Bold predictions for Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Miami RedHawks

The Cincinnati Bearcats will face the Miami RedHawks in the Battle for the Victory Bell at TQL Stadium on September 19. The rivalry between these two local teams has seen UC lead with a score of 61-60-7. Here are some bold predictions for the 129th game between the two rivals:

1. Cincinnati Bearcats running back Gi Bran Payne will once again surpass 100 yards. Payne became the first Bearcat since Corey Kiner to have back-to-back games over the century mark in his previous games against Boston College and Western Carolina. If Payne achieves this again, he could join Kiner as the only Bearcats players to have three straight games with over 100 yards rushing. Kiner finished his UC career with 100-plus-yard games against Iowa State, Kansas State, and TCU, amassing 1,153 rushing yards in 2024.

2. Bearcats quarterback JC French IV is expected to throw for 200+ yards without any sacks. French, a fifth-year player, has already accumulated three touchdowns and three 200+ yard passing games in his career, including four games where he threw for over 300 yards. With UC's strong running game, French may not need to reach 300 yards with the pass.

3. Cincinnati Bearcats defense will record three or more sacks. Miami has only given up two sacks in their last two games, and Bearcats' defensive coordinator Nate Woody has emphasized the importance of taking away the ball from opposing quarterbacks this season. If UC's defensive line can sack Miami multiple times, it could lead to a multiple-sack game or even some fumbles.

The preseason game-by-game predictions favored UC to win 31-24. However, after observing the first two games, the author now expects the Bearcats to win by a wider margin of 17 points, with a final score of 34-17.