Cincinnati Football: Bearcats Now Ranked and Poised for a Big East Championship

Cincinnati is enjoying their second bye week of October. It so happens to be the same week they jump into the national rankings for the first time in almost two years. 

The Bearcats are currently ranked No. 23 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll and No. 24 in the AP Poll. They are one of only four schools that is currently ranked in both football and basketball. 

While the Bearcats were still left out of the BCS Rankings, some recognition by the coaches and national media after an impressive 6-1 start goes a long way towards helping recruiting and image for Cincinnati. 

After a bye week followed by back-to-back wins over Louisville and at South Florida, Cincinnati is enjoying their final off-week of the season before five straight Big East conference games to end the year.  

The first of those games will be next Saturday night on ESPNU against Pittsburgh. 

The Panthers are coming off a 35-20 win against Connecticut and will come in 4-4 overall and 2-1 in the Big East. 

Pittsburgh will likely be without star running back Ray Graham, who ranks second in college football in rushing yards. He left the Connecticut game because of a knee injury that appears serious and may shelf him for the rest of the season.

After a trip to Pittsburgh, Cincinnati comes home for a showdown at Paul Brown Stadium against West Virginia in what could be the Big East game of the year if both teams win their games leading up to the November 12th contest.

Cincinnati then finishes up the road part of their schedule with trips to Rutgers and Syracuse, two teams who have been pleasant surprises in the Big East.

The final game of the season will be a home encounter against Connecticut on December 3rd.

Their Big East fate and BCS hopes lie in the balance. It is up to the Bearcats, particularly the seniors, to seize the opportunity and win the third Big East Championship of their careers.