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Cincinnati made history last season becoming the first Group of 5 program to crash the College Football Playoff. The Bearcats finished 13-1 winning the American Athletic Conference and finishing the regular season unbeaten.
Head coach Luke Fickell’s team is back in 2022 looking to follow up last season’s performance. It won’t be easy, but Cincinnati may surprise the college football world once again. There’s a lot to like about the 2022 Bearcats.
Cincinnati Bearcats Regular Season Win Total Betting Lines
OVER 9 (-140)
UNDER 9 (+110)
Last Season
As mentioned, the Bearcats went unbeaten in the regular season and then beat No. 21 Houston in the AAC championship game. With a win earlier in the season over a then-No. 9 Notre Dame, Cincinnati wound up in the CFP.
The Bearcats run defense was torched by Alabama and Cincy ultimately lost 27-6 in the national semifinals. It was a historic season for Cincinnati, which has now gone 44-7 over the last four seasons.
Bearcats Key Losses Heading Into 2022
The big losses for Fickell and the Bearcats are on defense and at quarterback where two-time AAC Offensive Player of the Year Desmond Ridder has moved on to the NFL.
The Cincy defense, which gave up 16.9 points per game last season and ranked among the top-5 in most statistical categories, loses seven starters. Six of those seven will likely be on an NFL roster this fall.
The bottom line is that the Bearcats have some big shoes to fill.
2022 Cincinnati Bearcats Team Preview
Cincinnati will have two capable quarterbacks. Ben Bryant, who was once a Bearcat, has transferred back to Cincy after a stint at Eastern Michigan. Between Bryant and Evan Prater, the Bearcats should be okay at quarterback.
The big news on offense is the return of all five offensive line starters. Center Jake Renfro, G Lorenz Metz, and OT Dylan O’Quinn were All-AAC first-team performers. Cincy should be solid in the run game with the return of RB Jerome Ford and the late transfer of former LSU RB Corey Kiner.
The defense will reload around DE Malik Vann, LB Deshawn Pace, and DBs Arquon Bush and Ja’von Hicks. Pace’s brother Ivan transferred in from Miami (OH) where he was a first-team All- MAC player.
2022 Cincinnati Football Schedule
Aside from opening the season at Arkansas, the Bearcats have a pretty favorable schedule. The Razorbacks will present a huge challenge for Cincinnati after going 9-4 in head coach Sam Pittman’s second season. Arkansas is an SEC team on the rise.
After that season opener, the Bearcats get FCS Kennesaw State and MAC foe Miami (OH). They will play at UCF and SMU, likely the two most difficult AAC opponents. Like last year, the Bearcats avoid Houston.
That could help Fickell and his program take a fourth straight trip to the AAC title game, which this year will feature the two conference programs with the best conference record.
2022 Bearcats Regular Season Win Total Prediction
Beating Arkansas on the road with a new quarterback isn’t likely. However, ripping through the next five opponents is. The Bearcats travel to SMU first then to UCF the following week. Even if Cincy fails to win those two, they still win at least nine games.
The Bearcats have beaten SMU in three straight seasons and they will have a new head coach in Rhett Lashlee. Playing the Mustangs before UCF is a bonus as they get the victory that pushes them over the top.
PICK: CINCINNATI OVER 9 (-140)
Check out our 2022 Clemson Tigers win total picks and 2022 Ohio State Buckeyes win total picks.
