Cincinnati Bearcats Football 2026 Previews: Western Carolina Catamounts

Game 2 of the 2026 Cincinnati Bearcats football season should be an easy one for UC. The team is welcoming in FCS Western Carolina to Nippert Stadium for the two sides' second all-time meeting, and Cincinnati is a massive favorite to blow out the Catamounts.

Saturday night's 7 p.m kickoff marks the second meeting all-time between UC and Western Carolina, with the previous game coming in 2005, a 7-3 Cincinnati win. ESPN's Matchup Predictor gives the Bearcats a 97.4% chance to win.

The Bearcats started strong in a 34-15 win this past Saturday, powered by the Big 12 Offensive Line of the Week on the ground and the defense's tenacity on the other side.

They ran for 250-plus yards for the eighth time in the Scott Satterfield era.

“Absolutely. It's the same thing I see in practice every day," UC passer JC French IV said about the offensive line. " I feel really comfortable behind them, and they're just going to continue to get better this season.”

Here's what you need to know about Saturday's projected blowout.

Opponent Ins & Outs

Aug 29, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Western Carolina Catamounts cornerback Ken Moore Jr. (0) celebrates at the end zone during the first half of the game against North Carolina State Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

WCU is 1-1 to start the season and has a defense that Cincinnati should be able to take advantage of through the air after passing for less than 100 yards against Boston College.

They rank just 43rd in FCS scoring defense through two games and have allowed plenty of big plays through the air. The Catamounts are 74th in FCS passing efficiency allowed and 108th in passing yards allowed per game (317.5). That came against two FCS schools as well, while many other FCS teams have played an FBS school in the opening days of the season.

It's time to dial up some more downfield passing for Cincinnati.

"The thing about this week is we have two games to scout, which is awesome," UC head coach Scott Satterfield said about WCU. "Having said that, I still thought we executed offensively. We were only 14-or-18 for passing or something like that; we had two drops. We were pretty efficient throwing the football when we did. We just did not push it down the field, but it really did not dictate that we do that in this game. But we have to be able to throw the ball. We have to get better at it. This week will be something that I hope we will be able to do more of."

Lex Thomas performed well at quarterback against Eastern Kentucky and Campbell, but this is a whole different animal against UC's strong showing on defense in Game 1. He's averaging 8.2 yards per attempt and has tossed five touchdowns after transferring from NC State. That will likely crash down on Saturday for the 5-11 pocket slicer.

"They utilize their passing game just like how some teams utilize their run game," Satterfield said on Tuesday. "They throw a lot of quick passes, a lot of the balls out of the hands of the quarterback, and put you out in space. The toughest thing to do in football is tackling out in space, and so they are going to do a lot of that. They will keep you running side to side, and just when you come down, they are going to try to pop you right behind the defense. That is the challenge they present. They're good at it."

Starting cornerback Jacob Finley is ready to get more tests through the air. WCU's already thrown it 79 times this season.

"As a corner, you want some action just to see what you can do, or make a play on the ball. This week is going to be a challenge. They like to throw the ball, and I think we're going to make some plays. We're going to capitalize on some of the passes," Finley said.

Betting Insights

Cincinnati is a consensus 36.5-point favorite to win on Saturday with a 60.5-point total in store. Things have largely held firm on that front all week, as the big question is really whether Cincinnati can cover that big spread.

UC covered and hit the under in the opening game of the season.

The Bearcats' 5.5-game win total also moved from underdog status to slightly favored after beating Boston College.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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