Cincinnati

The Bearcats face a quarterback transition after Brendan Sorsby's departure to Texas Tech, with Georgia Southern transfer JC French IV (104.3 PPA) stepping into the competition for the starting role. Cincinnati grades out at 51st nationally in JP+'s preseason power ratings (+2.1), buoyed by an offense that ranks 30th (+3.5) but hampered by a defense sitting 85th (-1.7). The program added Oklahoma transfer JaVonnie Gibson at receiver along with Kent State's Cade Wolford (27.1 PPA) to help offset key departures, while new coordinators Pete Thomas (offense) and Nate Woody (defense) bring fresh schemes to both sides of the ball.

JP+ projects 5.7 wins for the Bearcats in their Big 12 slate, with early tests coming against Texas Tech at home and road trips to face BYU and Utah among the conference's tougher matchups. The offense should keep Cincinnati competitive with Gibson leading a steady receiving corps, but the defensive struggles that plagued the unit in 2025 need immediate improvement under Woody's direction. If the new signal-caller can manage the offense effectively and the defense shows marked improvement, the Bearcats could push toward bowl eligibility. If not, another sub-.500 season looms in a competitive Big 12.