LUKE FICKELL

The Big Ten’s westward expansion could challenge the league’s reputation for smashmouth football.

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh says he came out of spring practice with the best team he's had since taking over in 2015.

Braelon Allen ran for 116 yards and a touchdown and Wisconsin withstood Oklahoma State’s second-half push in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl for a 24-17 victory Tuesday night.

Cincinnati has tweeted that it has hired Louisville’s Scott Satterfield to be its next football coach.

Wisconsin is bringing Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell back to the Big Ten.

Ryan Coe kicked a school-record five field goals, including a season-long 52-yarder, and No. 21 Cincinnati held on for a 29-27 win over SMU.

Top-ranked Alabama is headed to another national championship game.

The biggest game week in Cincinnati history has arrived.

Top-ranked Alabama and Cincinnati have arrived in North Texas for their playoff semifinal game at the Cotton Bowl.

Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh is The Associated Press college football coach of the year.

Cincinnati is the first outsider to make the College Football Playoff and Alabama is the standard bearer.

Jerome Ford rushed for 187 yards and two touchdowns and Desmond Ridder threw three touchdown passes as No. 3 Cincinnati broke open a close game in the third quarter and rolled past No. 16 Houston 35-20 in the American Athletic Conference championship game.

Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick says he won’t be rushed into finding a replacement for football coach Brian Kelly no matter where the team is going in the postseason.

Desmond Ridder threw two touchdown passes and No. 4 Cincinnati completed a perfect regular season by beating East Carolina 35-13.

Tulsa’s Steven Anderson fumbled as he was reaching for the goal line on fourth-and-goal from the 1, Jabari Taylor recovered for a touchback and No. 2 Cincinnati held off Tulsa 28-20.

Desmond Ridder twice connected with tight end Josh Whyle for touchdowns and No. 2 Cincinnati remained unbeaten with a 31-12 victory over struggling Tulane.

Jerome Ford rushed for a career-high 189 yards and four touchdowns to help No. 3 Cincinnati roll past UCF 56-21.

Desmond Ridder threw for 259 yards and three touchdowns and No. 5 Cincinnati routed Temple 52-3 on Friday night for its 23rd straight home victory.

No. 8 Cincinnati took one small step toward playoff contention by rallying to beat Indiana.

Alabama looked beatable.

Jerome Ford rushed for 113 yards and three touchdowns and Desmond Ridder passed for 243 yards and two TDs to lead No. 7 Cincinnati past Murray State 42-7.

The Associated Press preseason college football poll has been released and Alabama is No. 1.

Tennessee State has hired former NFL running back Eddie George as football coach.

Georgia place kicker Jack Podlesny, offensive player of the game, stands with Georgia head coach Kirby Smart after the Peach Bowl NCAA college football game against Cincinnati, Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, in Atlanta. 6 Cincinnati its only loss of the season with a dramatic 24-21 victory in the Peach Bowl on Friday. Georgia trailed 21-10 in the fourth quarter, but its defense clamped down on Desmond Ridder and Cincinnati and JT Daniels helped rally the Bulldogs with his arm. Podlesny’s third field goal was his longest of the season and gave Georgia a 22-21 lead. Zamir White's 9-yard TD run trimmed Cincinnati's lead to 21-16, but Daniels' pass on the 2-point attempt was incomplete.

Ridder threw two touchdown passes and ran for two scores as Cincinnati defeated Central Florida 36-33 Saturday to head into the release of the first College Football Playoff rankings unbeaten. “What a hard, hard-fought game,” Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell said. UCF took a 25-22 lead in the third quarter with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Gabriel to Marlon Williams. “We’ve got a trophy game (Friday against USF), our guys will be ready to play.”The interception Gabriel threw was costly for UCF. … After averaging 417.7 yards passing in his first six games, Gabriel has thrown for under 300 yards in consecutive games.

Cincinnati wide receiver Michael Young Jr. holds the ball up as he scores a touchdown during the first half of the team's NCAA college football game against East Carolina, Friday, Nov. 13, 2020, in Cincinnati. 7 Cincinnati rout East Carolina 55-17 on Friday night. The preparation has been good.”In Cincinnati's three-point victory at East Carolina last year, the Pirates scored 43 points and piled up 638 yards. “Desmond Ridder is a talented quarterback," East Carolina coach Mike Houston said. After punting on three of its first four possessions, East Carolina (1-6, 1-5) drove 58 yards in three plays, pulling to 14-7 on Keaton Mitchell's 18-yard run.

8 Cincinnati's game at Tulsa on Saturday has been postponed because of positive COVID-19 tests among Bearcats players. The American Athletic Conference announced Thursday, Oct. 15, the game is being rescheduled for Dec. 5. 8 Cincinnati’s game at Tulsa on Saturday has been postponed because of positive COVID-19 tests among Bearcats players. Tulsa has had three games postponed, including its opener against Oklahoma State, which it was able to make up. “I’m disappointed, first, for our football student-athletes and coaches, and obviously for our staff who has prepared so diligently, our campus and the city of Tulsa," Tulsa athletic director Rick Dickson said.