One year removed from a nine-loss season, Cincinnati will look to become bowl eligible on Saturday afternoon when it hosts West Virginia in a Big 12 matchup.
The Bearcats (5-3, 3-2) have turned their fortunes around behind quarterback Brendan Sorsby. The transfer from Indiana University is being considered for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award.
Sorsby has thrown for 2,108 yards and 15 touchdowns in eight games, with just four interceptions. The redshirt sophomore is third in the Big 12 in passing yards and second in total touchdowns with 21 (six rushing).
The Bearcats are coming off their second bye week of the season and used it to deal with several injuries, including one to starting right guard Luke Kandra (leg).
“We’ll know more about Kandra as we get out there (this week), Cincinnati coach Scott Satterfield said. “But I feel like we’re trending in the right direction with him, as well as (Gavin) Gerhardt, who was banged up a little, bit but he’s back; he was back Sunday. I feel like we’re back to about full strength across the board, which would be helpful.”
The Mountaineers (4-4, 3-2) enter the game looking to go over the .500 mark and move within one game of becoming bowl eligible. West Virginia also is coming off a bye week after recording a 31-26 win at Arizona on Oct. 26.
The Mountaineers are led by quarterback Nicco Marchiol, who threw a 54-yard touchdown to Traylon Ray in the win over the Wildcats. The touchdown was West Virginia’s longest pass play of the season.
“He played really under control,” coach Neal Brown said of Marchiol. “He didn’t do anything that hurt us, and I mean that in the most positive way. We put a lot on him in our read game. We struggled with our snaps, and I thought he did a great job of catching the football, which should be a given, but he had to make some difficult catches, and I thought he handled that.”
The Bearcats will look to avenge last year’s 42-21 loss to the Mountaineers in West Virginia.
