Cincinnati Bearcats feel prepared for big stage – and confident they're here to stay

It’s been a historic season for the University of Cincinnati’s football program, reaching a level few thought was possible a few years ago, but players are confident their first College Football Playoff appearance is only the beginning.

Coach Luke Fickell has often talked about his goal of turning the Bearcats into a top-10 program in the nation, not just a top team for one season. It’s been a multi-year transformation where expectations continue to grow and the little things become more appreciated.

Sixth-year senior defensive lineman Curtis Brooks, one of the three active players who entered the program during Tommy Tuberville’s final season, pointed at how much practices changed under Fickell.

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“I just remember being as a freshman, I could walk out there, maybe my shoes weren’t tied up all the way, maybe my ankles weren’t taped, pads might not have been strapped up all the way. Can’t do that now,” Brooks said, laughing. “It’s intense out there. Every practice, even on a Thursday walk-through, it’s a mental focus that we have to have. I really feel like that, along with the weight training, really helped the program turn around.”

After an undefeated regular season last year, and a two-point loss to Georgia in the Peach Bowl, Fickell’s message to players, tight end Josh Whyle said, was “we’re a good football team. We won a lot of games. But it’s time to be a great team.”

They’ve made that a reality heading into their Cotton Bowl showdown against top-ranked Alabama.

“I just remember my freshman year, we were 11-3,” said junior receiver Tre Tucker. “Right then and there, I was like, ‘Wow, we’ve reached a high point. How much higher can we go?’ Then you see the next year we did what we did, and then obviously this year coming up. I don’t think there’s any ceiling for us right now.”

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Tucker remembers night camp practices at Higher Ground during his freshman year to prepare for prime-time games following a 38-13 loss to No. 11 UCF in 2018, which some players still say is the loudest environment they’ve played.

A couple of years later and the Bearcats made it to college football’s largest stage. Next up is Alabama, the pinnacle program.

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“It’s been so spectacular,” Brooks said. “Coach Fick, he’s really, in a way, a legendary coach in my eyes because he’s brought so much to Cincinnati. ... I don’t believe this is the last time Cincinnati will be on a stage like this. The program is heading in the right way in all directions in my opinion. I really believe Cincinnati is going to become a household name, one of those top-10 programs that Coach Fick preaches about all the time."

RUN IT BACK: A lot of the expectations for the Bearcats this season can be traced to the weeks following their Peach Bowl loss when several of their starters announced they were returning for another season.

Quarterback Desmond Ridder, defensive end Myjai Sanders and cornerback Coby Bryant waiting to enter the NFL Draft for another year. Brooks and linebacker Joel Dublanko making use of a sixth season.

“What’s funny is none of us actually discussed what we were going to do as far as coming back,” Brooks said. “It just all kind of happened. Then once we looked around and realized who was back, we realized we could really do something special this year and it played out in that way.”

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Said Dublanko: “After last year, yeah, obviously I think this is what we were all aiming for.”

CHILI CHATTER: Unsurprisingly, Cincinnati players were asked about their opinions on Skyline chili during press conferences this week.

“I first came to Cincinnati, I was not a huge fan of the chili, especially Skyline,” said Brooks, a Danville, Virginia native. “But I’ve got some great friends from Cincinnati, Malik Vann, Darrin Beavers, kind of sat me down and forced me to eat it one more time. I’m actually a huge fan of it now.”

Whyle, a Cincinnat native, added: “I’ve been living off Skyline my entire life. I eat it probably two or three times a week. You can’t really describe it, though, you just have to try it.”

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Senior safety Bryan Cook, another Cincinnati native, braced for a backlash when he gave his answer.

“I’m going to get a lot of criticism about this, but I personally think Gold Star is better,” Cook said. “I don’t eat Skyline. I think because when I was younger, I ate it and I had a tummyache. Ever since then, I just never ate it again. I’m probably biased on that aspect. I should probably try it again, give it another shot, but ever since then I just haven’t tried it. I’d just rather eat Gold Star. I don’t eat Gold Star that often because I have other foods to eat, but if I was to pick, I’d pick Gold Star.”

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: College Football Playoff: Cincinnati Bearcats want to be a top program