Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett
Our Best Case/Worst Case series concludes today with a look at Cincinnati. A year ago on this very day, I wrote that the Bearcats' best case scenario was a 10-win season and Gator Bowl appearance. How dumb I was. Let's see if Brian Kelly's team can once again surpass even the highest expectations:
Best case:
Back-to-back Bearcats.
Last year was no fluke; it was just the beginning. Blessed with a healthy returning quarterback for the first time in years, Kelly unleashes the full fury of his offense. Quarterback Tony Pike throws for 3,500 yards and 30 touchdowns, nearly half of them to All-American receiver Mardy Gilyard. Isaiah Pead energizes the running game, and the Bearcats average more than 30 points per game.
The defense just keeps chugging on despite the loss of 10 starters from 2008, and the change to a 3-4 gives it an edge on opposing offenses. The new-look Bearcats roll into Rutgers on Labor Day and outscore the Scarlet Knights, who are still piecing together their quarterback and receiver situations. Two weeks later, Cincinnati wins at Oregon State to move into the Top 20.
A 5-0 start pushes the Bearcats into the Top 15 before they are upset on a Thursday night at South Florida. But that's just one small hiccup as the team then steamrolls Louisville, Syracuse and Connecticut and beats West Virginia at packed Nippert Stadium on Nov. 13. A Thanksgiving Friday win over Illinois leaves Cincinnati hovering near the top 10, and a season finale victory at Pitt winds up an 11-1 season and second straight Big East title.
Then it's off to the Sugar Bowl, where national coach of the year Kelly outfoxes Nick Saban and the Bearcats topple Alabama for the biggest win in school history. Notre Dame, Boston College and several other schools come after Kelly in the offseason, but he signs a lifetime contract with Cincinnati, which renames its home field Kelly Stadium. Skyline Chili changes the name of its cheese coneys to cheese Kellys. The city is so energized that even the Bengals and Reds start to win a few games.
Worst case:
Back-to-the-pack Bearcats.
There's a lot of hype over the offense, but these are basically the same players who scored seven points in the Orange Bowl. Pike, Gilyard and Co. are solid, but not some unstoppable machine. And that's a problem, because the revamped defense misses Mike Mickens, Connor Barwin, DeAngelo Smith and all the other stars and springs more leaks than the BALCO investigation.
The Bearcats enter a hornets' nest at Rutgers on opening weekend, as the Scarlet Knights are fired up to beat the defending champs in their expanded stadium. After taking out some frustration on Southeast Missouri State, Cincinnati flies across the country for a beatdown from Oregon State and the Rodgers brothers. Already tired from the travel and big games in the first three weeks, the Bearcats are ripe for an upset at home by Fresno State in Week 4.
The record falls to 2-3 after a loss in Tampa. The defense finally starts to come together in midseason, and the team rebounds to beat Louisville, Syracuse and UConn. But West Virginia gets revenge for last year's overtime loss by coming into Nippert and taking the Bearcats down. Cincinnati beats Illinois but falls on the road to Pittsburgh in the finale for a very disappointing 6-6 season.
A trip to Toronto for the International Bowl feels like punishment. Kelly, sensing his opportunities thinning, bolts for another job in the offseason. The best football Bearcats fans have to look forward to is the Bengals. Ohio State wins the national title.
Our Best Case/Worst Case series concludes today with a look at Cincinnati. A year ago on this very day, I wrote that the Bearcats' best case scenario was a 10-win season and Gator Bowl appearance. How dumb I was. Let's see if Brian Kelly's team can once again surpass even the highest expectations:
Best case:
Back-to-back Bearcats.
Last year was no fluke; it was just the beginning. Blessed with a healthy returning quarterback for the first time in years, Kelly unleashes the full fury of his offense. Quarterback Tony Pike throws for 3,500 yards and 30 touchdowns, nearly half of them to All-American receiver Mardy Gilyard. Isaiah Pead energizes the running game, and the Bearcats average more than 30 points per game.
The defense just keeps chugging on despite the loss of 10 starters from 2008, and the change to a 3-4 gives it an edge on opposing offenses. The new-look Bearcats roll into Rutgers on Labor Day and outscore the Scarlet Knights, who are still piecing together their quarterback and receiver situations. Two weeks later, Cincinnati wins at Oregon State to move into the Top 20.
A 5-0 start pushes the Bearcats into the Top 15 before they are upset on a Thursday night at South Florida. But that's just one small hiccup as the team then steamrolls Louisville, Syracuse and Connecticut and beats West Virginia at packed Nippert Stadium on Nov. 13. A Thanksgiving Friday win over Illinois leaves Cincinnati hovering near the top 10, and a season finale victory at Pitt winds up an 11-1 season and second straight Big East title.
Then it's off to the Sugar Bowl, where national coach of the year Kelly outfoxes Nick Saban and the Bearcats topple Alabama for the biggest win in school history. Notre Dame, Boston College and several other schools come after Kelly in the offseason, but he signs a lifetime contract with Cincinnati, which renames its home field Kelly Stadium. Skyline Chili changes the name of its cheese coneys to cheese Kellys. The city is so energized that even the Bengals and Reds start to win a few games.
Worst case:
Back-to-the-pack Bearcats.
There's a lot of hype over the offense, but these are basically the same players who scored seven points in the Orange Bowl. Pike, Gilyard and Co. are solid, but not some unstoppable machine. And that's a problem, because the revamped defense misses Mike Mickens, Connor Barwin, DeAngelo Smith and all the other stars and springs more leaks than the BALCO investigation.
The Bearcats enter a hornets' nest at Rutgers on opening weekend, as the Scarlet Knights are fired up to beat the defending champs in their expanded stadium. After taking out some frustration on Southeast Missouri State, Cincinnati flies across the country for a beatdown from Oregon State and the Rodgers brothers. Already tired from the travel and big games in the first three weeks, the Bearcats are ripe for an upset at home by Fresno State in Week 4.
The record falls to 2-3 after a loss in Tampa. The defense finally starts to come together in midseason, and the team rebounds to beat Louisville, Syracuse and UConn. But West Virginia gets revenge for last year's overtime loss by coming into Nippert and taking the Bearcats down. Cincinnati beats Illinois but falls on the road to Pittsburgh in the finale for a very disappointing 6-6 season.
A trip to Toronto for the International Bowl feels like punishment. Kelly, sensing his opportunities thinning, bolts for another job in the offseason. The best football Bearcats fans have to look forward to is the Bengals. Ohio State wins the national title.
Sort comments by: Most Recent | First Posted
Comments that include profanity, or personal attacks, or antisocial behavior such as "spamming" or "trolling," or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. We will take steps to block users who violate any of our terms of use. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Brian Bennett
Bennett joined ESPN.com in August 2008 after nine years at The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky., where he covered college sports and the University of Louisville beat. He lives in Louisville.
BIG EAST SCOREBOARD
Saturday, 11/21
Final Louisville 22 South Florida 34 Final/2OT Connecticut 33 Notre Dame 30 Final 25 Rutgers 13 Syracuse 31
