LAWRENCE — Kansas football’s Big 12 Conference slate continues Saturday, with a home game against Cincinnati that’s scheduled to kick off at 11 a.m. (CT).
KU (3-1, 1-0 in Big 12) just trounced West Virginia to open Big 12 play. Cincinnati (2-1) has yet to play a Big 12 game so far this fall. The Jayhawks have already announced this matchup as a sellout.
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So, what are Kansas’ coaches and players saying ahead of the game? What stands out about Cincinnati that the Jayhawks are going to have to try to stop? Will KU be able to remain undefeated at home?
RELATED: See Kansas football’s latest Big 12 player availability report for Cincinnati game
Prior to kickoff, here’s a scouting report and prediction for the game:
Kansas football head coach Lance Leipold previews Cincinnati
Kansas head coach Lance Leipold described Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby as a talented player who’s physical and has a good arm. Stopping his ability to make plays with his legs, Leipold explained, will require Kansas’ defense being assignment sound, disruptive up front and tackling well. Holistically, Leipold thinks it’s clear that the Bearcats have addressed what they’ve needed to in recruiting since the 2023 game the two sides played that saw the Jayhawks trounce UC.
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Kansas’ depth at safety is going to get tested in this matchup, including when Devin Dye is unavailable in the first half after getting ejected for targeting last week. But Leipold does feel good about KU’s depth at the position. There are also various personnel groupings the Jayhawks can turn toward if necessary.
Kansas football defensive coordinator D.K. McDonald previews Cincinnati
Kansas defensive coordinator D.K. McDonald said Cincinnati’s offense is talented at every spot, and praised Sorsby for his dual-threat capabilities. He noted the Bearcats have wide receivers with speed, and players who can win 50-50 balls. He also highlighted how good a play caller UC head coach Scott Satterfield is, and volunteered he’s admired Satterfield for a long time.
Kansas football offensive coordinator Jim Zebrowski previews Cincinnati
Kansas offensive coordinator Jim Zebrowski said something he’s noticed, compared to how Cincinnati looked in 2023, is how physical the Bearcats are. It’s unclear right now if UC will have star defensive lineman Dontay Corleone available, but if Corleone can play, that’ll give Cincinnati a strong, physical individual who’ll be difficult for the Jayhawks to block. Zebrowski was also impressed by how the Bearcats played against Nebraska in their season opener.
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Kansas football players preview Cincinnati
Kansas wide receiver Levi Wentz described Cincinnati as well-coached and disciplined. He thinks there are things the Bearcats have shown on film that his Jayhawks can take advantage of; it’s just a matter of doing so.
Kansas offensive lineman Bryce Foster is excited for the challenge of going up against Corleone, if Corleone can play. Overall, he sees a defensive line that has size and physicality.
Kansas safety Lyrik Rawls highlighted Sorsby is a guy who can do pretty much everything at the quarterback position, and that they’ll need to keep him in the pocket. Like McDonald, Rawls noted there’s talent at each position for the Bearcats.
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Kansas football vs Cincinnati prediction
Sorsby’s dual-threat capabilities should challenge Kansas at times, and odds are he’s going to be able to execute some explosive plays. However, that won’t be enough for Cincinnati to come away with the win. Look for the Jayhawks to capture a 35-21 victory.
Cincinnati football coach Scott Satterfield speaks with players during a game against Northwestern State on Sept. 13, 2025, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas football vs Cincinnati score prediction: Scouting report Big 12
