Big 12 team preview: With plenty of new faces, including at QB, will Cincinnati be contending or rebuilding?

FILE - Cincinnati head coach Scott Satterfield, center, leads the team onto the field before a game against Central Florida, Oct. 12, 2024, in Orlando, Fla.

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Phelan M. Ebenhack, Associated Press

Editor’s note: Ninth in a series previewing each team in the Big 12 in 2026.

Ahead of a late October trip to Salt Lake City, Cincinnati was riding high.

After a 3-point loss to Nebraska at Arrowhead Stadium to open the season, the Bearcats went on a tear, winning their next seven games, including an impressive victory against then-No. 14 Iowa State.

The Bearcats were bona fide Big 12 contenders, and the matchup between No. 17 Cincinnati and No. 24 Utah drew national attention, including a visit from ESPN’s “College GameDay.”

No one, aside from those in the Utah football facility, predicted a blowout, but that’s exactly what happened.

Utah drubbed Cincinnati 45-14 , neutering the Bearcats’ explosive offense and neutralizing dual-threat quarterback Brendan Sorsby. Sorsby rushed for just 28 yards (but did score a touchdown) and while he did throw for 221 yards and a score, he completed just 33% of his passes, threw a pick and lost a fumble as the Utes’ defense smothered him.

That loss was the tipping point in the Bearcats’ season.

Cincinnati lost its next four regular-season games, including to BYU , and a good chunk of the team opted out of its Liberty Bowl finale vs. Navy, which the Bearcats lost 35-13 to bring a disappointing close to a once-promising season.

What followed in the offseason was one of the most talked-about storylines in college football.

Sorsby transferred to Texas Tech, leaving the Bearcats without their star quarterback, but was ultimately ruled ineligible by the NCAA after an investigation found that he had bet on Indiana’s games while he was part of the team. Sorsby leaving initially stung, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the Bearcats.

Though the ending of the season soured things, the 7-6 mark was the first winning season by Cincinnati since joining the Big 12 in 2023. After a couple of rough years in the transition to power football, the Bearcats are on the upswing, but can they continue that trajectory in 2026?

It will start with the play of JC French IV, who spent the last three years at Georgia Southern. French threw for 2,929 yards and 20 touchdowns on a 63.8% completion rate, and while he wasn’t the most heralded signal-caller in the transfer portal (247Sports ranked him the No. 43 quarterback), Cincinnati coach Scott Satterfield is confident in the addition.

“Certainly went in the portal and then trying to find a guy that fit what we want to do, JC was one of the guys that was out there,” Satterfield said. “A couple of things that we like about JC. He ended up being the all-time leading passer in Georgia Southern school history. He’s a guy who has got a lot of great experience in coach Helton’s offense at Georgia Southern, lit it up at times, did a great job with throwing the football.

Georgia Southern quarterback JC French IV warms up before the Birmingham Bowl NCAA game against Appalachian State, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Birmingham. French was brought in to replace the departed Brendan Sorsby.

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Butch Dill, Associated Press

“But then you start digging deeper and calling and talking to people and finding out about his character, his leadership, how he handles himself off the field, and that was critical as well.”

French wasn’t a top dual-threat guy at Georgia Southern (he rushed for 315 yards and six touchdowns on 133 carries last year) but it is part of his game, and he fits the mold of a Cincinnati quarterback.

“I think for us in our offense, we’ve always had a quarterback that can move around a little bit, and he is able to do that as well,” Satterfield said.

French walks into a great situation on offense. Protecting him will be one of the top offensive lines in the conference, featuring preseason All-Big 12 members Joe Cotton (left tackle) and Evan Tengesdahl (left guard). Center Taran Tyo, an All-Big 12 third-team member, also returns.

At running back, though, the Bearcats lose their top two players — Tawee Walker (709 yards) and Evan Pryor (522 yards). Zion Johnson, who rushed for 106 yards last year, is expected to be elevated, and Cincinnati added Notre Dame running back Gi’Bran Payne. While on paper the talent isn’t as good as the 2025 room, running behind that offensive line will help, and the expectation is that Johnson will have a good year.

Oklahoma wide receiver Jayden Gibson (1) during a game against Temple, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025 in Philadelphia.

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Vera Nieuwenhuis, Associated Press

The wide receiver room is another rebuild, with top players Cyrus Allen, Caleb Goodie and Jeff Caldwell all gone. The Bearcats hit the transfer portal and picked up JV Gibson from Oklahoma, who could be the WR1, and Larenzo Fenner from South Dakota. Gibson had 199 yards at Oklahoma, but prior to his time in Norman, he had 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns at Arkansas Pine Bluff. Fenner had 1,002 yards and 15 touchdowns last year.

Isaiah Johnson (222 yards on 14 receptions) will see an elevated role.

There are intriguing options at receiver, but it will be hard to live up to 2025’s room.

On defense, where the Bearcats struggled, giving up 399.2 yards per game and 25.5 points per game, there’s a new coordinator — Army’s Nate Woody.

Woody has a tough task ahead of him as the Bearcats replace nearly every starter, though Cincinnati should have a strong linebacker corps, returning Johnathan Thompson and Antwan Peek Jr., two of the best players on last year’s defense.

Aside from them, it’s a mix of transfers, including Bowling Green safety MJ Cannon and North Carolina Central defensive end Thomas Johnson, and returning players like defensive tackle Marquaze Parker, that now move into starting roles.

While there’s a lot of new faces, this defense could be improved from last year.

The key stretch will be when the Bearcats fa...

Indexed and credited by AIPROPX. Originating outlet: Yahoo Sports. Open at source →