Ranking OU's 2023 opponents: Does Cincinnati pose a threat?

Editor’s note: This is part seven in a series previewing each of the Sooners’ opponents in 2023. OUInsider will rank all 12 games by their significance, difficulty and entertainment value on a 1-10 scale. The previous installments focused on Arkansas State, Tulsa, Iowa State, West Virginia, SMU and Kansas. This article previews Cincinnati, which is ranked No. 6.

Oklahoma will meet one of its new Big 12 opponents early in the season, and it’s a team the Sooners have barely seen.

The Sooners will travel to Nippert Stadium to take on Cincinnati on Sept. 23 for their conference opener. It will mark only the third time the teams have met and the only time they’ll face off as Big 12 foes.

For the Bearcats, 2023 will be their first season as a Big 12 member and they're one of four new teams joining the conference, and it’s a little difficult to gauge exactly what to expect from the Bearcats.

The Bearcats went on an impressive run in 2021, posting a 13-1 record that included a trip to the College Football Playoff. But they took a slight step back in 2022, finishing 9-4 and losing in the Fenway Bowl. Plus, they lost their head coach, Luke Fickell, to Wisconsin. During the offseason the Bearcats prioritized the transfer portal over traditional recruiting, adding 21 transfers and 12 high school prospects.

Here’s an overview of Cincinnati and what the Sooners can expect in 2023:

Significance: 7/10

Difficulty: 6/10

Entertainment value: 7/10

Total score: 20/30

* The Sooners have been to Cincinnati only one time in program history, and it happened 13 years ago. A lot has changed since then, with the Sooners set to leave the Big 12 in 2024 just as the Bearcats are getting established in the conference.

Nippert Stadium isn’t a huge facility — it seats 40,000 people — but it’s over 850 miles away from Norman, making it one of the longer road trips the Sooners have taken in recent years. Plus it’s the Big 12 season opener for both teams, giving the game some added importance.

All time: OU leads series 2-0

Last meeting: Sept. 25, 2010, Cincinnati, Ohio (OU won 31-29)

2022 stats

Offense: 29.2 points per game (59th nationally)

Defense: 20.6 points allowed (20th nationally)

Key departures (2022 stats):

QB Ben Bryant (*2,732 passing yards, *61.2% completion, *21 TDs, *7 INTs)

RB Charles McClelland (*146 carries, *849 yards, *7 TDs)

WR Tyler Scott (*54 receptions, *899 yards, *9 TDs)

WR Tre Tucker (52 receptions, 672 yards, 3 TDs)

LB Ivan Pace Jr. (*136 tackles, *20.5 TFLs, *9 sacks)

DL Ty Van Fossen (78 tackles, 4 TFLs, 0.5 sacks)

DL Jaheim Thomas (70 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 2 sacks)

* led team

Key returners (2022 stats):

RB Corey Kiner (82 carries, 362 yards, 5 TDs)

S Bryon Threats (58 tackles,4 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, 2 INTs)

Key additions:

* QB Emory Jones, Florida and Arizona State: The former four-star recruit spent four seasons at Florida before transferring to Arizona State in 2022. Jones started for the Gators in 2021 and started seven games for Arizona State last season. His best season came in 2021, totaling nearly 3,500 yards, 24 total touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

* WR Xzavier Henderson, Florida: Henderson spent three seasons with the Gators and started 11 games in 2021, recording 38 receptions for 410 yards and two TDs.

* WR Keyshawn Helton, Florida State: Helton, a former three-star recruit, spent five seasons with the Seminoles but struggled with injuries, totaling 60 catches for 812 yards and eight TDs.

* CB Jordan Young, Florida: The former four-star recruit spent two seasons with the Gators.

Heading into Year 1 in the Big 12 with new coach Scott Satterfield, can the Bearcats be successful?: Satterfield is facing an uphill battle heading into his first year with the Bearcats.

After 10 seasons in the American conference, the former Louisville coach is tasked with leading Cincinnati into a deeper, more-talented Big 12. It's particularly difficult considering the Bearcats experienced a mass exodus of the roster during the offseason. The Bearcats lost their starting quarterback, running back, two leading receivers and their three leading defensive players.

Satterfield did an admirable job adding talent during the offseason particularly at wide receiver, adding seven pass catchers. The Bearcats also likely added their new starting quarterback in Jones, who has starting experience at two Power 5 programs.

But it was the defense that kept the Bearcats afloat last season, and their ability to continue that defensive identity hinges on the coaching staff’s ability to develop and integrate new players into a new system. If that becomes an issue, it could be difficult for the Bearcats to compete in 2023.

Can the Sooners get off to a better start in conference play?: The Big 12 schedule is where things fell apart for OU last season.

The Sooners swept through their non-conference schedule only to lose their first three conference games by a combined score of 145-58. Injuries played a role in two of those losses, but it was a deflating three-game stretch to open conference play.

Playing on the road at Cincinnati isn’t necessarily an easy way to begin conference play, but a path to a good start is there for the Sooners. After Cincinnati, the Sooners get Iowa State, who finished last in the conference, at home.

Cincinnati is just two seasons removed from an undefeated regular season and a trip to the CFP, but the Bearcats aren’t the same team they were in 2021. This fall brings a new coach, a new system and a lot of new players to Ohio.

Nippert Stadium could present a challenge. But if the Sooners are serious about competing for one more Big 12 title, this is a game they simply should win.

12. Arkansas State

11. Tulsa

10. Iowa State

9. West Virginia

8. SMU

7. Kansas

6. Cincinnati

5-1. ??