Predictions for '26

[Lobot]

The media has chimed in on their expectations for the Bearcats this season with most of them putting UC at .500 or below this season.

What's are your thoughts on where we end up at the end of the season?

Schedule:

https://gobearcats.com/sports/football/schedule?view=list

[leo from jersey]

well we have a new DC. Waiting to see how he will succeed. The offense worries me, but this great line can do wonders for the so called skilled players. If we get off to a bad start will Coach Satt mail it in?

[Bearcat Chris]

3-9

I have never been so disinterested in UC football in my 45 years of having season tickets. I did buy the expensive season tickets with my cousin, but we both did it very reluctantly, hoping for a miracle season. Satterfield will be gone at the end of the season, and then we’re looking at two years of rebuilding. Cunningham should be fired for giving such a horrible contract to a coach, who was gonna be fired by Louisville.

I hope I’m wrong, I used to love the falls, and UC football, and followed everything about them, and now even the local media is ignoring them. Let’s hope this is a surprise season, but I doubt it.

B.C.

[bearcatbret]

I believe they will be below .500 and not make a bowl game. However, this past week, I was at a conference. I spoke with a diehard Bearcats fan who follows the football team. He thinks that they will end up with 8 wins. I just do not see it but he is more informed than I.

[Lobot]

My hope is that JC French IV turns out to be a capable game manager at a minimum. I think he's more capable than we think. I'm hoping sans Sorsby we can avoid the late season swoon that's plagued us the last two years.

[swilsonsp4]

well we have a new DC. Waiting to see how he will succeed. The offense worries me, but this great line can do wonders for the so called skilled players. If we get off to a bad start will Coach Satt mail it in?

I don't see Satterfield mailing in anything. He's not Tommy Tuberville.

[Bearcat93]

I don't see Satterfield mailing in anything. He's not Tommy Tuberville.

Have you seen them at the same place at the same time? 5-7.

[Bearcat1996]

No buzz on this team. The media ignores them. HS football is more popular than UC football by a mile.

[London 'Cat]

My hope is that JC French IV turns out to be a capable game manager at a minimum. I think he's more capable than we think. I'm hoping sans Sorsby we can avoid the late season swoon that's plagued us the last two years.

I think French wants to prove he can play at a P4 conference. Whether he can or not remains to be seen. UC does not need an all-conference QB just as Lobot wrote "a capable game manager." If he turns out to be something more, that will be a bonus. The RBs and OL will carry this team. If the WRs can create separation, something we have not seen consistently under CSS, we may have a solid offense. I am still concerned with the defense, which I read is still a 3-4 scheme. We all know how that turned out last season - sieves on the field. Maybe under the new DC it will be different but I have concerns with the scheme as a whole.

[leo from jersey]

I don't see Satterfield mailing in anything. He's not Tommy Tuberville.

TT had a golden parachute waiting for him. SS, while paid nicely, future can't be up. The town, both national and local media basically have a nonchalant attitude towards UC. I hope SS changes that, but how will he react if he doesn't. It will be interesting to see the fans reaction if the play is bad on the field. My hope is that he turns it into an eight win season. The truth be told, I want more than an 8 win season. It has been proven that UC can do that. Let's see it in the BIG12. IF he can't there has been some notable names once associated with UC who would like to make a jump up. I don't want to think that before the season starts and I still wonder what last year might have ended without the BS at QB.

One final thought. The Basketball team has a positive vibe right now. If it continues and the FB team is not doing well, fans love a winner.

[BigDaddyCornHusker]

I'm looking forward to football starting & like you all will be cheering for the Bearcats. That said, I have no clue what the season will bring. Listening to the Bearcat Journal podcasts, I'm getting some positive vibes, but also a lot of question marks.

Positives: A new defensive scheme & consistent improvement since spring ball, solid O-line

Questions: JC French has shown some positives but no consistent improvement like the defense has, likewise with WRs - some good flashes but nothing susteained, RB has capable players but no one has stepped up to show they're the #1 back

[bearcatrunner]

I'm on the bus with not caring all that much about this football team. Which I feel bad about because the players deserve more! I know they put their hearts and soul into this game even though many of them are probably getting paid more than we are! With all of that said I keep hearing how great JC French is going to be but then I keep hearing about how many interceptions the defense has been getting. Now it could be the back up QB's but something seems very fishy here. Also I keep hearing about how well the defensive line has been getting into the backfield. So either we are going to have a monster season because we have a real defense or we are going to have a historically bad season. I'm hoping for a monster season but it is going to take some convincing for me to care.

[swilsonsp4]

My thinking wide open. I have no opinions, having seen the squad only in the open practice from a couple of weeks ago, which told very little either way. Come 9/5/2026, we’ll all start to have a better idea as to the quality of the team. The data set will still be small until UC plays the Redhawks at TQL in Week 3. Until games are played, we’ll stay in the dark. At present, we’re stuck with the opinions of those who have seen and reported the details. Even Chad Brendel, who’s as close to the team as anyone from the outside, has no clue as to how this could go.

I’ll attend every game played locally, buy a hotdog and drink, and pull for the Bearcats. We’ll see how it plays out.

[leeraymond372@gmail.com]

From my observations, teams with pretty good QBs always seem to have an advantage. If the UC defense can hold its own, wins may still come down to QB play. I do not know if JC French is an upgrade to B. Sorsby. Here is a look at both QBs' stats from last year: French (6'1" 205; 20 TDs, 8 Int, 2929 total yards, 225 yards /g, 63.75% passing rate); Sorsby (6'3" 235, 27 TDs, 5 Int, 2800 total yards, 233.3 yard / g, 61.6% passing rate).

I have a few concerns about French. Firstly, is he big enough to really play effective ball in the BIG XII? I know that sometimes smaller QBs can really play. However, French went 4-4 last year in the Sun Belt and 7-6 overall. Is that good enough to win in the BIG XII? Secondly, out of all of the transfer QBs in the portal, is JC French the best that UC could do? Lastly, strangely, both UC and Georgia Southern went 7-6 overall. UC won one more conference game, going 5-4.

I honestly do not think that JC French is going to be an upgrade to B. Sorsby. However, it will be interesting to see what the level of play will be for this 2026 new edition of UC football. Here is a sure-fire prediction for you. French will either win games or he will lose games.

[Lobot]

I'll be happy with French managing games well and not turning the ball over. I think the RB room will be just fine between Z Johnson and Payne.

Also "Bring the Payne" has nice ring to it