar Bowl | Florida | L 24–51 |
2011 | Butch Jones | Liberty Bowl | Vanderbilt | W 31–24 |
2012 | Steve Stripling (interim) | Belk Bowl | Duke | W 48–34 |
2013 | Tommy Tuberville | Belk Bowl | North Carolina | L 17–39 |
2014 | Military Bowl | Virginia Tech | L 17–33 | |
2015 | Hawaii Bowl | San Diego State | L 7–42 | |
2018 | Luke Fickell | Military Bowl | Virginia Tech | W 35–31 |
2019 | Birmingham Bowl | Boston College | W 38–6 | |
2020 | Peach Bowl | Georgia | L 21–24 | |
2021 | Cotton Bowl1 | Alabama | L 6–27 | |
2022 | Kerry Coombs (interim) | Fenway Bowl | Louisville | L 7–24 |
†The Glass Bowl is listed in NCAA records, but was not considered an NCAA-sanctioned bowl; Cincinnati counts the bowl game in their records.
Playoffs[]
Cincinnati was selected as the fourth seed in the College Football Playoff following the 2021 season.
Year | Seed | Opponent | Round | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | 4 | No. 1 Alabama | Semi-Finals – Cotton Bowl | L 6–27 |
Logos/Helmets/Uniforms[]
Image gallery[]
Rivalries[]
Louisville[]
Main article: The Keg of Nails

The Keg of Nails is the name of the rivalry between Cincinnati and Louisville. The rivalry has stretched over the span of four conferences from the Missouri Valley Conference, to the Metro Conference to Conference USA, and more recently in the Big East Conference, which in 2013 was renamed to the American Athletic Conference. It is believed to be the oldest rivalry for the Louisville football team and the second oldest for Cincinnati, only behind the annual game with the Miami RedHawks.
The trophy is a replica of a keg used to ship nails. The exchange is believed to have been initiated by fraternity chapters on the UC and U of L campuses, signifying that the winning players in the game were "tough as nails."
The present keg is actually a replacement for the original award, which was misplaced by Louisville, lost during some construction of office facilities. It is adorned with the logos of both schools and the scores of the series games.
The rivalry went on hiatus following the 2013 season, as Louisville moved to the Atlantic Coast Conference on July 1, 2014, and remains on hiatus following Cincinnati's move to the Big 12 Conference, which occurred on July 1, 2023.
Miami (OH)[]
Main article: Victory Bell (Cincinnati–Miami)
The Victory Bell is the trophy awarded to the winner of the American college football rivalry game played by the Cincinnati and Miami (OH). The Victory Bell is the oldest current non-conference college football rivalry in the United States (though the teams were conference rivals for a few years in the late 1940s and early 1950s).
The Bearcats and RedHawks (formerly the Redskins) square off each fall for the famed Victory Bell. The first game in the series, played on December 8, 1888, in Oxford, Ohio, was the first college football game played in the state of Ohio. The original bell hung in Miami's Harrison Hall (Old Main) near the site of the first game and was used to ring in Miami victories. The traveling trophy tradition began in the 1890s when some Cincinnati fans "borrowed" the bell. The bell went to the winner of the annual game for the next forty years until it mysteriously disappeared in the 1930s. The original bell reappeared in 1946 and is on display in the lobby of Miami's Murstein Alumni Center. The trophy is a replica of the original bell and is kept in the possession of the winning team each year. One side of the bell is painted black with white numbers showing Cincinnati's victories, while the other side is white with red numbers showing Miami's victories. Ties are indicated on the top of the red yoke in white numbers.
West Virginia[]
Main article: Cincinnati–West Virginia rivalry § Football
The teams met 20 times between 1921 and 2011, every year from 2005 to 2011, as conference foes and members of the Big East Conference. The rivalry was renewed in 2023 with Cincinnati joining the Big 12 Conference in which the Mountaineers competed in since 2011. West Virginia leads Cincinnati in the series 13-3-1 since 2011.
Memphis[]
Main article: Cincinnati–Memphis rivalry § Football
Cincinnati and Memphis have played a total of 36 times across a number of conferences. After the establishment of the American Athletic Conference in 2013, the series was renewed from the days of Conference USA. Most notably, in the 2019 season the two teams would face off twice in consecutive weeks, with both games being hosted by Memphis. The second game would be the 2019 American Athletic Conference Football Championship Game in which the Tigers would beat the Bearcats for the second straight week. Cincinnati and Memphis met again in 2020 at Nippert with the Bearcats defeating the Tigers 49–10. The teams have not played since Cincinnati's move into the Big 12 Conference on July 1, 2023.
The Bearcats have won the last 16 meetings, including a 38–17 victory in the 2022 meeting at Paycor Stadium to take the overall series lead at 60–59–7. However, in 2023, Miami shocked the Bearcats to tie the series again at 60–60–7.
Pittsburgh[]
Main article: River City Rivalry
The River City Rivalry is the name of the rivalry between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. The rivalry itself was relatively brief, played annually from 2005, during which season the rivalry trophy was introduced. Before the rivalry was titled, the two teams played each other in 1921, 1922, 1979, and 1981. The rivalry went on hiatus, like many others throughout the country, in the aftermath of the 2010–13 NCAA conference realignment, which left the programs in separate leagues. However, the two teams are scheduled to meet in a home-and-home series for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
The Paddlewheel Trophy is the rivalry trophy that was created in 2005 when the Bearcats joined the Big East Conference to which the Pittsburgh Panthers already belonged. The trophy is designed and named in honor the historic link between the cities from the days in the 19th and early-20th centuries when Paddle wheel-powered boats traveled between the two cities along the Ohio River.
The 2009 match-up between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh was described by one national columnist as the most "fascinating game I've ever seen." The game functioned as a Big East championship game, with Cincinnati entering first in the conference, and Pittsburgh at second. Additionally, the Bearcats entered the game undefeated and trying to earn a spot in the BCS National Championship Game, while the 9–2 Panthers were trying to secure their first BCS bowl since the 2004 season. The Panthers had an early 31–10 lead, however, the ensuing kickoff was returned for a touchdown by Mardy Gilyard to make it a 31–17 game at halftime. Cincinnati completed the comeback, tying the game at 38 late in the 4th quarter. Pittsburgh running back Dion Lewis scored a touchdown with 1:36 left in the game, but a mishandled snap by Andrew Janocko prevented the Panthers from converting the extra point. The Bearcats then drove down the field and scored on a 29-yard touchdown pass from Tony Pike to Armon Binns with 33 seconds left. Bearcats kicker Jake Rodgers converted the extra point attempt, and Cincinnati held on to win 45–44. Following the game, Cincinnati rose to a No. 3 ranking in the final BCS standing while Pitt dropped to No. 17. The game has been described as "one of the most crushing losses in the history of Pitt football." Though the rivalry has gone into hiatus upon Pittsburgh's move to the Atlantic Coast Conference it will be renewed in a Home and Home series starting in 2023. In the aftermath of the 2021–22 NCAA conference realignment the series will once again be a battle of power conference foes as the first game of the series will take place in Cincinnati's first year in the Big 12 Conference.
UCF[]
Main article: Cincinnati–UCF rivalry § Football
The Cincinnati–UCF football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the University of Cincinnati Bearcats and University of Central Florida Knights. The rivalry dates to the first game between the teams in 2015. The football series is tied 5-5 between the schools.
The schools have played in the same conference since 2013 when both joined the American Athletic Conference, and has continued after both schools began play in the Big 12 Conference in 2023. However the game is not a protected matchup in the Big 12, so there will be seasons with no scheduled game.
Xavier[]
Main article: Cincinnati–Xavier rivalry § Football
Cincinnati and Xavier would first play in 1918, but the series would not become an annual event until 1946. The game would be played each year at Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium as the venue had a larger capacity to accommodate the cross city showdown compared to Xavier's Corcoran Stadium. The series, and Xavier's football program, would come to a close after the 1973 series. Cincinnati leads the historic series, 18–12.
References/notes[]
- ↑ CollegeGridirons.com. Nippert Stadium. Archived from the original on 2010-09-07. Retrieved on 2010-08-28.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Brand Color (UC Official Team Colors - via PDF file). UC.edu.
- ↑ Cincinnati Football History Database. Nationalchamps.net. Archived from the original on 2017-07-04. Retrieved on 2017-06-19.
- ↑ Archived copy. Archived from the original on 2016-04-01. Retrieved on 2017-02-20.
- ↑ "Babcock Appointed", March 12, 1927.
- ↑ George Babcock Records by Year. College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on October 13, 2011. Retrieved on October 29, 2011.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Cite error: Invalid
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