In his second year as a Bearcat, wide receiver Johnny Holton played in eight games, but amassed 461 yards and five touchdowns, having some games where he was a major impact player, despite not being the number one receiver on the depth chart.

In the opening game of the season against Alabama A&M, Holton caught three passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns in a 52-10 blowout. On the opening drive for the Bearcats, Holton nabbed a 6-yard TD from Gunner Kiel to give the Bearcats a 7-0 lead. His second touchdown came in the second half on a 47-yard touchdown to expand Cincinnati's lead to 28-7.

Holton made some big plays in a win against Miami (OH) early in the season, as well. In the first quarter, facing a fourth down, Kiel connected with Holton on a 27-yard pass, which set up a score and an early 7-0 lead. Late in the second half, Holton had a nice return for Cincinnati, returning the ball 40 yards to set up excellent field position. The offense capitalized on the field position, scoring a touchdown and going up 24-23. The Bearcats would eventually win a 37-33 thriller that day.

Against Connecticut several weeks later, Holton caught a 29-yard pass to tie the game at seven. They would win in that game, as well. Holton's biggest game of the season, however, came on Halloween against UCF in a blowout victory for Cincinnati. Late in the first, Holton caught a 59-yard pass for a touchdown, giving the Bearcats a 14-0 lead. Gunner Kiel and Holton connected on another long ball late in the game, a 78-yard touchdown pass.

This year Holton proved to be a playmaker and a potential deep threat for the Bearcats offense, though his health has been a concern, as it kept him out of several games this season, especially late in the year. Still, he has shown to be a solid offensive player when able to stay on the field.