Statistical Model 'Buying' Bearcats Outlook This Coming Season Following 2022 Signing Period

CINCINNATI — ESPN'S Bill Connelly pegged Cincinnati as one of the teams most likely to regress earlier this week, but that doesn't mean his SP+ model doesn't respect the Bearcats.

Cincinnati checked in at No. 11 in the latest SP+ model rankings, 24 spots ahead of the next AAC team in Houston. Connelly's model thinks it's time to buy Bearcats stock compared to ESPN's way-too-early Top 25.

"No. 11 Cincinnati (19th in the Way-Too-Early top 25). Luke Fickell did a lovely job of addressing immediate needs (QB, WR) in the transfer portal, though turnover at cornerback could be tough to overcome," Connelly wrote.

Despite all of UC's losses, there is still a sizable gap between the best teams in the AAC.

"AAC: No. 11 Cincinnati, No. 35 Houston, No. 37 UCF. SMU is also in the top 40, and this will start out as a four-team conference race. But Cincinnati played at such a high-level last season that the Bearcats get the benefit of the doubt," Connelly wrote.

Great college football programs don't rebuild...they reload, and Cincinnati views itself as a great program. We'll see how the seeds of this reload are sprouting when spring practice rolls around in the coming weeks.

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