Cincinnati Bearcats Football Placed in 'Potential Sleeper' Tier Entering 2025 Season

A shocking path is on the table this season.

Cincinnati Bearcats tight end Joe Royer (11) stiff arms Miami Redhawks linebacker Oscar McWood (23) before the play is called back for holding in the fourth quarter of the College Football game at Yager Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — The Bearcats could be a major sleeper in college football this season. ESPN's David Hale seems to agree after releasing his 20 tiers for the 2025 slate.

He had Cincinnati in Tier 12 as one of seven teams that are "potential sleepers," along with Pittsburgh, Colorado, Houston, North Carolina, Rutgers, and Virginia.

"Cincinnati blew a big lead to Pitt in Week 2. Pitt went on to start 7-0 before injuries and a handful of close losses derailed its season," Hale wrote. "Had Cincy hung on, it could've opened 6-1 with a win over Arizona State on its record. Instead, the Bearcats finished on a five-game losing streak and did not make a bowl. Both teams are deeper and more experienced this season, with veteran QBs and stars on defense (Kyle Louis, Dontay Corleone)."

Cincinnati has an ideal schedule to make a run at a Big 12 Championship Game appearance, playing seven home games with zero games against teams coming off a bye.

Brendan Sorsby and the whole team know they have the pieces to answer a 1-4 record in one-possession games last season. They now need to make it all fit.

"Yeah, we also just believe, you know, that we were really close last year, too," Sorsby said recently about being this season's version of 2024 Arizona State. "We're in a lot of one-score games, and we also cost ourselves a lot of games last year. Shot ourselves in the foot. So, I mean, we know that we can win games, and we know that we have a really talented group. So it's just up to us now to go and do it."

It all kicks off in less than three weeks against Nebraska, with conference play starting on Sept. 27.

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