Next up in our 2023 season previews, the Oklahoma Sooners welcome the Cincinnati Bearcats to the Big 12.
In this opponent preview, we look at the Cincinnati Bearcats. Cincinnati is one of four new Big 12 teams added to the conference this year.
The Sooners face the Bearcats and the BYU Cougars on the road. Cincinnati is replacing a great deal of talent and its coaching staff after Luke Fickell departed for Wisconsin.
New head coach Scott Satterfield has substantial experience at Appalachian State and Louisville. Back in 2019, Satterfield and the Mountaineers beat UNC and South Carolina in nonconference matchups to lead App State to a 13-1 record. His time with the Cardinals offered mixed results, he never finished better than 8-5 and went 2-1 in bowl games.
The Bearcats rank 124th in the nation in returning production, according to ESPN (ESPN+). They return 42% of their offense, which ranks 121st, and 49% of their defense, which ranks 107th.
Gone is starting quarterback from last season, Ben Bryant. In is former Florida Gators and Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Emory Jones. Jones is entering his sixth college season.
Last year he threw for more than 1,500 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions. He also added four rushing touchdowns
They also have to replace leading rusher Charles McClelland, who ran for more than 800 yards and seven touchdowns.
They lose almost their entire receiving corps, replacing them with transfers. Of the six players listed in the two-deep, only one played last season for the Bearcats. That was Chris Scott, who caught four passes for 32 yards.
Defensively they have five transfers listed in their two-deep depth chart while replacing leading tackler in Ivan Pace Jr, who was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent. Defensive tackle Dontay Corleone is the player to watch for the Bearcats on defense.
Corleone was named to the preseason All-Big 12 team and is the highest-graded defensive tackle returning for 2023 in the Big 12.
Aside from the highly-regarded defensive tackle, though, Satterfield has his work cut out for him. Their season will depend on how quickly the incoming transfers get up to speed and gel.
This is a game I could see Oklahoma’s defense struggle in. The program, historically, has struggled with mobile quarterbacks, and Jones brings that to the table. It was a major issue in 2022. If the Sooners slow Jones and the quarterback run game down, it could be an encouraging sign that the defense will be improved in 2023.
It will be the Oklahoma Sooners only trip to Cincinnati as a conference opponent, so the Bearcats would love nothing more than to send them back to Norman with a loss.
Score Prediction: 34-20 Oklahoma
Predicted Record: 4-0
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