Recap: Cincinnati 41 Baylor 20
Cincinnati extended their winning streak to seven games with a dominant 41-20 victory over Baylor Saturday night, improving to 7-1 overall and 5-0 in Big 12 play. The Bearcats controlled the game early and never looked back, balancing a potent rushing attack with timely passing.
(Photo: Taylor Keeton / Bearcatsportshub )
"First of all, man, what an awesome atmosphere. Homecoming, we expected it and it was. Everybody out in red, students were into it. Great atmosphere, and obviously proud of what our guys did tonight," Satterfield said. "Anytime you can do that on a night like homecoming, with people coming back for the Hall of Fame and alumni with so much pride in this program, to put a product out there they can be proud of, I think, is huge for us."
The Bearcats' ground game produced 265 rushing yards on 50 carries, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. Quarterback Brendan Sorsby led the way, rushing for 85 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, including a 23-yard scoring run.
“He’s a good runner. He runs hard, to score, to get first downs. And when we needed the passing game, he came through. Incredible play there at the end on the touchdown pass,” Satterfield remarked.
Through the air, Sorsby completed 13 of 21 passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns.
"He’s playing efficient football, and that's what we're asking from him. Take what the defense gives us, nothing more, nothing less. When we needed it, he came through," Satterfield noted.
Running back Tawee Walker added 84 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, while Evan Pryor chipped in with 66 yards and a touchdown. Cincinnati’s rushing attack consistently wore down Baylor’s defense and kept the clock running, contributing to a time of possession advantage: 35:15 to 24:45.
(Photo: Taylor Keeton / Bearcatsportshub )
"We haven't really won games this year like this where we won time of possession by 10 minutes. We were controlling the game, running the football. That was a good game plan—to keep their offense off the field."
“Going into it… we felt like we could run the football and we needed to run the football," Satterfield told media following the game. "By doing that, a byproduct was keeping them (Baylor offense) off the field. The main mindset was to be physical on offense and just run it right at them.”
Quarterback Brendan Sorsby noted that there was a confidence that the Bearcats could come in and be the more physical team.
“We knew that we could come in and probably be the more physical team,” Sorsby said. “Our offensive line was dominating out there, and you just keep feeding into that and keep it on the ground.”
The Bearcats outgained Baylor 376-266, while limiting the best passing offense in the country to just 137 yards.
(Photo: Taylor Keeton / Bearcatsportshub )
“You’re obviously really proud of our defense and Coach Veidt and the whole defensive staff putting together a game plan to contain the nation’s top passing offense. Holding them to 137 yards passing… can’t say enough about what those guys did.”
Leading the way for the Bearcat defense was defensive back Tre Gola-Collard, who finished with 11 tackles.
"He’s always flying down there trying to make a play… more importantly, I just love how he carries himself. He’s a very great individual," Satterfield explained.
“For us it was just executing our plan," Gola-Callard stated. "Our coaches had a great plan. We executed. We knew they were a good team and we knew we were a good team.”
Scoring Recap:
First Quarter
Cincinnati came out firing, establishing momentum on their opening drive.
Sorsby orchestrated an 11-play, 81-yard drive capped by a 1-yard touchdown rush from Tawee Walker, giving the Bearcats an early 7-0 lead. Later in the quarter, Evan Pryor punched in a 5-yard touchdown run, extending Cincinnati’s advantage to 14-0 with 1:20 remaining in the first quarter. The Bearcats’ opening drives showcased a methodical rushing attack and efficient clock management, wearing down Baylor’s defense.
Second Quarter
Cincinnati added to their lead with a 46-yard field goal by Stephen Rusnak midway through the second quarter to make it 17-0. On their next possession, Sorsby connected with Cyrus Allen on a 6-yard touchdown pass, extending the Bearcats’ lead to 24-0. Baylor finally found the end zone with just 16 seconds left in the half, as Sawyer Robertson hit Michael Trigg for a 6-yard touchdown, though a failed two-point conversion left the score at 24-6.
(Photo: Taylor Keeton / Bearcatsportshub )
Third Quarter
Baylor attempted a comeback, with Robertson finding Josh Cameron for a 9-yard touchdown, closing the gap to 24-12. However, Cincinnati responded with a 36-yard field goal by Rusnak, maintaining a two-score lead at 27-12.
The second field goal of the game by Rusnak extended his streak to 22 consecutive made attempts, dating back to last season.
“He’s pretty calm and very confident… we all believe in him, and most of them are going in right now. Hopefully we keep that going," Satterfield said.
Fourth Quarter
Baylor managed a short-lived rally when Robertson scored on a 1-yard rush, narrowing the gap to 27-20. Cincinnati quickly reasserted control, as Sorsby broke free for a 23-yard touchdown run to cap a 12 play, 75-yard drive that spanned 7:21.
During the ensuing kickoff, Tayden Barnes laid a big hit on Kole Wilson to force a fumble at the Baylor 17. Cincinnati recovered and scored three plays later on an 8-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Johnson to give the home team a 41-20 advantage.
“I just thought we responded in a great way at the end of that game to grab that momentum back when it could have gone either way,” Satterfield said.
"I think we have a very efficient offense…the last couple weeks, we blew those games open in the fourth quarter by playing this way. I'll take 41 points if it's a little conservative in the second half."
(Photo: Taylor Keeton / Bearcatsportshub )
Looking Ahead
With each win, the stakes get higher and the next week becomes bigger. The Bearcats' remaining schedule forces Satterfield and his team to quickly turn the page and move on to their next opponent.
“We have to stay in the moment… after tonight we’ll clean this game up and it’ll all be on Utah. Will it be a challenge? Absolutely. They’re an outstanding football team. But it’s what we’re signed up for, and we’re excited about this opportunity to be playing for a conference championship," Satterfield said. "What our guys have been able to accomplish is a byproduct of buying in every single day,”
“We’ve taken it one week at a time the whole season,” Sorsby added. “Every week has been a big week for us. Nothing’s going to change going into next week.”
“That’s what’s gotten us here — we’re out there having fun with it. At the end of the day, it’s just a game. Our big boys up front are having fun, pancaking dudes and talking trash. That’s what it’s all about.”
When asked if this was the most fun he’s had in his career, Sorsby didn’t hesitate:
“Oh, absolutely. Winning is fun. Whenever you can win, it’s always a blast.”
Final Thoughts:
The maturity and leadership on this team continues to show with each week. The poise shown during key moments is a sign of a team that has it figured out and simply knows how to win. The Bearcats have shown the can win in a variety of ways and look comfortable when adversity hits.
Saturday's win showcased the Bearcat brand that fans have resonated with when the program has been most successful- tough, physical, and disciplined.
Game Highlights
Postgame Video: Satterfield, Sorsby, Wilson, Gola-Callard, Cotton