Cincinnati Bearcats football
Encyclopedia
The Cincinnati Bearcats football program represents the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....

 in a college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...

. They compete at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level as members of the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...

. The Bearcat football program is one of the nation's oldest, having fielded a team as early as 1885. In 1888, Cincinnati played Miami University in the first intercollegiate football game held within the state of Ohio. That began a rivalry which today ranks as the eighth-oldest and 11th-longest running in NCAA Division I college football.

Sid Gillman, a member of the College and National Football League hall of fame shrines, was the architect of one of the top eras of Cincinnati football history. He directed the Bearcats to three conference titles and a pair of bowl game appearances during his six seasons (1949–54) before leaving for the professional ranks. Cincinnati, with Gillman developing the passing offenses which would make him successful in the pro ranks, became known for its aerial attack in the early 1950s.

In 1968, the Bearcats were the nation’s top passing team. Quarterback Greg Cook was the NCAA’s total offense leader with receiver/kicker Jim O'Brien the national scoring champ. A year later, Cook earned Rookie of the Year honors as a Cincinnati Bengal. Two years later, O’Brien kicked the game-winning field goal for the Baltimore Colts in the Super Bowl.

With more than 90 players advancing into the professional ranks, 35 earning All-American honors, and 12 garnering Verizon Academic All-America recognition, Cincinnati football clearly has a history of accomplishments, both on and off the gridiron.

Conference championships

Year Conference Coach Record
1933 Buckeye Intercollegiate Athletic Association Dana M. King 4–1
1934 Buckeye Intercollegiate Athletic Association Dana M. King 3–0–1
1947 Mid-American Athletic Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...

Ray Nolting
Ray Nolting
Raymond A. Nolting was an American football running back for the Chicago Bears, as well as a college football coach. He played college football at Cincinnati, before spending 6 seasons with the Bears. He rushed for over 2,000 yards, and had over 500 receiving yards before retiring in 1943...

3–1
1949 Mid-American Athletic Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...

Sid Gillman
Sid Gillman
Sidney "Sid" Gillman was an American football player, coach, executive, and innovator. Gillman's insistence on stretching the football field by throwing deep downfield passes, instead of short passes to running backs or wide receivers at the sides of the line of scrimmage, was instrumental in...

4–0
1951 Mid-American Athletic Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...

Sid Gillman
Sid Gillman
Sidney "Sid" Gillman was an American football player, coach, executive, and innovator. Gillman's insistence on stretching the football field by throwing deep downfield passes, instead of short passes to running backs or wide receivers at the sides of the line of scrimmage, was instrumental in...

3–0
1952 Mid-American Athletic Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...

Sid Gillman
Sid Gillman
Sidney "Sid" Gillman was an American football player, coach, executive, and innovator. Gillman's insistence on stretching the football field by throwing deep downfield passes, instead of short passes to running backs or wide receivers at the sides of the line of scrimmage, was instrumental in...

3–0
1963 Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...

Chuck Studley
Chuck Studley
Charles B. "Chuck" Studley is a former American football coach. He served as interim head coach of the Houston Oilers in 1983. Studley would finish with a 2-8 record in his only job as an NFL head coach....

3–1
1964 Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...

Chuck Studley
Chuck Studley
Charles B. "Chuck" Studley is a former American football coach. He served as interim head coach of the Houston Oilers in 1983. Studley would finish with a 2-8 record in his only job as an NFL head coach....

6–2
2002 Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...

Rick Minter
Rick Minter
Rick Minter is an American football coach in the United States. He is currently the co-defensive coordinator at the University of Kentucky...

7–6
2008
2008 Cincinnati Bearcats football team
The 2008 Cincinnati Bearcats football team represents the University of Cincinnati in the college football season of 2008–2009. The team, coached by Brian Kelly, plays its homes game in Nippert Stadium. Kelly is in his second full season with the Bearcats after coaching them to a 31–21 win...

Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...

Brian Kelly
Brian Kelly (coach)
Brian Keith Kelly is an American football coach and former player in the United States. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame, a position he has held since the 2010 season...

11–3
2009
2009 Cincinnati Bearcats football team
The 2009 Cincinnati Bearcats football team represented the University of Cincinnati in the college football season of 2009–2010. The team, coached by Brian Kelly, played its home games in Nippert Stadium....

Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...

Brian Kelly
Brian Kelly (coach)
Brian Keith Kelly is an American football coach and former player in the United States. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame, a position he has held since the 2010 season...

12–0
Conference Titles 11

Trophy games

  • Keg of Nails, Louisville Cardinals
    Louisville Cardinals football
    The Louisville Cardinals football team represents the University of Louisville in college football as a member of the Big East Conference. Howard Schnellenberger started the program's rise to relevancy after winning the Miami Hurricanes' first national championship...

  • River City Rivalry
    River City Rivalry
    The River City Rivalry is an annual game played between Big East rivals University of Pittsburgh and University of Cincinnati. The rivalry itself is relatively new, played regularly only since 2005, during which season the rivalry trophy was introduced. Before the rivalry was titled, the two teams...

    , Pittsburgh Panthers
    Pittsburgh Panthers football
    Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...

  • Victory Bell
    Victory Bell (Miami-Cincinnati)
    The Miami-Cincinnati Victory Bell is the oldest current non-conference college football rivalry in the United States . The Cincinnati Bearcats and the Miami University RedHawks square off each fall for the famed Victory Bell. The first meeting, on Dec...

    , Miami RedHawks
    Miami RedHawks football
    The Miami University RedHawks, known as the Miami Redskins before 1996, are a NCAA Division I FBS college football program that competes in the Mid-American Conference...


Bowl games

The Bearcats have participated in 12 bowl games, with a record of 6-6.
Year and bowl Winning team Losing team
1947 Sun Bowl
1947 Sun Bowl
The 1947 Sun Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies of the Southern Conference and the Cincinnati Bearcats. It took place on January 1, 1947 at Kidd Field in El Paso, Texas. Cincinnati defeated Virginia Tech 18–6 in cold and icy conditions that...

Cincinnati 18 Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...

 
6
1949 Glass Bowl Cincinnati 33 Toledo
Toledo Rockets
The Toledo Rockets are the athletic teams that represent the University of Toledo. The Rockets are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association and play in the Mid-American Conference . The school's colors are midnight blue and gold.Toledo's...

 
13
1951 Sun Bowl
1951 Sun Bowl
The 1951 Sun Bowl was a college football bowl game that took place in El Paso, Texas on January 1, 1951 between the West Texas State Buffaloes and the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. This was the 16th Sun Bowl that had been played in El Paso, the second oldest bowl game, the only older being...

West Texas A&M 14 Cincinnati 13
1997 Humanitarian Bowl
1997 Humanitarian Bowl
The 1997 edition to the Humanitarian Bowl was the 1st edition of the bowl game. It featured the and the .Cincinnati took a 7-0 lead on a 14 yard touchdown pass from Chad Plummer to Cornelius Bonner. They led 14-0 on a 14 yard scoring pass from Deontey Kenner to Cornelius Bonner...

Cincinnati 35 Utah State
Utah State Aggies football
The Utah State Aggies are a college football team that competes in the Western Athletic Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I, representing Utah State University. The Utah State college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Romney Stadium since 1968...

 
19
2000 Motor City Bowl
2000 Motor City Bowl
The 2000 Motor City Bowl was a National Collegiate Athletic Association bowl game in which the Marshall Thundering Herd of the MAC defeated the Cincinnati Bearcats of the Conference USA 25–14. It was played on December 27, 2000 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan...

Marshall
Marshall Thundering Herd football
The Marshall Thundering Herd football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Marshall University. The team represents the university as a member of the Conference USA Eastern division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 Bowl Subdivision...

 
25 Cincinnati 14
2001 Motor City Bowl
2001 Motor City Bowl
The 2001 Motor City Bowl was a National Collegiate Athletic Association bowl game in which the Toledo Rockets of the MAC defeated the Cincinnati Bearcats of the Conference USA 23–16...

Toledo 23 Cincinnati 16
2002 New Orleans Bowl
2002 New Orleans Bowl
The 2002 Wyndham New Orleans Bowl featured the and the . It was North Texas' second consecutive New Orleans Bowl appearance.Quarterback Gino Guidugli got Cincinnati on the board first with a 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tye Keith, to give Cincinnati a 7-0 lead. Nick Bazaldua connected on...

North Texas
North Texas Mean Green football
The North Texas Mean Green football team represents the University of North Texas in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-FBS college football and competes as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. The Mean Green have attained several conference championships, including four...

 
24 Cincinnati 19
2004 Fort Worth Bowl
2004 Fort Worth Bowl
The 2004 edition to the Fort Worth Bowl, the second edition, featured the , and the . It had a title sponsor of PlainsCapital Bank. The game was particularly notable because it featured an incoming school to and outgoing school from Conference USA.Cincinnati scored first, when Antauwn Gibbons...

Cincinnati 32 Marshall 14
2007 International Bowl
2007 International Bowl
The 2007 International Bowl, held on January 6, 2007 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, was one of the college American football bowl games that ended the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The game pitted the University of Cincinnati against Western Michigan University...

 
Cincinnati 27 Western Michigan
Western Michigan Broncos football
The Western Michigan Broncos football program represents Western Michigan University in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I and the Mid-American Conference . Western Michigan has competed in football since 1906, when they played three games in their inaugural season...

24
2007 PapaJohns.com Bowl
2007 PapaJohns.com Bowl
The 2007 PapaJohns.com Bowl was a postseason college football match between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Southern Miss Golden Eagles at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The University of Cincinnati represented the Big East Conference and the University of Southern Mississippi represented...

 
Cincinnati 31 Southern Miss
Southern Miss Golden Eagles football
The Southern Miss Golden Eagles football program represents the University of Southern Mississippi in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The Eagles are members of Conference USA and player their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Mississippi...

 
21
2009 Orange Bowl
2009 Orange Bowl
The 2009 FedEx Orange Bowl game was the 75th edition of the annual college football bowl game known as the Orange Bowl. It pitted the 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference champion Virginia Tech Hokies against the Big East Conference champion Cincinnati Bearcats on January 1, 2009 at Dolphin Stadium in...

 
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...

 
20 Cincinnati 7
2010 Sugar Bowl
2010 Sugar Bowl
The 2010 Sugar Bowl Game was an American college football bowl game that was part of the Bowl Championship Series for the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season and was the 76th Sugar Bowl...

 
Florida
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...

 
51 Cincinnati 24

Current NFL players

  • Connor Barwin
    Connor Barwin
    Connor Barwin is an American football linebacker for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Texans in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Cincinnati.-Early years:...

    , defensive end
    Defensive end
    Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...

    , Houston Texans
    Houston Texans
    The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

  • Brent Celek
    Brent Celek
    Brent Steven Celek is an American football tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Eagles in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Cincinnati.-Early years:...

    , Tight end
    Tight end
    The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...

    , Philadelphia Eagles
    Philadelphia Eagles
    The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

  • Trent Cole
    Trent Cole
    -2005:Cole was selected in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles with the draft pick acquired from the Washington Redskins for wide receiver James Thrash. He signed a 4-year contract before his rookie season....

    , Defensive end
    Defensive end
    Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...

    , Philadelphia Eagles
    Philadelphia Eagles
    The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

  • Kevin Huber
    Kevin Huber
    Kevin Huber is an American football punter for the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at Cincinnati and attended Archbishop McNicholas High School in Cincinnati. He was considered one of the top punter prospects in the 2009 NFL Draft...

    , punter, Cincinnati Bengals
    Cincinnati Bengals
    The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...

  • Jason Kelce
    Jason Kelce
    Kelce ran the fastest 40-yard dash time of all offensive lineman at the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine, with a 4.89-second time. He had an appendectomy on March 11 after he was diagnosed with appendicitis.-Philadelphia Eagles:...

    , center
    Center (American football)
    Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...

    , Philadelphia Eagles
    Philadelphia Eagles
    The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

  • Mike Wright
    Mike Wright
    Michael Wright is an American football defensive end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was originally signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Cincinnati....

    , Defensive End
    Defensive end
    Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...

    , New England Patriots
    New England Patriots
    The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...

  • Haruki Nakamura
    Haruki Nakamura
    Haruki Robert Nakamura is an American football safety for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League.-Early life:...

    , Safety
    Safety
    Safety is the state of being "safe" , the condition of being protected against physical, social, spiritual, financial, political, emotional, occupational, psychological, educational or other types or consequences of failure, damage, error, accidents, harm or any other event which could be...

    , Baltimore Ravens
    Baltimore Ravens
    The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...


Current coaching staff

Name Current Title Joined
UC
Alma mater
Butch Jones
Butch Jones
-External links:*...

 
Head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...

 
2010 Ferris State
Ferris State University
Ferris State University is a public university with its main campus in Big Rapids, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1884 as the Big Rapids Industrial School by Woodbridge Nathan Ferris, an educator from New England who later served as governor of the State of Michigan and finally in the US Senate where...

Kerry Coombs Associate head coach
Special teams coordinator
Defensive backs coach
Defensive backs coach
A defensive backs coach or secondary coach is a coach in charge of the safeties and cornerbacks in gridiron football. This position is very common in the CFL, NFL and college football programs. Some common titles are: safeties coach, cornerbacks coach, secondary coach, secondary/safeties coach,...

 
2007 Dayton
University of Dayton
The University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...

Steve Stripling Assistant head coach
Defensive line coach
Defensive Line Coach
A defensive line coach is a coach that is in charge of the defensive line in gridiron football. This position is very common in the CFL, NFL, and college football programs. The defensive line coach serves the defense, which is led by the defensive coordinator. A defensive line coach works primarily...

 
2010 Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...

Mike Bajakian Offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...


Quarterbacks coach
Quarterbacks coach
A quarterbacks coach is a coach in charge of the quarterbacks in gridiron football. The quarterbacks coach typically operates under the offensive coordinator on a team's coaching staff....

 
2010 Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...

Tim Banks Co-defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...


2010 Central Michigan
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...

John Jancek Co-defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...


Linebackers coach
Linebackers coach
A linebackers coach is a position coach in charge of the linebackers in gridiron football. This role is common in the CFL, NFL, and college football programs. The linebackers coach serves the defense, which is led by the defensive coordinator and works with the players of the three linebacker...


Recruiting coordinator
2010 Grand Valley State
Grand Valley State University
Grand Valley State University is a public liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1960, and its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids...

Mark Elder Running backs coach
Running backs coach
A running backs coach is a coach in charge of the running backs in gridiron football. The running backs coach typically operates under the team's offensive coordinator....

 
2010 Case Western Reserve
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...

Dave Johnson Tight ends coach
Tight ends coach
A tight ends coach is a coach in charge of the tight ends in American football. The tight ends coach typically operates under the team's offensive coordinator....

 
2011 West Virginia
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...

Don Mahoney Offensive line coach
Offensive line coach
The offensive line coach is a coaching position in gridiron football that is in charge of the offensive line. This role is very common in the CFL, NFL, and college football programs. The offensive line coach serves the offense, which is led by the offensive coordinator....

 
2010 West Virginia State
West Virginia State University
West Virginia State University is a historically black public college in Institute, West Virginia, United States. In the Charleston-metro area, the school is usually referred to simply as "State" or "West Virginia State"...

T. J. Weist Wide receivers coach
Wide receivers coach
A wide receivers coach is a coach in charge of the wide receivers in gridiron football. The wide receivers coach typically operates under a team's offensive coordinator. This coach also typically resides in the coach's box on gameday, often accompanied by or in place of the offensive coordinator....

 
2010 Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....



External links

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