The inaugural season of Big 12 football begins Saturday afternoon at Nippert Stadium when new coach Scott Satterfield leads his University of Cincinnati Bearcats onto the field against Eastern Kentucky. The game is the first of three nonconference games before UC’s actual Big 12 opener against Oklahoma on Sept. 23.
The Bearcats come in having won 21 consecutive home openers. Two of those opening victories came against EKU’s Colonels in 2006 and 2008.
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Scott Satterfield is 7648 as a head coach but just 28 in home openers in stints at Appalachian State and Louisville. However, several of those games came against Power Five opponents like Michigan (2014), Tennessee (2016), Georgia (2017), Penn State (2018/OT), Notre Dame (2019), Ole Miss (2021) and Syracuse (2022). Now the Bearcats are in a Power Five conference.
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11:47, second quarter, UC 28, EKU 0
Emory Jones with a third touchdown pass, this one is for a yard to tight end Payten Singletary. Corey Kiner got the Bearcats in position with a 54yard run, then another gallop to the 1yard line. Jones 11for12 for 207 yards and three scores.
END FIRST QUARTER, UC 21, EKU 0
UC has outgained EKU 25157. They’ve outpassed the Colonels 20653 and outrushed them 454.
:12, first quarter, Sammy Anderson Jr. injured
The redshirt junior was briefly down but walked off the field on his own. Head athletic trainer Aaron Himmel took his helmet, so we’ll see if he gets it back.
1:41, first quarter, UC 21, EKU 0
The 16th career rushing touchdown for Emory Jones is his first at Cincinnati. On 4th and 1, Jones was pushed in from the 1yard line. He now leads UC in rushing with 19 yards and is 10of11 passing for 206 yards and two touchdowns.
6:52 first quarter, UC 14, EKU 0
Emory Jones is still perfect for the season, 7 for7 for 143 after a 39yard strike to Dee Wiggins. Wiggins is a Louisville transfer and the previous score was from Florida transfer Xzavier Henderson who already has 98 yards in receptions. The playing of “Pump It Up” commences.
11:45 first quarter UC, 7, EKU 0
On 4th and 5, UC goes for it from midfield and Emory Jones connects with Xzavier Henderson for a 49yard touchdown. Jones 4for4 for 71 yards on the drive through the air.
3:00 p.m.: I went to the field for a bit. UC basketball had practice today at noon. I can confirm that fourstar 2024 point guard Labaron Philon was present and is here at the football game.
Viking sighting: Also here is Ivan Pace Jr. who recently made the Minnesota Vikings. They open up Saturday, Sept. 10 vs. Tampa Bay.
2:30 p.m.: What are the odds you ask? Depending on which site you look at UC is anywhere from 21.5 to 24 vs. EKU. In their last meeting in 2008, Tony Pike was 6for7 passing with a touchdown to Dominick Goodman. Pike is back on the sidelines for UC home games for the Bearcats Sports Network which today is 102.7 WEBN.
Local Colonels: EKU has a handful on Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky on their roster. Among them are former Kentucky Mr. Football Cameron Hergott, a redshirt freshman quarterback out of Beechwood High School. Also from the area are redshirt senior linebacker Kyle Kelly from Newport, junior linebacker Elijah Ford from Colerain, redshirt junior linebacker Cam Junior from Middletown (formerly a UC Bearcat), junior offensive lineman Vincent Munlin Jr. from Princeton, junior receiver Bryant Johnson Jr. from Winton Woods and freshman tight end Ashton Olberding from Little Miami.