Can the Bearcats Return to the College Football Playoff in 2022?

Exploring how Cincinnati can get back to the College Football Playoff this year.

Alex Frank | Aug 8, 2022

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MACON — After losing nine starters from last year's Bearcats team to the NFL Draft, it's easy to write this team off from returning to the College Football Playoff.

But with a roster that's arguably better top to bottom than last year, the Cincinnati Bearcats team can make the College Football Playoff again this year.

Making the Playoff last year should factor into how they're viewed in 2022. Going to the Big 12 next year should also be a factor. The fact that Cincinnati made the College Football Playoff as a Group of Five team is an impressive achievement—once viewed as impossible.

But now, the Bearcats are essentially a Power Five team, despite not playing in a Power Five conference this season.

It remains to be seen how the Bearcats losing nine starters to the NFL Draft will impact their AP preseason ranking. But it should be hard to leave a team out of the preseason top 25 who went to the CFP last year and a New Year's Six Bowl the year before.

That's the first thing that needs to happen. The Bearcats need a good enough preseason ranking in the AP Top 25.

Then, they have to beat Arkansas. Point blank. They're still a Group of Five team, so the Bearcats, at the very least, have to go undefeated.

Winning on the road against an SEC opponent would be impressive, but would it be enough to warrant a Playoff berth if the Bearcats run the table?

Then again, back-to-back 13-0 seasons and moving to the Big 12 next year could prod the Playoff Committee to take both of those into account when it comes time to decide who's in.

There are a lot of things that need to happen around College Football for the Bearcats to get back to the College Football Playoff, most of which are out of Cincinnati's control.

But a third straight undefeated season, a previous Playoff appearance, and a trip to the Big 12 could be enough pedigree to get the Bearcats back into the College Football Playoff.

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