Cincinnati Bearcats football 2026 season bold predictions

The University of Cincinnati football team made incremental progress last season under head coach Scott Satterfield, winning seven games and making its first bowl game on his watch.

Unfortunately, teams are remembered more for their finishes than their starts and the Bearcats saw a 7-1 record and a spot on ESPN College GameDay disappear in the month of November. UC had reached No. 17 in the Associated Press poll going to Utah but then dropped every game from there.

Now, it's Year 4 for Satterfield's crew and, again, there are transfers dug up by general manager Zach Grant's staff that could make major contributions. There's also a new defensive coordinator in Nate Woody, who is two years removed from having the nation's top defense at Army.

The Enquirer hit on several predictions last season, such as Brendan Sorsby being a top Big 12 quarterback and receiver Cyrus Allen being a secret weapon. Also, four Cincinnati Bearcats were NFL draft picks as guessed, though it wasn't necessarily the four experts had projected.

It's hit-or-miss time once again.

5 bold predictions for 2026 Cincinnati Bearcats

1. All 3 Cincinnati Bearcats prized offensive linemen will be NFL draft picks

Not surprisingly, there are already 2027 NFL mock drafts out, and left guard Evan Tengesdahl is on the tip of everybody's tongue. Athlon Sports just listed him among the top interior offensive linemen for 2027, plus he's made most Preseason All-American lists and is on the watch list for the Lombardi Award and Wuerffel Award.

Tengesdahl also made the Bruce Feldman Freaks List, which has included several Bearcats in recent years like Dontay Corleone, Jake Golday and Jeff Caldwell.

Tengesdahl is 6-foot-3 and 325 pounds and benches 425, while running mate and center Taran Tyo is the same size, benching 405 and squatting 700 or more pounds. Tengesdahl is the highest-rated guard in the College Football 27 game and Tyo has the highest strength rating.

Left tackle Joe Cotton was the top tackle in the transfer portal before coming to UC last year, and the 6-foot-6, 320-pounder is All-Big 12 along with Tyo. He was All-Big 12 Second Team last season.

According to offensive line coach/co-offensive coordinator Nic Cardwell, all three had offers to go elsewhere in the portal and elected to stay. At Big 12 Media Day, UC Bearcats boxes of pancake mix and syrup were presented to various media members with a menu inside describing Tengesdahl, Cotton and Tyo.

"I'm glad we get to have the light shined on the O-line, because that doesn't happen very often," Tengesdahl said. "We feel that pressure to be great and we love it. We love to have that expectation and something to live up to."

2. Cincinnati Bearcats will have November wins

UC's last November win came in 2023 at Houston when they notched their first Big 12 win. It was just their third and final win of that initial campaign.

In 2024, they were 5-2 after defeating eventual College Football Playoff semifinalist Arizona State at Nippert Stadium, but then dropped five straight.

As mentioned before, last year's 7-1 start finished at 7-6.

This season is no picnic with the Bearcats playing three of the final four in November on the road. However, one is Nov. 14 in Ames vs. Iowa State, and the Cyclones lost many of their coaches and players to Penn State when Matt Campbell left the cornfields. UC also has a Nov. 21 home date with Colorado, coached by Deion Sanders. The Buffaloes have been secretive, but indications are they may not have the season they would like.

The Enquirer is predicting two wins there, assuming key players remain healthy.

"We've got to be mindful of how we finish in November," Satterfield said. "What it does mean in September is we've got to play great football. We have the opportunity to play four games in Cincinnati. We hope to stay rested up for that long stretch at the end."

3. UC's defense will force more turnovers in 2026 earlier in season

The Bearcats had just two interceptions in 2025 and 23 sacks. New defensive coordinator Nate Woody runs a 3-4 defense but typically rushes more than three at a time. The Bearcats went in the portal and picked up experience with MJ Cannon from Bowling Green, Jasper Beeler and Jacob Finley from Northern Illinois and Kenny Worthy from Washington State, in addition to several others who have made life tough for UC's new receivers in practice.

UC should have at least two interceptions by the time they face the Miami RedHawks Sept. 19 at TQL Stadium and will need more once they get into the Big 12 schedule.

Sack-wise, moving Antwan Peek Jr. from a defensive back to an outside linebacker should boost totals, and fellow linebackers Jonathan Thompson and Filip Maciorowski (Northern Illinois transfer) should find some quarterbacks, along with defensive linemen Marquaze Parker, Thomas Johnson (UNC Central transfer) and edge rusher Brian Simms III.

If they can get to last year's total of 23 by November, the 11th month of the year might go more in their favor.

"I hope it is more fun to watch," Woody said. "It's great to go against our offense because it makes us better."

4. WR JV Gibson will have similar season as Cyrus Allen did in 2025

Gibson is much bigger than Allen at 6-foot-2 and 208 pounds, but like Allen did last year, he has become a go-to for quarterback JC French IV. Allen was a fifth-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs, and Jeff Caldwell joined him as a free agent. Gibson could be that guy in 2026.

Allen didn't get the ball as much as he liked at Texas A&M and came to UC to tie a record with 13 touchdown catches. Gibson had 18 catches for 199 yards and a score for Oklahoma last year but is capable of much more, as he showed at Arkansas-Pine Bluff the year before with 70 catches for 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns.

"To me, football is football; I'm just going out there and doing what I've done since I was young," Gibson said. "Might be a bigger stadium, a bigger crowd, but it's me playing the game of football that I love."

Though the names have changed yearly, UC has continued to attract top route runners, and others to watch this year are sophomore Gio Kontosis, slot Isaiah Johnson, slot Cade Wolford from Kent State and versatile Malachi Henry from Central Arkansas.

5. UC Bearcats QB JC French IV will run for career-high yardage

He's not the 6-foot-3, 235-pound bulldozer of Brendan Sorsby, but French has seen plenty of jams when you factor in that he was sacked 29 times last season. Now with a line that allowed just eight sacks, Georgia Southern's all-time leading passer might have more opportunities.

French had 554 yards combined in his last two Sun Belt seasons, while Sorsby ran for 580 yards alone last year. French, Samaj Jones and Penn transfer Liam O'Brien have all looked good with their legs, and a mobile quarterback has been a Satterfield staple.

"He's a tough dude," Tyo said. "Once we get into the season when he gets hit a couple times, we'll see what we've got. I love his toughness, and he's going to do a lot of great things this year running the ball, I think."

A 1,000-plus-yard rusher like Corey Kiner might not happen as the Bearcats have several able running backs, but The Enquirer predicts that French will put up his best rushing numbers to date.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bearcats football 2026 season bold predictions