Cincinnati Bearcats upset No. 8 Texas Tech, host No. 6 Utah next
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The gist
Cincinnati beat No. 8 Texas Tech 37-24 at sold-out Nippert Stadium for its highest-ranked home win since 2006.
A win over No. 6 Utah on Halloween would secure bowl eligibility again.
Background
The Cincinnati Bearcats are the University of Cincinnati's football team, coached by Scott Satterfield. They beat undefeated No. 8 Texas Tech 37-24 on Oct. 24, 2026, at a sold-out Nippert Stadium (38,088) on the program's 100th Homecoming — its highest-ranked home win since 2006 and third top-10 win at Nippert. The win drew AP Top 25 votes for the second time this season and set up a Halloween home game against Utah, which beat UC 45-14 last season in the teams' only prior meeting.
How it unfolded
- Sep 18, 1999UC defeated No. 9 Wisconsin 17-12 at Nippert Stadium, one of its top-10 wins.
- Nov 18, 2006UC beat No. 7 Rutgers 30-11, its first home win over an AP Top 10 opponent since then.
- Oct 2, 2021No. 7 UC beat No. 9 Notre Dame 24-13 in South Bend on the way to an unbeaten regular season and a College Football Playoff spot.
- Nov 1, 2025UC (then No. 17) lost 45-14 at No. 24 Utah in Salt Lake City, the first-ever meeting between the programs.
- Oct 24, 2026UC upset undefeated No. 8 Texas Tech 37-24 at a sold-out Nippert Stadium (38,088) on its 100th Homecoming, its highest-ranked home win since 2006. Cole Tabb rushed for a career-high 173 yards and a 58-yard fourth-quarter touchdown and was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week; MJ Cannon forced a fumble, recorded an interception and earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week.
- Oct 31, 2026UC hosts No. 6 Utah at Nippert Stadium, kickoff 3:45 p.m. on ESPN.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Coach Scott Satterfield called the Texas Tech win "probably one of the greatest wins I've been a part of" and brushed off questions about Utah: "We just beat the No. 8 team in the country out here. Let's talk about that all night long."
- Party
- Quarterback JC French IV credited the crowd, saying "That student section was unbelievable. I really think they helped us get this huge win."
Still unverified
Sources differ on Utah's ranking: one calls Utah No. 6, another refers to "No. 10 Utah."