CFB Analyst Stamps Cincinnati Bearcats With Positive Label

 Not many people are picking the Bearcats to make noise this coming college football season, but one voice popped up this week. ESPN analyst and former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy has UC as his dark horse team in the Big 12.

There are plenty of key factors trending Cincinnati's way as the program tries to get bowl eligible again after a long streak that ended two years ago.

"A team that you probably did not expect me to describe as a dark horse. And the Big 12, it might shock you, it's the Cincinnati Bearcats. Now hear me out. I think the Big 12 champion gonna have three losses, so understand that before we dive into the breakdown for the Cincinnati Bearcats. But if you look at Scott Satterfield, he might take that year three leap that he took when he was at Appalachian State. 

"Now, in his second year at Appalachian State, they won seven games. In his third year, they won 11 games. Now this roster, across the board, is probably better than you realized. I feel really good about what they have in quarterback Brendan Sorsby; he's big. At 235 pounds, he can throw it down the field. He's a really good runner, difficult to bring downin the open field. And I think this offensive line has a chance to be pretty good. You look at some of the weapons they have, like Joe Royer at tight end, don't be surprised if at season's end we're sitting there and like, where did Cincinnati come from?"

The Bearcats have pretty solid continuity for this era of college football, especially in the coaching staff, and one of those points could swing the season the most. Sorsby has a strong arm, but completed less than 30% of his 20-plus yard throws last season.

A bigger threat with those plays will only open up the patented Satterfield rushing attack that's been among the best in the nation during both of his opening seasons.

It all gets rolling downhill starting in two weeks against Nebraska.