Cincinnati Bearcats Football 2026 Game-By-Game Predictions

The 2026 Cincinnati Bearcats football season kicks off in just a few days.

It's Year 4 of the Scott Satterfield era as the program tries to post another win increase in the final record like it has each of the past two seasons. It won't be easy facing the sixth-hardest schedule in the Big 12 by ESPN's FPI and the 17th-hardest run by opponent win rate from last season (91-62 record by Cincinnati's 2026 opponents last season).

Let's dive into our season-long record predictions.

JC French IV — Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback JC French (4) throws a pass during the Cincinnati Bearcats football practice at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Game 1: V. Boston College

Cincinnati shouldn't drop its opening game of the season against a Boston College team rated as easily the worst group in the ACC (-2.7 FPI to UC's 4.4 mark).

There may be some early growing pains for the offense, but Cincinnati's defense could feast against the lowest projected roster budget for any program in the nation.

WIN

Game 2: V. Western Carolina

An easy win. Cincinnati should blow out the Catamounts in primetime, holding a 97% chance to win on ESPN's FPI.

WIN

Game 3: Neutral Miami (OH)

Miami should contend for another MAC title this season, but an upset win over the Bearcats would be shocking. They are barely a top-100 FBS team by projected talent, and Cincinnati should have most of the fans at TQL Stadium.

WIN

Game 4: V. Kansas State

This is as clear a toss-up game as they come, but Cincinnati gets it done again at home. It could take their final offensive possession to pull it off, but Cincinnati's defense will force enough mistakes in this one to win a tight battle and go undefeated in the all-hometown game slate across September.

This result could determine Cincinnati's bowl fate.

WIN

Game 5: @ Arizona

The first loss of the season, Arizona posted back-to-back wins over UC after beating them in Nippert Stadium last season. East-to-west travel is tough for teams like Cincinnati, and Arizona will be pretty battle-tested already having faced No. 14 BYU in Provo, Utah, along with Washington State.

Veteran QB Noah Fifita deals again in this one.

LOSS

Game 6: @ West Virginia

A losing run hits Cincinnati in what is another toss-up game. WVU is worse than UC on paper right now, but Rich Rodriguez gets more momentum rolling in his first season back at the helm with another close win here.

The Mountaineers could make some noise in the Big 12 this season.

LOSS

Game 7: V. No. 12 Texas Tech

The Red Raiders and BYU are the clear top teams in the Big 12, and Cincinnati may have a really tough time handling this one even in a Homecoming setting.

TTU's top roster budget in the Big 12 shows through as now-injured quarterback Will Hammond really finds his stride in this portion of the calendar.

LOSS

Game 8: V. No. 21 Utah

Cincinnati is 1-3 against ranked opponents (at the time of the games) since the Satterfield era started, and they have to prove they can beat these consistent teams.

That one win came against Iowa State last year (ended up 35th in ESPN's FPI), a Cyclones team that was highly overrated at the time. They lose another close contest against a new-look Utes team here, moving to 4-4.

LOSS

Game 9: @ No. 23 Houston

The loss train stops here against a Houston squad that I don't think is ranked by this point in the campaign. UC makes a statement with multiple turnovers by way of veteran Houston QB Connor Weigman and gets their fifth win of the season and first on the road.

WIN

Game 10: @ Iowa State

UC can't pair back-to-back road wins here against an Iowa State team that has gelled by this point in the season.

ISU may be desperate for a home win as one of the three worst projected betting contenders, along with UC and Colorado.

LOSS

Game 11: V. Colorado

Cincinnati wins two games in November or later for the first time in the Satterfield era by taking out Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes at home.

Colorado could be the worst team in the Big 12 and checked out by this point in the calendar, with blowout potential in what may be the second Nipp @ Nite game of the season.

WIN

Game 12: No. 14 BYU

In what could be the most impressive win of the Satterfield era, Cincinnati falls just short and rides the November win-loss-win-loss seesaw to finish at .500 and just inside the bowl grouping.

Hank Bachmeier will post another Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year performance along with a great outing from preseason OPOY LJ Martin to seal BYU's spot in the Big 12 title game. It leaves Cincinnati one win short of its 2025 regular-season total.

LOSS

Final Record: 6-6

Bookmark Bearcats Talk for the latest news, breakdowns, and so much more. Be sure to check out our YouTube page as well, starting with the video below.

Also, don't miss the podcast, Bearcat Blitz, wherever you get your shows!

Apple

Spotify

YouTube

Be sure to keep it locked in on Bearcats Talk, as we cover the trials and tribulations of the Big 12!

Follow Bearcats Talk on Twitter: @BearcatsTalk

Like Bearcats Talk on Facebook: Bearcats Talk

Add us as a preferred source on Google