Cincinnati is back in Tucson, itching for a win to stay undefeated and finally snag their first Mountain Time Zone victory under coach Scott Satterfield. This is a massive road test, especially considering what went down last year when Arizona handed them a brutal 30-24 loss in their initial Big 12 game. That defeat at Nippert Stadium wasn’t just another notch in the loss column, it actually knocked UC right out of the Top 25 and kickstarted a brutal run of five straight losses, including the FedEx Liberty Bowl. Talk about a gut punch.
Fifita’s Revenge Tour Is On, And The Bearcats Are In Its Path
Remember Noah Fifita? Arizona’s elusive 5-foot-10 quarterback absolutely shredded the Bearcats last season, even though UC sacked him four times. The guy went 23-of-31 for 294 yards and a touchdown, throwing zero interceptions. It was a clinic, giving the Bearcats fits and proving he’s a serious problem for any defense. Meanwhile, UC’s Brendan Sorsby got picked off twice in that same game, including on his very first play from scrimmage. That just stings, you know?
Satterfield’s teams have a tough history when traveling two time zones away, taking losses at BYU, Colorado, and Utah. And guess what? They still have a November 28 date at BYU this season. The last Bearcats squad to pull off a win traveling that far was Luke Fickell’s second team, who won 26-17 at UCLA way back on September 1, 2018, which was Desmond Ridder’s debut at quarterback. This isn’t just about an undefeated season anymore, it is about breaking a Mountain Time Zone curse that’s been hanging over them. Can they finally put it to bed?
Injury Updates: Who’s Healthy To Keep This Undefeated Streak Alive?
Good news, mostly, on the injury front for the Bearcats. Offensive lineman Aiden Pastoriza and tight end DaMari Witherspoon are still out, but everyone else has been cleared to play. That’s a huge relief when you’re going into such a critical road game. Arizona, on the other hand, will be without safety Dajon Hinton, tight end Cole Rusk, and defensive lineman Ezra Funa. They do have linebackers Myron Robinson and Jabari Mann listed as probable, which could be big for their defense.
Cincinnati has been absolutely rolling through their 2026 schedule so far, racking up some serious wins. They crushed Boston College 34-15, then absolutely throttled Western Carolina 62-10. They followed that up with a 35-31 victory over the Miami RedHawks and a hard-fought 31-26 win against Kansas State just last week. The undefeated streak is real, but this Arizona game is easily their toughest test yet.
No matter what goes down in Tucson, the Bearcats roll straight into another road battle, heading to West Virginia on October 17. This Arizona game isn’t just about another notch in the win column; it’s about exorcising some demons and proving they can take on anyone, anywhere. Can they finally conquer the Mountain Time Zone curse? Everyone’s waiting to see.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply