Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Brendan Sorsby (2) claps during the University of Cincinnati annual Red and Black Spring football game and practice at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, April 13, 2024.© Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
Editor’s note: Tenth in a 12-part series previewing each of Iowa State’s 2024 regular-season opponents.
AMES — Cincinnati’s inaugural Big 12 season in 2023 served as a rude awakening for a rebuilding program just two seasons removed from making an appearance in the College Football Playoff.
Change has been constant for the Bearcats since head coach Luke Fickell left for Wisconsin and Scott Satterfield replaced his last season, but there’s enough talent — and transfer portal help — to improve from a disappointing 3-9 mark.
Still, Cincinnati looks to remain a work in progress with a new starting quarterback and questionable depth in most of its units.
That quarterback, Indiana transfer Brendan Sorsby, looks the part at 6-3 and 230 pounds, and threw multiple touchdown passes in three of his four late-season starts with the Hoosiers. He’s a decent runner, as well, and with top rusher Corey Kiner (1,047 yards, five touchdowns) returning, along with top receiver Xzavier Henderson (58 catches, 782 yards, three touchdowns), the Bearcats could be more potent offensively in 2024.
A solid offensive line anchored by preseason all-Big 12 guard Luke Kandra and center Gavin Gerhardt will help Sorsby keep his jersey clean.
Question marks abound on a transfer-heavy defense — the most important being standout defensive tackle Dontay Corleone. The 6-1, 320-pound Associated Press preseason All-American was sidelined earlier this summer with blood clots in his lungs, but is back with the team and there’s hope he’ll be able to play this fall.
Iowa State vs. Cincinnati: 3 things to watch
**Will the Cyclones pass to set up the run? That proved to be an effective gambit in last season’s 30-10 win, anyway. ISU quarterback Rocco Becht threw for 241 yards and two touchdowns in that road victory — and receiver Jayden Higgins unleashed his breakout game with six receptions for 172 yards. Higgins is back, along with a slew of other top passing targets, so the Cyclones should enjoy ample opportunities to stretch the field.
**Can ISU collect multiple takeaways? Jeremiah Cooper snared one of the Cyclones’ two interceptions in last season’s win and emerged as one of the nation’s best playmakers at safety. He totaled five interceptions in 2023, and fellow safeties Beau Freyler (three picks) and Malik Verdon (two) are also aggressive in pass coverage. Cincinnati ranked 12th in the Big 12 in turnover margin last season.
**Will the Cyclones stuff the run? ISU’s defense limited Kiner to a season-low 29 yards on 11 carries last season and his backup, Myles Montgomery, transferred closer to home at UCF. The Bearcats did pluck former Ohio State running back Evan Pryor from the transfer portal, which should help bolster their ground game. He struggled to see the field as a Buckeye — partly because of injury — but he was a four-star recruit out of high school and is capable of making big plays when healthy.
2024 prognosis
Cincinnati has enough front-line talent to challenge ISU at Jack Trice Stadium, but the Cyclones’ quality depth across all units should allow them to record a convincing win. As always, avoiding turnovers and special teams snafus will be key and as long as ISU does that, it should maintain a double-digit lead throughout the second half.
