WEST HARRISON, Ind. -- Luke Fickell sits at a corner table in the dining hall at Camp Higher Ground, Cincinnati's off-campus football training site in the hills just beyond the Indiana state line.
Behind him, the most anticipated team in Cincinnati history devours lunch before a rescheduled afternoon practice. Three days earlier, the Bearcats received their highest-ever preseason ranking (No. 8) in the AP poll. Cincinnati is 31-6 since 2018, nearly went undefeated last season and is led by Fickell, one of the fastest-rising coaches in the sport.
But 10 summers ago, Fickell found himself in a different spot, preparing to lead Ohio State into a season of uncertainty.