Three Down Look: Cincinnati Beats Towson To Open 2024 Regular Season

The Bearcats notched a 23rd-consecutive home opening win.

Cincinnati Bearcats wide receiver Tyrin Smith (4) runs the ball before the College Football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Towson Tigers at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. / Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

CINCINNATI — It was an early onslaught at Nippert Stadium on Saturday as Cincinnati football handled Towson SCORE in the two sides' first-ever meeting.

The Tigers may not want another round after Brendan Sorsby (22-31, 383 yards, 2 TDs, 2 rushing TDs) and the Bearcats offense started red hot and carried it through the first half (just 10 second-half points). FCS opponents have historically gotten crushed at Nippert Stadium, but Towson's offense put up a fight against UC's still questionable defensive unit and easily covered the 31.5-point spread.

Cincinnati started the game 8-9 passing for 200 yards and two scores, but played to a 17-17 draw in the final three quarters. It's a good primer for next week's massive rivalry rekindling against Pitt and marked Cincinnati's 23rd-consecutive victorious home opener.

Sorsby Slices

Brendan Sorsby flashed some promising signs for the rest of the season against a rough secondary from Towson. The Tigers blew multiple huge coverages for TDs, but Sorsby took advantage nearly every time and showed why he was one of the nation's best deep ball throwers down the middle last season.

"We ran a few plays, and we didn't get many yards rushing the ball there early," Scott Satterfield said. "So, we continued to push the ball down the field, and we were able to make some plays down the field, which, I think, in return, opened up the running game later on in the game.

Cincinnati has to be able to access the third level of the field more often this season and Saturday was a nice start. He carried a 250-plus QB rating for much of the game and hit nine receivers on the afternoon.

“It felt great," Sorsby said about the quick start. "Any deep shots that you can score fast on is really fun and exciting and if you can hook up on those it is very important. Explosive plays win games. The receivers and tight ends did a great job today. The run game helped us with the deep shots as they ran for 275 yards. The offensive line did an outstanding job, and it was a good all-around day.”

UC's now gone over 300 yards passing in each of the last two openers, time will tell if that momentum carries forward to Pitt and beyond. But all in all, it's hard to ask for a much better debut than Sorsby flashed on Saturday.

Royer Roars

Joe Royer's debut was impressive on Saturday afternoon, tallying five catches for 89 yards to help lead Cincinnati's passing attack. Players like Royer, Xzavier Henderson (seven catches for 101 yards, 1 TD), and more should have the UC pass game hitting a way higher ceiling this season.

The 6-5 weapon showed superior athleticism all afternoon in a career that's been interrupted by injury. If he stays healthy, Royer will be one of the most productive tight ends in the Big 12. UC can move him all over the formation and he has the size/speed combo to do damage at the second level.

Cincinnati's offense did its job on Saturday to the tune of TOTAL YARDS.

Run Defense Unstable Again?

Cincinnati looks like it needs Dontay Corleone moving forward. Towson profiles as a decent rushing team at the FCS level, but UC gave up too many wide open lanes on Saturday without the All-American nose tackle.

Towson posted nearly six yards per carry in the first half (6.1 full-game adjusted YPC), including rushes of 39 and 18 yards. The beef at nose tackle simply isn't there without Corleone and you could see it throughout the afternoon. UC's speed helped them close some gaps and wall up when it had to in the red zone, but every other opponent they play will be able to match or out physical this current front.

“It's going to make a huge difference whenever he's able to go because, he demands so much attention up front when you're thinking about," Satterfield said about Corleone's impoact. "Centering probably two guards that are going to have to know where he's at that's going to free up linebackers to run. He's going to get penetration. He's going to be in the backfield more. It's going to give you one more added All- American in the rotation up front that are certainly held, but also just the psyche for everybody. Being able to have him up front, he's so well respected on our team, and to be able to have him out there playing, I think will make a huge difference. There's no question about it.”

All in all, the defense gave up another 10 big plays combined, in similar fashion to many games last season.

Cincinnati had one of the worst power conference run defenses with Corleone and Jalen Hunt last season. Things don't look promising without them after giving up nearly as many total yards to Towson in the first half (295) as they allowed to Eastern Kentucky in the whole 2023 opener (302 yards).

"This is early so we're rotating guys," Satterfield said about the defensive front. "I know we did up front as well, so that's a positive. There's a lot of young guys that are out there making some plays. There were times when we're out of our gaps, and obviously, I think that's to be expected. Sometimes when you have a new defense for the first time in a game and going out making these corrections. We'll be able to make those corrections this week. We're going to need to as we play Pitt next week. They’re an ACC team that has a lot of talent, and we'll have to be much better.”

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