Cincinnati, Ohio – The new season of Cincinnati football officially got underway Saturday afternoon, and the Bearcats gave their fans plenty of reasons to believe in what could be ahead. In front of a rocking Nippert Stadium and with some of the most recognizable names in program history — including Travis Kelce, Jason Kelce, Brent Celek and Connor Barwin — back in the building, Cincinnati handled Boston College 34-15 to open the season with a statement.
It wasn’t a perfect afternoon, and there are certainly areas the Bearcats will need to clean up as the schedule gets tougher. But from JC French’s four-touchdown performance and Gi’Bran Payne’s breakout to an aggressive defensive effort, Cincinnati showed flashes of a team that could be considerably more dangerous than many expected entering the season.
Bearcat legends return to Nippert
Before getting into what happened on the field, Saturday provided a pretty special moment for Cincinnati fans.
Travis and Jason Kelce, Brent Celek and Connor Barwin were all back at Nippert Stadium for the home opener, bringing together four former Bearcats who went on to have tremendous NFL careers.
For the fanbase, seeing those guys come back matters.
They represent an important period in the history of Cincinnati football and serve as a reminder of the type of players this program has produced. Jason Kelce, Celek and Barwin helping lead the Bearcats out of the tunnel only added to the moment.
It’s also important for the current program. Cincinnati has undergone plenty of change over the years, but maintaining that connection between former players, current players and the fanbase is part of what makes college football special.
Having four of the program’s most recognizable former players back at Nippert for the beginning of a new season was a great way to start the afternoon.
Then the current Bearcats took care of the rest.
The New Patches Aren’t Half Bad
I’ll admit it. I was pleasantly surprised by how the new jersey patches looked.
When the Jeff Wyler Automotive and Monster Energy patches were first announced, I wasn’t exactly expecting them to blend seamlessly into Cincinnati’s uniforms. Sponsor patches can easily become an eyesore, especially when you’re dealing with a program whose uniforms already have such a clean and recognizable look.
But after watching them on the field Saturday, they honestly don’t look half bad.
Both patches are fairly clean and don’t feel nearly as intrusive as I anticipated. They certainly stand out, but they don’t completely overwhelm the uniform or take away from the traditional Cincinnati look.
I’m still not sure sponsor patches are something I’ll ever get particularly excited about on college football uniforms, but credit where it’s due — Cincinnati and its partners did a better job with the execution than I was expecting.
JC French makes his presence felt
There was plenty of curiosity surrounding JC French entering his first start for Cincinnati.
His first impression was a good one.
French accounted for four touchdowns, including three on the ground, and showed immediately why his mobility could become such an important part of Cincinnati’s offense.
He finished with 52 rushing yards on 10 attempts, but the numbers don’t completely explain his impact. His ability to keep the football and make plays with his legs gives defenses another player they have to account for on every snap.
That becomes particularly valuable near the goal line, where French found the end zone three times.
More importantly, French looked comfortable. He didn’t turn the football over, didn’t appear rattled and allowed the offense to play to its strengths.
For a quarterback beginning his Cincinnati career, that’s a pretty good starting point.
The passing game needs to develop
While French deserves plenty of credit for his performance, there is one area of the offense that needs to take a significant step forward.
Cincinnati has to get the passing game going.
French completed 10 of 14 passes, so accuracy wasn’t necessarily the problem. He also connected with JV Gibson for a touchdown.
But Cincinnati finished with just 77 passing yards.
The Bearcats could get away with that Saturday because they were so effective running the football. Cincinnati piled up 254 rushing yards, controlled the game on the ground and never really needed French to win the game with his arm.
That’s not always going to be the case.
As Cincinnati gets deeper into its schedule — and particularly once Big 12 play arrives — defenses are going to make adjustments. If teams begin loading the box and committing additional defenders to stopping French and the running backs, Cincinnati has to be capable of attacking them through the air.
That doesn’t mean French needs to suddenly become a quarterback throwing 35 or 40 times per game.
The Bearcats simply need to show they can thread the needle when needed.
French’s running ability can be a legitimate weapon for this offense. Pair that with a passing attack capable of consistently creating explosive plays, and Cincinnati becomes considerably harder to defend.
Gi’Bran Payne couldn’t have asked for a much better start
Gi’Bran Payne was another player I came away extremely impressed with.
Payne rushed for 108 yards on just 14 carries, averaging nearly eight yards per attempt and giving Cincinnati another explosive element in the backfield.
For a Cincinnati native returning home to play for the Bearcats, it’s difficult to draw up a much better beginning.
Payne looked decisive when the football was in his hands. He hit the hole quickly, showed explosiveness when he reached the second level and ripped off a 31-yard run on Cincinnati’s opening possession.
If that’s an indication of what’s coming, Cincinnati could have something special in its backfield.
The combination of Payne and French’s rushing ability also puts tremendous pressure on opposing defenses. Defenders have to respect the running back while simultaneously accounting for the possibility of French keeping the football himself.
That’s a difficult assignment.
Now Cincinnati needs the passing game to complement it.
Cincinnati’s defense made a statement
The offensive storylines will understandably receive plenty of attention, but Cincinnati’s defense may have been my biggest positive takeaway from the afternoon.
The Bearcats played fast and aggressive.
Cincinnati finished with four sacks, eight tackles for loss and two takeaways, consistently disrupting Boston College’s offense and making life uncomfortable in the backfield.
MJ Cannon was particularly impressive, accounting for an interception and a forced fumble.
Boston College also converted just four of its 13 third-down opportunities.
Those numbers are encouraging, but I was more impressed by the overall mentality.
Cincinnati looked like a defense that wanted to attack rather than react.
There are several new faces on that side of the football, so there were plenty of questions entering the season about how quickly everything would come together. One game isn’t enough to declare those questions answered, but Saturday was about as encouraging of a start as Cincinnati could have hoped for.
Holding an ACC opponent to 15 points in the opener while creating turnovers and consistently generating pressure is something to build on.
Don’t overlook the special teams
There were also several important contributions that won’t receive nearly as much attention.
Stephen Rusnak drilled field goals from 54 and 44 yards, giving Cincinnati confidence that points are available even when drives stall outside the red zone.
Max Fletcher was excellent as well, averaging more than 52 yards per punt and uncorking a 70-yarder that completely flipped field position.
Cincinnati even got creative with a fake punt, with Malachi Henry connecting with Fletcher to extend a drive that eventually ended with French finding Gibson for a touchdown.
Those plays matter.
When Cincinnati gets into tighter games later this season, field position, kicking and one or two aggressive special-teams decisions could be the difference between winning and losing.
Saturday was an encouraging start in all three areas.
Plenty to like, plenty still to prove
It’s easy to overreact after Week 1.
I’m not ready to do that.
Cincinnati isn’t suddenly a finished product because it beat Boston College 34-15, and there are areas that need to improve before the Bearcats get into the heart of their schedule.
The passing game sits at the top of that list.
But there is also no reason to minimize what Cincinnati did Saturday.
French accounted for four touchdowns in his first start. Payne rushed for more than 100 yards. The Bearcats dominated on the ground. The defense created havoc and forced turnovers. Special teams contributed. And Cincinnati won comfortably against a Power Four opponent.
That’s a successful opening weekend.
Perhaps most importantly, there were identifiable strengths Cincinnati can build around.
French’s legs are a weapon. Payne looks capable of being a difference-maker. The defense plays very aggressively. And if the passing game develops alongside those strengths, this team becomes much more interesting.
With Travis and Jason Kelce, Brent Celek and Connor Barwin back at Nippert to watch it unfold, Saturday offered a nice connection between Cincinnati’s past and its present.
Those former Bearcats already left their mark on this program.
Now it’s this team’s turn to see what it can do.
One game won’t define Cincinnati’s season, but a 34-15 win over Boston College was a pretty good place to start.
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