Tuesday Thoughts - Cincinnati Football

#NippAtNight

The atmosphere for Friday night at Nippert Stadium is going to be absolutely electric. It should reach and exceed 2009 levels.

The fans really showed up for UCLA and Miami earlier this year. But knowing the importance of this game and the history between these teams and having listened to UCF fans for the last 2+ years, this crowd will be wild.

UCF QB Update

Dillon Gabriel will start on Friday. Gabriel has thrown 14 TD and just 2 INTs. The Hawaiin lefty has picked up where McKenzie Milton left off in 2018. Gabriel has been sacked 8 times and was pressured a lot during the recent loss to Pitt. Cincinnati’s defensive line has been a strength all year and bringing that pressure will go a long way to helping pull off a potential upset.

The pre-season starter Brandon Wimbush is no longer on the depth chart at QB.

Awards Season

James Smith was one of eight punters nominated for the Ray Guy Award’s Punter of the Week. Smith punted three times in the win against Marshall, averaging 50.2 yards per punt.

On Monday, Desmond Ridder was named co-AAC Offensive Player of the Week. Ridder threw as many touchdowns as he did incompletions (4).

Coach Fickell tweeted out his players of the week, following Marshall - Ridder and Josiah Deguara split the offensive honors, Ethan Tucky was named Defensive Player of the Week, and Tre Tucker for Special Teams.

AAC Football Update

American Athletic Conference teams are 6-0 against Conference USA this season. The American is 3-0 against the Sun Belt, 2-0 against the Mountain West and 1-1 against the MAC

One of five FBS conferences with multiple unbeaten teams

23-1 against opponents from outside the power conferences this season

4-0 in non-conference games Saturday

Future Schedule News

In case you missed it last week, Cincinnati will open the 2020 season against Austin Peay. Coach Fickell’s first game was against the Governors to open the 2017 season.

College Football Week 5 Recap

Ohio State destroyed Nebraska in Lincoln. Buckeyes have now scored 45 points in every game this season, except one. I know not scoring on Ohio State will forever haunt players, fans, and coaches this season, but the Buckeyes are pretty good. At least, for now, Cincinnati held them to their lowest scoring output.

After last week’s incredible victory for UCLA, where they came back to win 67-63, the Bruins came back to Earth and lost to Arizona 20-17. QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson completed just 17-33 passes, looking more like the version we saw week 1.

Miami opened up MAC play with a home win against Buffalo.

In the AAC, UCF took home the Civil ConFLiCT trophy against UConn, in a game that was never close.

Houston, despite having a weird week with guys deciding to redshirt, took care of business with ease, on the road against North Texas.

Temple beat Georgia Tech 24-2, getting some payback against their former coach Geoff Collins, who left Temple after last season with a 15-10 record in two years.

SMU is 5-0 and now ranked for the first time since 1986. Mustangs beat a really, really bad USF team. Charlie Strong = Tommy Tuberville?

ECU beat Old Dominion in what might just be their final victory of the season.

And on Thursday, Memphis beat Navy to win their first conference game of the season.

Looking ahead to week 6,

• Temple @ ECU (Thursday)
• UCF @ Cincy (Friday)
• Tulane @ Army
• USF @ UConn
• Air Force vs Navy
• Memphis @ Louisiana-Monroe
• Tulsa @ SMU