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13. Cincinnati

The Bearcats are the highest-ranked Group of 5 team on the board, and that is a nod to the job Luke Fickell has done since taking over. Cincinnati won 11 games each of the last two seasons, and three-year starter Desmond Ridder returns at quarterback. The offensive line will revolve around Michigan transfer James Hudson, and Elijah Ponder and Michael Pitts lead the best defense in the AAC. Cincinnati lost the non-conference game against Nebraska, and they will have little margin for error in conference play to make the New Year's Day Six. That said, the opportunity for a special season is there.

Wouldn't surprise me if the Big10 changed their position.

Great coverage and revised ranking.

If present plans hold, and the season can be carried out uninterrupted, it's a unique opportunity for the Bearcats in the Midwest too. Without OSU and Michigan, and to a lesser extent, MSU, IU and PU sucking all the oxygen out of the media coverage in the tri-state region, UC's brand can continue to grow beyond I-275.

Will 2021/2022 recruits notice? We can only hope so.