CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bearcats have enjoyed a very nice run at Nippert Stadium in recent years, especially against some of the nation's best teams. With No. 6 Utah coming to town Saturday, the Bearcats have an opportunity to extend a home-field advantage that has helped produce several of the program's biggest victories.
Cincinnati is 9-2 at Nippert since the beginning of the 2025 season and has won all four of its home games this year. The Bearcats have also compiled a 6-3 record against AP-ranked opponents at Nippert since 2019, including last Saturday's 37-24 victory over No. 8 Texas Tech.
The Texas Tech victory was just Cincinnati's third home win over an AP Top 10 opponent, joining a 30-11 victory over No. 7 Rutgers in 2006 and a 17-12 upset of No. 9 Wisconsin in 1999. While such victories have been relatively rare throughout the program's history, the Bearcats have enjoyed much more consistent success against ranked visitors in recent seasons.
One interesting statistic helps illustrate that success. Cincinnati is 5-0 against ranked opponents at Nippert since 2019 when scoring at least 25 points. The Bearcats have also compiled a 168-8 all-time record at the stadium when scoring 30 or more points.
That offensive production has been very evident this season. Cincinnati has scored at least 30 points in each of its four home games and ranks among the nation's most productive rushing teams, averaging 234.6 yards per game.
The Bearcats will face another ranked opponent Saturday when Utah visits Nippert, marking the first time in program history Cincinnati has hosted ranked opponents in consecutive weeks. The unusual scheduling arrangement puts two of the Big 12's top teams in Cincinnati on back-to-back Saturdays.
The timing also presents an opportunity for the Bearcats to pursue another accomplishment. Cincinnati has not finished a season undefeated at home since 2021, when the team went 7-0 at Nippert on its way to becoming the first Group of Five program to reach the College Football Playoff.
That season was the 10th undefeated home campaign for Cincinnati in the program's modern era, and the current Bearcats have a chance to become the 11th.
The stadium's compact design places fans close to the field, creating an atmosphere that has long been part of Cincinnati football's identity. While a home crowd alone doesn't win games, the Bearcats have combined that support with big-time performances and victories over quality opponents.
Utah will be another difficult test Saturday, arriving undefeated and ranked sixth nationally. With Cincinnati having already earned a Top 10 win at Nippert this season, another strong performance would further establish the stadium as one of the Big 12's scariest places to play.
