Daniel Skillings Jr’s ankle was rolled up on. Doesn’t seem to be too serious according to Coach Miller. I’d expect him to potentially miss a game or two.

More concerning news, John Newman III, who is the glue guy on this team, is going to miss some time. He is dealing with a knee issue. This is my speculation, but after hearing Wes’s press conference, I don’t think we’ll see him until AAC play.

Here at Fifth Third for Cincinati's third non-conference of the season against EKU. The Bearcats are 16.5 favorites today.

Through two games, EKU has 4 players averaging double figures. That includes Guards Michaeal Moreno, DaShawn Jackson, DeVonta Blanton, and Charlotte transfer Cooper Robb. They will play a guard heavy lineup, which should bode well for the Bearcats. Undersized forward Isaiah Cozart is EKU's best threat in the paint. The 6-foot-7 Richmond KY native is averaging 7 points and 10 rebounds through two games.

The Coloniels are coming off a close battle with Western Kentucky, losing 66-60. I believe this is the best team Cincinnati has faced to this point.

With an early tip, I'd expect the under 150 points to hit.

Score prediction: UC 80 - EKU 66

Not a huge surprise, given Sam's previous report, but eye-raising nonetheless:

Full presser from last night.

Late night finish at Nippert Stadium. Full highlights and story from Bearcats' win. Another not pretty one, but a win:

Cincinnati's second game of the season tips off tonight at 8PM against Cleveland State. The game can be viewed on everyone's favorite app - ESPN+. The Bearcats are a 20-point Vegas favorite.

As far as the opponent goes, CSU is coming off a brutal loss to Notre Dame College of Ohio - a division II program. This shouldn't be a surprise as the Vikings lost their top 5 scorers from a season ago. On top of that, Dennis Gates took a job in the SEC at Missouri after three successful years in Cleveland.

They brought a new coach into the fold, Daniyal Robinson. He comes from Iowa State with previous stops at Loyola (IL), Houston, among others.

Their roster, like Cincinnati, is transfer heavy. Iowa State transfer Tristan Enaruna and App State transfer DeShon Parker will be responsible for most of their scoring. Senior DeAnte Johnson, a 6-foot-9 forward, could be an issue in the paint for the Bearcats. Combo guard Tae Williams is also a scoring threat.

All in all, I don't expect the Bearcats to have much trouble at home tonight. It will be a good tune up game to continue Wes Miller's press defense and allow Cincinnati's scorers to get more comfortable before true tests in Maui.

I am excited to watch freshman Daniel Skillings a second time along with Landers Nolley II.

Score prediction: Cincinnati 86 - Cleveland State 61

I caught up with Patrick Mason, who covers ECU for The Greenville Reflector, to get his thoughts on the Pirates ahead of the game tonight:

The Bearcats took care of business vs. Navy.

-Navy missed two very makeable FG‘s and was unable to recover two Ben Bryant fumbles and played a 2nd and 3rd string QB and backup PK, but UC won.

-The good news is Ben Bryant returned to his previous form connecting on 67% 0f his passes, and despite the score, UC really dominated the game.

-The Bearcats improve to 7-2, but UC has arguably the toughest part of its schedule in the final three weeks. ECU is almost always tough and has beaten Memphis, UCF and BYU in its last three games. The Pirates have a very experienced QB; Temple scored 52 last weekend and play the Owls on the road. Every UC road game has been close this year, and #16 Tulane visits UC in the season finale at Nippert.

-Hoping UC got some clarity on using a 40 front. They might want to utilize it if opponents are running the ball well, and it would get Corleone more game reps.

-Personally, I think these three final games will be tough to win. I hope I’m wrong, but I just don’t see the Bearcats sweeping these games without making some significant changes. I guess we’ll see.

Analyst Clint Cosgrove talks about four-star Malik Elzy. I know UC is still in contact, but this is a long-shot. Not impossible, but a long-shot. I still think he ends up at Illinois, but we'll see. Sounds like it could go into December up to signing day.

Details weren't disclosed, but the university announced Travis Kelce has made a big donation to UC. Here's the release:


Kansas City Chief and former Cincinnati Bearcat, Travis Kelce has announced that his Eighty-Seven & Running Foundation will make a substantial contribution to the University of Cincinnati Athletics Department by launching a Health and Wellness Endowment for Bearcats student-athletes.

The endowment will fund Cincinnati’s Sports Psychology and Counseling Department, directly impacting and aiding all 450 student-athletes at Kelce’s alma mater, expanding the staff and personnel for Director of Sports Psychology Lenecia Nickell in the process.

The grant ensures that all UC student-athletes will have permanent access to the care and services needed to be mentally and physically strong, confident and resilient.

“During my time at UC I developed a solid infrastructure of people around to help me navigate through daily life as a student-athlete,” said Kelce. “The transition from high school to college was a difficult one; it was an emotional rollercoaster at times dealing with my academic responsibilities and holding my own on the field. There was little to no room for error in the classroom and on the field. Being able to have that support system in place is part of the reason why I decided to start this Endowment and give back to my alma mater and its athletic department. I’m at a place in my career where I’m able to share my experiences and lend resources to provide the university’s student-athletes with the assistance they need to become the best versions of themselves they can be.”

Kelce played at UC from 2009 to 2012, scoring eight touchdowns in his final season before heading to the NFL where he has starred for the Chiefs for the last decade, establishing himself as one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history.

“We are honored to have Travis Kelce launch this transformational endowment for our student-athletes,” UC Director of Athletics John Cunningham said. “This is a really special gift from Travis because it comes from a former student-athlete for current and future student-athletes, but also because it will impact student-athletes for years to come.

“Travis is a tremendous ambassador for the University of Cincinnati and we are grateful for his continued support for our athletes and our athletic department. Mental health is a crucial component of college athletics. Travis’ gift will ensure that Cincinnati remains on the forefront of support for all UC athletes.”

Kelce is a dedicated philanthropist who is passionate about helping the lives of youth who are facing adversity. He founded Eighty-Seven & Running in 2015 in Kansas City, Missouri. The organization aims to help underserved youth strive to become productive citizens by creating motivating mentor programs that aid in exploring and developing their abilities while learning critical life skills.

“Nurturing mental and physical health is crucial in developing successful futures for student-athletes, said André Eanes, Kelce’s business Manager, and himself a former Cincinnati Bearcat.

The University has constructed an incredible foundation to aid the physical needs of student-athletes, which is just as important as supporting their mental health as both are vital in optimizing wellbeing and excellence with performance in the classroom, on the field, and their life beyond sports.”

Hey guys, I just got word that UC still expects to receive the signed letters of intent from Rayvon Griffith and Jizzle James today. As of this post, they have not arrived in the men's basketball office, but that's just a formality. Nothing to worry about I'm told by a source in the program.

I'll post something when the guys do sign.

Full story on Moreno, following up my previous INsider. This kid is still a bit raw, but coaches love his size and athleticism. I've heard Indiana especially likes him.

BearcatReport - Moreno Impressed by UC, Others

Sophomore wing Malachi Moreno continues to generate interest, including with UC, where he visited recently.

cincinnati.rivals.com

Local 2026 WR Chris Henry Jr. will visit Cincinnati this weekend.

He is the son of former Bengals great Chris Henry.

The 6-foot-2, 175 pounder recently transferred from West Clermont to Withrow. He said the following on his upcoming visit, “I heard Cincinnati’s atmosphere is electric. I’m very excited to see it in person”

Henry will also visit Ohio State on Saturday.

I will follow up with Chris after his visits to get his thoughts.

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Bearcats tip off here at 5th/3rd here in 20 mins...

Individual grades for UC from the win Saturday:

Full press conference from this afternoon:

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Guys, I caught up with one of UC's visitors from the Navy game, three-star TE Gavin Grover. This was his second game this season, as he also visited for the Indiana game. Grover is now up to 14 offers, most recently from Rutgers, Missouri and West Virginia.
Login to view embedded media I can tell you right now that UC is quite high on Grover's list. He told me he wants to stay close to home, he likes how UC uses its tight ends and he likes how the Bearcats have developed players, especially tight ends. He specifically pointed out Josh Whyle and the transformation he had from a tall, skinny kid out of high school to the 250-pound guy he is now.

Grover also really likes assistant coach Nate Letton. He told me he likes how many good things he's heard about Letton from others outside of UC, how he honest he believes he is and how he respects Letton for how he handles himself when talking to people. "I just love where our relationship is going and can’t wait to continue building this with him," Grover told me.

The previous weekend, Oct. 29, Grover was at Michigan for its game against Michigan State. He told me he loves what the program has done with tight ends and loves the atmosphere at home games. The previous weekend, Oct. 22, Grover was at Penn State for its white out game against Minnesota. He told me he loves how guys like Mike Gesicki and Pat Freirmuth are in the NFL, how the tight end is used and then told me that Beaver Stadium is the "best gameday atmosphere I've seen."

Two visits left on the docket this season. Grover isn't going anywhere this weekend, but will be at Pittsburgh Nov. 19 and Ohio State Nov. 26 for the Michigan game. I honestly think Grover is the tight end that UC is in best with. And the Bearcats will always prioritize that position. So yes, I think UC is the leader, but it's still slim. Grover is definitely considering everyone.

Full story coming.

Full post game press conference. Our man Sam Kwiatkowski was on hand as well. Game notes in another thread:

Spoke with some with ties to the athletic department and they mentioned Cincinnati should be announcing the plans for an new basketball practice facility soon.

They mentioned TQL as a sponsor and said potential renovations to the baseball stadium are possible.

Hey all, just wanted to compile a list of some of the notable recruits who will be at Nippert Stadium tomorrow for UC's game against Navy. This is by no means an exhaustive list. And I'll be adding more to it as I confirm more visitors:
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Sam already pointed this out in another thread, but for consistency, wanted to post like I do all new offers for UC:
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Cincinnati could very well lose the commitment of Winton Woods DB Cam Calhoun.

The coaching staff made a play yesterday by offering ‘23 DB Cruce Brookins. The 6-foot-2 prospect played his high school ball at Steel Valley in PA.

I’m in contact with Brookins and will have more regarding his relationship with Cincinnati.
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Just as suitors are trying to poach current Cincinnati commits, the Bearcats former Toledo pledge Ardell Banks out of Massillon (OH) yesterday.

The lengthy 6-foot-4 WR also picked a Kentucky offer.

I’m working on getting more info from Banks and his plans going forward

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Sam already brought up Cameron Calhoun getting a Michigan offer, but here's Rivals.com's Michigan site weighing in on flipping him:

Sounds like he's in some hot water. Was the Bearcats' top-ranked recruit in the 2022 class:
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