“Nipp” at noon, and embrace brunch with the Cincinnati Bearcats.
Already with a noon date Oct. 4 against nationally-ranked Iowa State at Nippert Stadium, University of Cincinnati Bearcats football was given yet another noon kickoff for their Oct. 11 home game against UCF by the Big 12.
It will be the ninth time since UC entered the Big 12 in 2023 the Bearcats have a noon kickoff as dictated by the TV networks broadcasting the Big 12. The Oct. 4 sold-out kick vs. Iowa State is televised by ESPN2. The following week against UCF will be on FS1.
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For those savoring a “Nipp at night” contest, the 2025 wait will continue. In 2023, the Bearcats had two such opportunities against the Miami RedHawks and Kansas. Both were losses. The only shot in the night air last season was the season-ending 20-13 loss to TCU as the snow fell Nov. 30.
Going into the next noon games at Nippert, UC is 2-5 in early kick-games. If you want to throw in road starts, they did beat Miami University in Oxford last season, 27-16 in a matinee and the last win over Kansas was actually an 11 a.m. (Central) start in Lawrence.
Cincinnati Bearcats noon kickoffs since joining Big 12
Sept. 23, 2023 – A 20-6 loss to Oklahoma in a game played “sooner” than later.
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Oct. 13, 2023 – In Iowa State’s last visit, the Cyclones won 30-10 playing their 3-3-5 defense. The game was over at 3:07 p.m.
Oct. 21, 2023 – The Bearcats were nipped in a noon kick by Baylor, 32-29.
Sept. 7, 2024 – A glorious 27-6 lead late in the third quarter, fizzled in the fourth and Pitt kicked the game-winning field goal to spoil that afternoon’s lunch, 28-27.
Sept. 21, 2024 – Alas, a shout-out for a noon kick shutout of Houston, 34-0.
Oct. 19, 2024 – Make it back-to-back at brunch as UC takes down Arizona State 24-14 for Homecoming.
Nov. 9, 2024 – This lunch date featured turnovers for dessert as UC outgained West Virginia but handed the Mountaineers a 31-24 gift.
Cincinnati Bearcats haul in Big 12 honors for Kansas road win
After winning last Saturday’s game vs. Kansas, the Cincinnati Bearcats received a trio of weekly conference awards.
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Redshirt junior quarterback Brendan Sorsby earned his second Offensive Player of the Week award and redshirt senior kicker Stephen Rusnak received the Special Teams Player of the Week award. UC’s offensive line was named Offensive Line of the Week for the second time this season, the only school to win the award multiple times this year.
It was also announced Sorsby was named one of eight Manning Award Stars of the Week – the only Big 12 quarterback to receive that honor this week. He was also the highest-graded quarterback for the week by Pro Football Focus.
In addition, the Ray Guy Award people took notice of Max Fletcher’s three punts for 157 yards (52.3 average).
Brendan Sorsby is back to pass for the Cincinnati Bearcats at Kansas Sept. 27..
Cincinnati Bearcats QB Brendan Sorsby led final drive to beat Jayhawks
Sorsby passed for 388 yards and two touchdowns and added 52 yards on the ground to finish the 37-34 win at Kansas with 440 total yards. He completed 29 of 43 passes and his 18 passing first downs are the most by a Big 12 player this season. Sorsby led the game-winning 10-play, 75-yard drive with 1:45 left for a Big 12-opening road victory in a sold-out David Booth Stadium, completing a fourth-and-10 pass to keep the drive alive to Noah Jennings.
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After completions to Caleb Goodie and Gavin Grover and a pair of bulldozing runs by Tawee Walker, UC had the lead. The defense finally stopped Jalon Daniels and Kansas in the final seconds to seal the key road win.
UC kicker Stephen Rusnak delivers, along with punter Max Fletcher
Rusnak made all three of his field goal attempts and all four of his PATs. His field goals came from 24, 29 and 43 yards. He is the only kicker in the country to have not missed a field goal since the start of the 2024 season. UC plucked him from the transfer portal after he was 11-for-11 at Charlotte last season and perfect on his PATs. The success has continued with Rusnak sporting red and black.
Cincinnati Bearcats offensive linemen Gavin Gerhardt and Taran Tyo take the field at Kansas Sept. 27.
Fletcher is the holder for Rusnak’s kicks and Eli Stein is the snapper. As for punts, Fletcher had a long of 53 and put all three of his kicks inside the 20-yard line to earn Ray Guy Award recognition for the week.
Cincinnati Bearcats offensive line success
UC’s offensive line helped pave the way to victory vs. Kansas, recording eight knockdowns and allowing just one sack, the fewest sacks by Kansas’ defense since 2023. It was the first sack UC has allowed this season. The Bearcats tied with Oregon and Navy for the fewest sacks allowed nationally this season. The Bearcats piled up 603 yards of offense, the most against an FBS opponent since 2020. The O-Line received an 87.5 overall grade from the coaching staff.
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Iowa State brings top-25 ranking to UC
The Cyclones are ranked No. 12 in the US LBM Coaches Polland No. 14 in the Associated Press tally. The coaches have Iowa State tops in the Big 12, with Texas Tech at No. 14, BYU at No. 23, Arizona State No. 24 and Utah No. 25. AP slots Texas Tech at No. 11 ahead of Iowa State (14). They list BYU at No. 23 and Arizona State at No. 25.
TCU and Houston received votes in the US LBM poll, with Utah and TCU gaining votes in AP.
In addition to the upcoming Iowa State game, UC has a Nov. 1 road date at Utah, a Nov. 22 game at Nippert Stadium against BYU, and a Nov. 29 game to conclude the regular season at TCU.
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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bearcats vs UCF kickoff announced, Big 12 honors
