When the Big 12 announced BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF as new members for this year, there was a valid argument to be made that Cincinnati was the best, most consistent program of the four. Brian Kelly had established the program in the 2000s, and after some up and down seasons, the Bearcats hired Luke Fickell, who in 2020 and 2021 led the team Peach Bowl and Cotton Bowl appearances against Georgia and Alabama. Fickell would go 9-4 in Cincinnati’s last season in the AAC, and moved on to Wisconsin for 2023. Scott Satterfield was hired away from Louisville to replace Fickell, and there was no outward indication that the program was about to have a rough time adjusting to the Big 12.
KU Football Preview: Cincinnati
