Notre Dame "Not Just Another Game" For Cincinnati

Cincinnati is embracing the big game nature of its upcoming matchup against Notre Dame

The highlight quote from Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell about his team’s game against Notre Dame came about a third of the way through his Tuesday press conference.

“It’s big,” Fickell said of the matchup against Notre Dame. “We’re not going to lie to you. Like I said, once the thing is kicked off, you can’t let the emotions of all the different stuff that’s going on affect you and how you go about things. What I mean by that is the emotions throughout the week that can drain you because you need to be at your best on Saturday. That’s where I struggle a lot is the emotions of the whole of preparing. 

"Often, you get to Saturday, and what energy and stuff do you have left," continued Fickell. "There is a good balance to that. I think our 18 to 22-year-old kids do a better job at that because they are used to the emotional swings of everyday life. Some of us like to get into a routine and stick to it."

It’s a big game for the Bearcats. For Notre Dame, it’s just another big game.

There is a difference.

"It’s a big game anytime you play Notre Dame," Fickell said. "Notre Dame is obviously a top-five program. It just happens to be a year when we’re both really good and ranked high. I think you go about the process of making sure you stay focused and not spending a lot of time on your emotions.”

The Irish were tested last week by Wisconsin, which was ranked No. 18. They play Virginia Tech (3-1) on the road on Oct. 9. The Hokies jumped into the Top 25 early after beating North Carolina.

Cincinnati, which is ranked is seventh by the Associated Press, while Notre Dame is ranked ninth after its 41-13 victory over the Badgers. The Irish (4-0) outscored Wisconsin 31-3 in the fourth quarter.

Fickell spent most of his press conference answering questions about playing Notre Dame. Brian Kelly spent a little bit of his press conference answering questions about the Bearcats.

It’s the way it is. And yes, Cincinnati had a bye-week, just like Wisconsin did last week before it played the Irish.

There are all sorts of storylines.

Kelly left Cincinnati to coach at Notre Dame. Many Cincinnati folks weren’t happy because Kelly told his players after the story was leaked. Jeff Quinn, his current offensive line coach, took over the interim coach after he left.

Current Notre Dame defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman held the same role at Cincinnati from 2017-20, and Irish corners coach Mike Mickens coached with the Bearcats from 2018-19. Cincinnati offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock had two coaching stints at Notre Dame (2002-04, 2010-16). Wide receiver Michael Young Jr. transferred to Cincinnati after spending his first three seasons with the Irish.

In all, five current Notre Dame coaches spent time on the Bearcat coaching staff prior to their arrival in South Bend. Of course, former Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis once made a hard push to hire Fickell as his defensive coordinator back when the current Cincinnati head coach was an assistant at Ohio State.

It’s all part of the outside noise.

Yes, there is a game to play.

Last year, the Bearcats (3-0) were very good, finishing 9-1. Their only loss was 24-21 to Georgia in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl. The Bulldogs outscored Cincinnati 14-0 in the last quarter to get the victory.

Fickell called the Georgia game a measuring stick.

The game against the Irish, where they’ve opened as a 2.5 point favorite, is also a gauge for where the program stands.

“It’s definitely a measuring stick,” Fickell said of playing Notre Dame. “When you’re playing Georgia, you’re playing a top ten program. When you are playing Notre Dame, you are playing a top five program. 

"There is no way historically, and I don’t mean in the last 100 years but the last five years, that they’ve been one of the best teams in the country," continued the Cincinnati head coach. "To us, that’s a big deal. Again, to the 18 to 22-year-olds, they hear, you know, those kinds of things that aren’t as much in their wheelhouse, as to what’s important to these guys. It’s an opportunity to go from 3-0 to 4-0. And, oh, it’s a very big game. Control the emotion and things but it's the ultimate measuring stick in all that we do. I think that’s what’s great for us as a program.”

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