CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bearcats made plenty of headlines with Saturday's 37-24 upset of No. 8 Texas Tech, but they have an opportunity to accomplish something even more impressive this weekend. A victory over No. 6 Utah on Saturday would make Cincinnati the first unranked team to defeat AP Top 10 opponents in consecutive weeks since South Carolina accomplished the feat in 2022.
Even more remarkable, no unranked Big 12 team has ever defeated Top 10 opponents in consecutive weeks since the conference began play in 1996. Cincinnati also hasn't beaten ranked opponents in back-to-back games since 2008, when Brian Kelly's Bearcats defeated No. 23 South Florida and No. 20 West Virginia in consecutive weeks.
The opportunity comes after one of Cincinnati's biggest victories in years. The Bearcats dominated Texas Tech for much of Saturday's contest, building a 24-6 halftime lead before holding off the Red Raiders in the second half. It was Cincinnati's first home victory over a Top 10 opponent since defeating No. 7 Rutgers in 2006.
The Bearcats' offense has been impressive, averaging 455.3 yards per game. Running back Cole Tabb rushed for 173 yards against Texas Tech, while quarterback JC French IV threw a career-high four touchdown passes. Cincinnati's defense also delivered its best performance of the season, forcing three turnovers and recording four sacks.
Utah, however, presents another challenge altogether. The undefeated Utes enter Saturday at 7-0, riding a 13-game winning streak dating back to last season. They boast one of the nation's best defenses, allowing just 88.3 rushing yards per game, while their offense averages 221.0 yards on the ground.
The Bearcats will also be looking for some revenge after suffering a 45-14 loss at Utah last season. Cincinnati entered that matchup ranked No. 17 but struggled against a Utes team that controlled the game from the start.
Saturday's matchup will be the first time Cincinnati has hosted ranked opponents in consecutive weeks, giving Nippert Stadium another chance to shake up the college football world. The Bearcats have already shown they can compete with one of the Big 12's best teams, but beating Utah would put them in rare company and earn Cincinnati its sixth victory, making the program bowl eligible.
