Cincinnati defeats No. 8 Texas Tech 34-27 in upset victory
Cincinnati beat Texas Tech 34-27, ending the Red Raiders' unbeaten start and earning the Bearcats their first home win over a top-10 AP opponent since 2006.
Cincinnati upset No. 8 Texas Tech 34-27 on Saturday at Nippert Stadium, snapping the Red Raiders' unbeaten run and marking the Bearcats' first home victory over an AP top-10 team since 2006. The Bearcats recorded 255 rushing yards, including a career-high 173 by Cole Tabb, while quarterback JC French IV contributed 172 passing yards, 43 on the ground, four touchdowns and two interceptions.
Texas Tech managed 227 passing yards from quarterback Will Hammond but struggled in the red zone, settling for five field-goal attempts and committing three turnovers. The Red Raiders also incurred a season-high 12 penalties and did not score a touchdown until the final minute of the game.
"A lot of you guys circled this game right from the offseason all the way through with all the talk of things that were going on with our two programs," Cincinnati coach Scott Satterfield said.
"There is no excuse or reason to lose a game like this," Texas Tech board chair Cody Campbell wrote in a post on X.
"I'm really, really proud of our program, our players, our coaches, our staff. Our guys work their butts off," Satterfield added.
The matchup followed ongoing legal disputes involving former Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who transferred to Texas Tech before being ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA. Cincinnati is pursuing a $1 million claim against Sorsby for breach of contract, while the Big 12 and Texas Tech have faced separate lawsuits related to his eligibility. The win was highlighted by both programs as a significant moment amid the off-field controversy.