BYU (9-1, 6-1) vs. Cincinnati (7-3, 5-2)
- Kickoff: Saturday, 6 p.m. MST
- Venue: Nippert Stadium (capacity: 40,000)
- TV: Fox
- Livestream: foxsports.com/live
- Radio: KSL 1160 AM/102.7 FM/BYU Radio Sirius XM 143
- Series: BYU leads, 3-0 (last meeting: 2023)
The trends
For BYU: The Cougars finally scored some style points last week in a 44-13 blowout of TCU, though they’re still currently on the wrong side of the College Football Playoff bubble.
BYU absolutely can’t afford another regular-season loss, but it can also clinch a Big 12 championship game berth with a win over the Bearcats and a bit of outside help.
Through 10 games, BYU ranks fourth in the Big 12 in scoring offense (34.1 points per game) and third in scoring defense (17.8 PPG).
For Cincinnati: While bowl eligible for the first time since 2022, the Bearcats are coming off consecutive losses that essentially dropped them out of Big 12 title contention.
Cincinnati ranks third in the Big 12 in scoring offense (34.1 points) and seventh in scoring defense (22.7 points). In their last two losses, however, the Bearcats have fallen by an average margin of 38-19.
What to watch for
Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby has enjoyed a strong campaign but has struggled lately and doesn’t have great numbers against tougher competition. Look for how he performs against a BYU defense that’s been known to terrorize opposing QBs.
Tight end Carsen Ryan had his best game as a Cougar last week, adding another potent wrinkle to BYU’s offensive attack. Perhaps Bear Bachmeier will continue to feed him against the Bearcats.
Cincinnati ranks in the bottom half of Big 12 teams in defending against the run, so look for how LJ Martin fares in that matchup.
Key players
BYU’s defensive line. After being recognized as the Big 12’s best such unit last week, the Cougars’ D-line could use another strong outing Saturday.
Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby rarely gets sacked — in all, opposing defenses have brought him down on just three occasions this season.
Conversely, BYU’s defense is riding quite the hot streak, having racked up 15 sacks over the past four games.
Sorsby is the Bearcats’ X-factor for Saturday, as his performance will likely determine that of his team. The Cougars’ ability to disrupt his rhythm and put pressure on him would be paramount in preventing any heroics from Sorsby.
Quotable
“What I’m trying to keep the team focused on is the stuff that we can control. I know one thing, if we go out there and play at our best, I like our chances.
“... If you take care of business and do things one step at a time, then things should work out in your favor. That’s what I’m banking on happening, and that’s what I want these guys to be focused on.” —BYU coach Kalani Sitake
“You play a team like BYU, a great football team, and to be able to host that, it’s a great advertisement for our college and our campus to be on national TV, and we get to show that off.
“Our guys are excited about it. Great opportunity. I think, more than anything, we’re excited about playing a ranked team coming in here to Nippert (Stadium). That’s why we’re really excited about this opportunity.” — Cincinnati coach Scott Satterfield
Next up
- BYU: vs. UCF on Nov. 29
- Cincinnati: at TCU on Nov. 29
BYU schedule
- Aug. 30 — defeated Portland State, 69-0
- Sept. 6 — defeated Stanford, 27-3
- Sept. 20 — defeated East Carolina, 34-13
- Sept. 27 — defeated Colorado, 24-21
- Oct. 3 — defeated West Virginia, 38-24
- Oct. 11 — defeated Arizona, 33-27
- Oct. 18 — defeated Utah, 24-21
- Oct. 25 — defeated Iowa State, 41-27
- Nov. 8 — lost to Texas Tech, 29-7
- Nov. 15 — defeated TCU, 44-13
- Nov. 29 — UCF