Locked On Bearcats - Daily Podcast on Cincinnati Bearcats Football & Basketball

The Cincinnati Bearcats are entering their final season in the American Athletic Conference. Coming off a College Football Playoff appearance and heading to the Big 12 in 2023, Alex explains why those are two of the reasons why the Cincinnati Bearcats winning a conference championship is the bare minimum for 2022. Believe it or not, the Cincinnati Bearcats have a greater margin for error this year...

It's that time of year where we analyze the state of college football programs around the country. Alex explains why the Cincinnati Bearcats are in a state of reloading, not rebuilding, and why this year's roster's depth could make it better than last year's roster. This year's Cincinnati Bearcats roster may lack experience at key positions, but multiple fifth and sixth-year players will be the on...

The Cincinnati Bearcats dream of reaching the College Football Playoff was firmly in their grasp when the American Conference Championship kicked off. Alex relives the Cincinnati Bearcats winning the American Championship and punching their ticket to the College Football Playoff, including his memorable on-field experience working with ABC Sports for the game. Then, the Cincinnati Bearcats went to...

The final four games of the Cincinnati Bearcats 2021 season began with ESPN's College Gameday making an appearance. Kirk Herbstreit said it was the best crowd they had had all season, and it was great to see the University of Cincinnati on College Football's premiere pregame show. The celebration came just four days after the Cincinnati Bearcats were placed at number six in the initial College Foo...

Fresh off their wins at Indiana and Notre Dame, the Cincinnati Bearcats returned home to start conference play with a clear path to the College Football Playoff. The Cincinnati Bearcats dominated Temple and UCF at home, winning by a combined score of 108-24. So much so, that UCF head coach Gus Malzahn said after the game that the Cincinnati Bearcats could win a national championship. Forget just g...

Alex is heading on vacation at the time you are hearing this, and while he is away, you can relive the 2021 Cincinnati Bearcats CFP season from his perspective. Today, it's games 1-4. The first four games of the season featured the highly-anticipated showdowns at Indiana and Notre Dame. Alex was there for both of them, and the two wins cemented that the Cincinnati Bearcats dream of going to the Co...

Alex is joined by the Hall of Fame Voice of the Bearcats, Dan Hoard, as they talk about the Cincinnati Bearcats draft class. Dan explains that it's not just head coach Luke Fickell who's responsible for the development of those who were selected. It's also strength and conditioning coach Brady Collins. Alex and Dan talk about which Bearcats players will have the most success in the NFL, and how go...

There is one thing the Cincinnati Bearcats need to do in order to have success in 2022 that no one is talking about: winning on the road. Alex explains why that will be a greater challenge this year than the last two years, especially with the loss of several alpha-dog players. Not only will winning on the road make the Cincinnati Bearcats successful this year, but it will also make them successfu...

You thought the University of Louisville was a good next target for the Big 12? Well, Alex is back with an even bigger swing in mind: the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Imagine adding the most successful regular-season college basketball program of the last eight years into your conference. The competition would be fierce. If the Big 12 doesn't go after Pac12 schools in the latest round of conference realignme...

Is it time to press the panic button on the Cincinnati Bearcats going to the Big 12 with conference realignment picking up steam? Alex is joined by Locked On Big 12 host Josh Neighbors for his thoughts on the state of the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Big 12 amid all the conference realignment rumblings swirling. Josh thinks the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Big 12 are fine, but what happens if the Bi...

There is one team the Big 12 should target that nobody is talking about. Alex thinks the Louisville Cardinals should be the next team the Big 12 targets, renewing the Keg of Nails Rivalry. Adding Louisville makes sense geographically, for television markets, and adding a school with a passionate fanbase. Alex then explains the things he's most looking forward to most about the Cincinnati Bearcats...

The competition for the Cincinnati Bearcats once they join the Big 12 will be substantially greater than it is in the AAC. Today, Alex takes a look at the toughest games the Cincinnati Bearcats will face once they join the Big 12. Kansas will be the biggest test in men's basketball, but there will be other teams that pose challenges for the Cincinnati Bearcats. On the gridiron, a trip to Oklahoma...

When it comes to rivalries, the Cincinnati Bearcats have two. Miami (OH) in football and Xavier in basketball. But Alex thinks there needs to be new rivalries created once Cincinnati joins the Big 12, particularly in football. There are some rivalries that are forming right now as the Cincinnati Bearcats end their time in the American Athletic Conference. UCF and Houston could remain rivals to the...

The Cincinnati Bearcats linebackers are led by a pair of brothers, but which one of them will lead the team in tackles? Alex is back with another edition of Bold Prediction Tuesday, where he explains just how good he thinks Deshawn and Ivan Pace can be. There is another linebacker on this roster who is poised for a breakout season entering his sixth season with program. Alex explains why this line...

Alex explains where he thinks the Cincinnati Bearcats stand as another round of conference realignment begins. Cincinnati Bearcats fans are probably feeling uneasy with USC and UCLA going to the Big 10. Alex agrees, but reminds fans that the Big 12 hasn't been targeted yet and the Pac12 may choose not to expand. Plus, would the Big Ten or the SEC really want Big 12 schools to come to their confere...

Alex reveals who his favorite player is on this year's Cincinnati Bearcats roster (spoiler alert; it's not Evan Prater). And that player has the chance to become the greatest Cincinnati-area defensive recruit in Cincinnati Bearcats history. We all remember Sauce Gardner and Desmond Ridder for their greatness, but a great player who's from Cincinnati makes you appreciate his greatness that much mor...

The Cincinnati Bearcats enter the Big 12 one year from today, July 1, 2023. Alex explains the 12 things that need to happen for both the Cincinnati Bearcats football and men's basketball programs over the next year, so they can be ready to win in the Big 12 from day one. The Cincinnati Bearcats have to know who their starting quarterback is going into the Big 12, and Gino Guidugli has to show he i...

The Cincinnati Bearcats enter the 2022 season with several defensive linemen carrying something to prove. Alex is joined by AllBearcats colleague Russ Heltman for his take on the Cincinnati Bearcats new look defensive linemen. Russ thinks Jabari Taylor enters the season with the most to prove, that he can be the anchor of this defensive line. In addition, this is the year for Jowon Briggs to show...

The Cincinnati Bearcats have signed a plethora of cornerbacks for their 2023 recruiting class. And after the legendary success of Sauce Gardner and Coby Bryant, could Cincinnati be becoming the next DBU of college football? Alex is joined by John Garcia Jr., the director of football recruiting for Sports Illustrated, for his thoughts on the Cincinnati Bearcats 2023 recruiting class. He cites going...

It's another episode of Bold Prediction Tuesday as today Alex gives five bold predictions for the Cincinnati Bearcats defensive line in 2022. We know the big three members of the defensive line in Malik Vann, Curtis Brooks and Jabari Taylor, but there is another defensive lineman ready to make a splash. Alex explains why one particular defensive lineman is ready to make a Deshawn Pace-like leap in...

The Cincinnati Bearcats defensive line is also a position experiencing an overhaul heading into the 2022 season. Alex explains how it's now up to Malik Vann and Jowon Briggs to pick up the departures of Curtis Brooks and other great defensive lineman from previous years. Vann and Briggs were easy to overlook with all the talent on the Cincinnati Bearcats defense in 2021. But this year, they will b...

The Cincinnati Bearcats over/under win total heading into this season is set at 9, according to BetOnline. Alex explains how you can either be smart and take the under, or bold and take the over. Alex then looks at the toughest games on the Cincinnati Bearcats 2022 schedule. The back-to-back road games at SMU and UCF are a gauntlet, but there's another game at a lesser opponent that Alex thinks co...

The Cincinnati Bearcats are losing two All-Americans at cornerback, but they can't have the position be a weakness in 2022. Alex explains the importance of the players replacing Sauce Gardner and Coby Bryant stepping up and making it not seem so obvious that Sauce and Coby Bryant aren't here anymore. A lot of programs would dream to be on the kind of footing and have the kind of momentum the Cinci...

The Cincinnati Bearcats are joining the Big 12 at a time for the conference. Alex is joined by Locked On Big 12 host Josh Neighbors for his thoughts on the Cincinnati Bearcats officially joining the Big 12 July 1, 2023, and if they are joining the conference at a time when the conference is going through a transition. Alex and Josh discuss if the Cincinnati Bearcats can win immediately upon joinin...

The Cincinnati Bearcats are not rebuilding in 2022. They are reloading. And Alex explains how the recruiting the program has done over the last few years must pay dividends this season for it to be a success. While the Cincinnati Bearcats are headed to the Big 12 in 2023, they are still a Group of Five team for 2022. And anything short of a third straight conference championship in 2022, especiall...