Ask columnist Jason Williams anything − sports or non-sports – and he’ll pick some of your questions and comments from his inbox and respond on Cincinnati.com. Email: jwilliams@enquirer.com
Message: The Bearcats are 7-1 and ranked (No. 17). They have a fantastic quarterback (Brendan Sorsby) and exciting offense. They’re tough and fun to watch. They’re in the thick of the playoff race. Sorsby should be in the Heisman conversation. (Scott) Satterfield should be a coach-of-the-year candidate. The nation should be talking about the Bearcats, but there isn’t even much buzz locally. What’s going on?
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Reply: UC football has been going through a lack-of-buzz phase ever since it entered the Big 12 Conference in 2023, which also was Satterfield’s first season.
It’s difficult to quantify “buzz,” but I know what you’re saying. Attendance is strong. The Bearcats are averaging 35,446 fans, making Nippert Stadium 95% full each game. UC is averaging 1,169 fewer fans at home so far this season. But that’s not an alarming dropoff and big crowds are expected for the Bearcats’ final two home games against Arizona and BYU next month.
Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Brendan Sorsby (2) runs the ball to the end zone for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a NCAA men’s football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and Baylor Bears, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. Bearcats won 41-20.
Nonetheless, it seems like the casual fan remains indifferent about UC football. I think a faction of casual fans got spoiled by the Luke Fickell era and the undefeated run to the College Football Playoff during the 2021 season.
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Fans got attached to the stars on that team, including quarterback Desmond Ridder and defensive back Sauce Gardner. Those guys were finishing their careers just as NIL and the transfer portal were getting going. Many of those players stayed at UC for 3-4 seasons and allowed fans to watch them develop over time.
I wonder if part of the lack of buzz locally is that some casual fans are simply turned off by what college athletics have become. I don’t know, just trying to think of reasons why.
It hurt that UC quickly fell into irrelevancy during Satterfield’s first two seasons. UC went 3-9 and 5-7, including losing five straight games to finish the 2024 season. It seems some fans made up their mind after last season that Satterfield wasn’t “the guy,” and now those fans appear to still be in a wait-and-see mode.
Question is, what are they waiting for? Does UC have to win out and make it to the Big 12 championship game to win back casual fans and generate broader interest?
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Brendan Sorsby, UC Bearcats football are rolling. Where’s the hype?
