Where do the Oklahoma Sooners fall in USA Today Sports’ 1-134 rankings?

OU enters a bye week after dropping again in USA TODAY Sports’ 1-134 list.

The Oklahoma Sooners are now 5-5 overall on the nightmarish 2024 season. They’re just 1-5 in Southeastern Conference play, which isn’t the mark anyone around the program expected.

Despite going 4-0 in non-conference games, OU has been one of the worst teams in all of the Power Four this year. They have proven that they are far from being ready for the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] and Saturday’s embarrassing loss against Missouri only served to beat a dead horse.

We’re eleven weeks into this college football season, so we have a pretty good idea of where most teams stand with just three weeks left in the regular season. USA TODAY Sports takes on the weekly challenge of ranking all 134 teams that play at the FBS level, and their placement of [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] team shows how far the once-proud program has fallen under his leadership.

Staff writer Paul Myerberg ranks Oklahoma, once a staple of the top 10, or at least the top 25, at No. 45 heading into week 12. It’s a six-spot drop from this time last week.

It’s an eye-opening position for Sooner Nation to find themselves in, and Myerberg’s ranking might actually be too generous to OU. The Sooners are sandwiched in-between Cincinnati at No. 44 and Arkansas at No. 46, both teams that would likely beat Oklahoma if they played this week.

No offense to the Bearcats or Razorbacks, but that’s not where a program like Oklahoma belongs in the pecking order of college football. It’ll take some soul-searching from everyone involved with the sinking program, from the top all the way to the bottom, if this thing is going to get turned back in the right direction.

A photographic look at Colorado’s bowl game-clinching win over Cincinnati

Check out the best photos from Colorado’s Saturday night win at Folsom

The Colorado Buffaloes (6-2, 4-1 Big 12) handled the Cincinnati Bearcats (5-3, 3-2 Big 12) on Saturday, 34-23, securing CU’s first bowl game berth in a full season since 2016.

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders started the game with a program-record 15 straight completions. Two-way phenom Travis Hunter had another Heisman-worthy performance on both sides of the ball with 153 receiving yards and four pass breakups. Running back Isaiah Augustave chugged along for a season-high 91 rushing yards on 22 carries.

Ultimately, a clutch field goal from Alejandro Mata sealed the deal late by extending CU’s lead to two possessions.

Check out the best photos from Colorado’s Saturday night win at Folsom Field:

Tony’s Take: Predicting the final score of Colorado vs. Cincinnati

What’s your final score prediction for tonight?

My heart and head are at odds regarding Saturday’s matchup between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Cincinnati Bearcats.

Earlier this week, I wrote about how the Buffs (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) have moved from could-win to should-win territory with the remaining games on their schedule. The more research I’ve done on the Bearcats (5-2, 3-1 Big 12), the more I see this as a very winnable game for Colorado.

Colorado’s strong recent play and Cincinnati’s often porous run defense suggest the Buffs should win by at least one score. The logical side of the argument agrees that the Bearcats are a much better team than UCF and Arizona. However, quarterback Brendan Sorsby has been a significant pickup in leading a Cincinnati offense that can put up points in bunches. The Bearcats also possess a strong pass rush that can slow down the Buffs’ passing attack.

Even though this could turn into a big Buffs win at home, I’ll give the Bearcats some respect in my final score prediction.

Final score prediction: Colorado 28, Cincinnati 20

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College Sports Wire tabs Colorado-Cincinnati as top Week 9 Big 12 game to watch

Colorado’s late-night showdown with Cincinnati is drawing massive intrigue

Boulder has become a hotbed of attention, drama and intrigue for head coach Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes since his hiring in 2022, and Saturday night’s matchup with the Cincinnati Bearcats will be no exception.

The Buffs surpassed their win total from Sanders’ first season at the helm last weekend and now sit one win away from the program’s first bowl game berth since 2020. Now, a fellow 5-2 opponent in Cincinnati comes to town with hopes to spoil the party.

College Sports Wire’s Patrick Conn billed the highly-anticipated clash of Big 12 contenders as his top Week 9 matchup to watch in the conference. Here’s what Conn had to say:

The Colorado Buffaloes are looking to keep pace with the top teams in the conference as the Big 12 title race approaches the final month of the season. Both the Buffs and Cincinnati Bearcats are tied for second in the conference at 3-1 in Big 12 play along with Kansas State and Texas Tech. Everyone is looking up the BYU Cougars and Iowa State Cyclones at 4-0.

This game will give the winner a leg up in the race down the stretch. The loser won’t be out by any means but makes their path to the title game more difficult.

Prediction: Colorado Buffaloes hold off Cincinnati in this one

Kickoff at Folsom Field is set for 8:15 p.m. MT.

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How to buy Colorado Buffaloes vs Cincinnati Bearcats football tickets

Want to watch the Colorado Buffaloes vs Cincinnati Bearcats in person on Saturday, Oct. 26? Tickets still remain for as little as $177.

Week 9 of the college football campaign brings us a late-night affair between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Cincinnati Bearcats in a battle between two Big 12 teams, and if you want to see the game live in Boulder, here is the ticket information you need.

Everyone by now knows about the hype surrounding Deion Sanders’ second year at the helm of the Buffs as well as Travis Hunter, whose Heisman hopes are in full gear. Overall, Colorado is looking pretty good at 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the conference, but there are still plenty of games remaining.

The Bearcats have the exact same records as their opponent coming into the weekend but have a pair of votes in the US LBM Coaches Poll to show for their efforts. Cinci has won four of the last five, with the loss coming in Week 5 at the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

The Colorado Buffaloes will host the Cincinnati Bearcats on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 10:15 p.m. ET.

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How to buy Colorado vs Cincinnati football tickets

This Big 12 battle is one you certainly do not want to miss out on if you are in the area, so here are the details you need to know.

At the time of publication, the cheapest available tickets for the Colorado Buffaloes vs Cincinnati Bearcats are $177.

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How to buy Colorado Buffaloes vs Cincinnati Bearcats football tickets

Want to watch the Colorado Buffaloes vs Cincinnati Bearcats in person on Saturday, Oct. 26? Tickets still remain for as little as $177.

Week 9 of the college football campaign brings us a late-night affair between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Cincinnati Bearcats in a battle between two Big 12 teams, and if you want to see the game live in Boulder, here is the ticket information you need.

Everyone by now knows about the hype surrounding Deion Sanders’ second year at the helm of the Buffs as well as Travis Hunter, whose Heisman hopes are in full gear. Overall, Colorado is looking pretty good at 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the conference, but there are still plenty of games remaining.

The Bearcats have the exact same records as their opponent coming into the weekend but have a pair of votes in the US LBM Coaches Poll to show for their efforts. Cinci has won four of the last five, with the loss coming in Week 5 at the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

The Colorado Buffaloes will host the Cincinnati Bearcats on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 10:15 p.m. ET.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop Buffaloes vs Bearcats tickets” link=”https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1101l3wQsP/pubref:SMGNCAAFColoradoVsCincinnati102424/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fcolorado-buffaloes-football-boulder-tickets-10-26-2024%2Fevent%2F152771524%2F”]

How to buy Colorado vs Cincinnati football tickets

This Big 12 battle is one you certainly do not want to miss out on if you are in the area, so here are the details you need to know.

At the time of publication, the cheapest available tickets for the Colorado Buffaloes vs Cincinnati Bearcats are $177.

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Deion Sanders shares early thoughts on Cincinnati Bearcats

Coach Prime gave his initial thoughts on Colorado’s next opponent

Needing a win to secure bowl eligibility, head coach Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes will host the Cincinnati Bearcats on Saturday.

Like the Buffs, not many expected Cincinnati to be 5-2 at this point of the college football season. The Bearcats won only three games last year but have rebounded nicely under second-year head coach Scott Satterfield and starting quarterback Brendan Sorsby.

During his weekly presser on Tuesday, Coach Prime shared his respect for the Bearcats. Sanders commented on their offensive balance, steady approach and overall success in 2024.

“They’re playing really good football,” Coach Prime said. “If you match up statistically, we’re kind of right there with one another. Our defense may have the edge just a little bit. Offensively, they have a lot more balance with running and passing the football. I like what they’re doing. It’s not flashy, it’s not a sexy thing, but they get the job done. I love the way they attack, I love the way they get to the ball,  I love what they’re accomplishing this season.”

Kickoff between the Buffs and Bearcats is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. MT on ESPN.

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Colorado receives less-than-ideal kickoff time for Cincinnati game

Colorado has received another late-night TV selection

For the second time this month, the Buffaloes are looking at a late-night kickoff from Folsom Field. The Big 12 Conference announced Week 9 start times and TV selections on Monday, and Colorado football’s Oct. 26 home game against Cincinnati received ESPN’s 8:15 p.m. MT slot.

On Saturday, Colorado and Kansas State kicked off at 8:26 p.m. MT (ESPN), marking the latest non-weather delay start time in Folsom Field history, per BuffZone’s Brian Howell.

Head coach Deion Sanders reiterated his displeasure with late-night kickoffs last week during his appearance on the Colorado Football Coaches Show.

“It’s not smart for a television executive to say, ‘We’re gonna put the game on at this time,'” Sanders said. “Because you’re thinking about eyeballs. You’re thinking about selling merchandise on the commercials. You’re thinking about all that. Why would you do that at that time when half of America is asleep?”

In Week 8, Colorado will battle the Arizona Wildcats in Tucson. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. MT on Fox.

Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.

Cincinnati needs a big second season under coach Scott Satterfield

Cincinnati Bearcats coach Scott Satterfield on the hot seat entering second Big 12 football season.

When the Cincinnati Bearcats open the season on August 31st, there may not be another head coach in the Big 12 with more pressure on him than Scott Satterfield.

The 51-year-old did not have a banner season with the Bearcats in 2023. He came to Cincinnati from Appalachian State and then Louisville. The former Appalachian State quarterback was 76-48 in his head coaching career and led his teams to seven bowl games in eight seasons before joining the Bearcats.

Satterfield took over for Luke Fickell, who took the job at Wisconsin. The Bearcats started their Big 12 career with just one win in nine games last season under Satterfield. Before he came to the program they had five straight winning seasons, and were 53-11 during that time.

Scooby Axson of USA TODAY Sports put together a list of the Top 10 college football head coaches that were on the hot seat entering the season and Satterfield was squarely on the list.

Moving forward, Cincinnati should be listed as one of the betting favorites in a Big 12 Conference whose two most powerful schools, Texas and Oklahoma, took their egos and brands for the greener pastures of the SEC. This conference is ripe for the picking, but it is tough to win when you aren’t good in any aspect of the game. Then again, the school could be patient and wait until Jan. 1, 2026, to fire Satterfield so that the buyout wouldn’t be as bad.

The Bearcats take on Pittsburgh on September 7th and go on the road at Miami Ohio on September 14th. The first two Big 12 games for the Bearcats are at home against Houston, and then on the road at Texas Tech. Cincinnati gets a break this season and will not face conference favorite Utah at all.

How did Big 12 teams finish relative to preseason expectations in USA TODAY Sports 1-133 re-rank?

With the regular season over, how did the Big 12 land in USA TODAY Sports latest 1-133 re-rank of every college football team in the nation?

It’s championship week in college football. But for some teams, it’s the beginning of the offseason, while others wait on their bowl destinations.

It was a unique season in the Big 12. A number of teams met or exceeded expectations in 2023. And several were incredibly disappointing based on preseason expectations.

Let’s take a look at how each of the Big 12 teams ranked in the USA TODAY Sports 1-133 rankings in the preseason compared to how they now rank after the regular season.